please help me (after a cull)

[ebonykawai]

I feel so terribly bad. Horrible, actually. I culled one of the new chicks. It had an eye deformity and I think it was mostly blind. This afternoon I noticed a big tuft of fluff was pulled from its back. I saw it sort of eating, or it looked like it might have been picking at things, but it wasn't right and I have so many other chicks to take care of and I didn't want a deformed, blind bird to have to worry about.

I feel so terribly guilty. I have never killed anything in my whole life, except once I hit a duck with my car because it flew into me. Please someone help me put this into perspective.

 

[RoostersCrow]

If you had left it the others may have turned on it. You did do the right thing. It was not easy but it was the right thing.

 

[kevin2010]

think of it this way if it would have lived for a little while it would have been wondring of in the woods and die horribly or ran accross the roud get hit by a car or even been in terible pain it whole life or even be picked on by the other chicks an get pecked to death you pretty much saved it from horrific pain you are a hero
we are all proud of you and you should be too.

 

[Flufnstuffs~FluffySilkies]

Hi Lisa,
I have had to step in a few times, and it is never easy.
I have had to end the suffering of newly hatched chicks,
It is better than watching them suffer until they pass on thier own.
I also have girls that are very emotional and and feel very sad for them. It is almost to much stress for them.
I do always try to help any chicks that I think have a good chance of recovering and that I think will have a good quality of life. I have gotten real good and straightning toes and spraddle leg.. And some times weak chicks just need a little TLC and they are fine to. BUT sometime know matter how much we want to help it is never going to be enough.

Do you ever go to Poultry Shows???
Maybe we will run into each other sometime.

 

[justusnak]

I agree with the others. What you did was the right thing. Most likely it would have suffered at the beaks of the others. When they know there is a wounded, or ill one in the bunch, they can be pretty relentless. You saved it from suffering.

 

[sunnychooks]

Have no regrets, Lisa. Sometimes we need to do things we don't want to do for the right reasons...
:aww

 

[willheveland]

You did the right thing.As hard as it may be culling helps strengthen the breed and prevents the chick from suffering and struggling.Deformities are a part of nature,we can't control them.Take care to see the others are as healthy as can be.
good luck. will

 

[speckledhen]

I did the exact thing with a blind chick and it was tough because it was one of my Blue Orpingtons. It was perfect but for some unknown reason, completely blind. It's hard enough to get my flock of them going, then to have to cull a beautiful chick because it cannot see...well, it was awful. You have my sympathies, believe me, and you did the right thing.

 

[Gersbud]

You did what was the best thing that you could have done for the chick. If it were deformed then it most likely would not have lived anyway. Best you put it out if its misery then let it suffer.

So sorry that you had to cull the chick. It is never easy no matter what.

 

[Cetawin]

As hard as it was and is....it was the right thing. The others would have began pecking at it and ganged up on it. You saved it from more suffering and possible injuries. And I know that does not make it easier just know that you did the right thing. ****Hugs****