Please help...ways to cull a chick?

[sunket77]

Hi everyone, I have a sick 8 week old on my hands that I have had to make the decision to cull (already posted a thread on it)
I got the idea from other BYC members to use a sealed bucket, baking soda and vinegar. I tried it twice and it didn't work and a really don't want to torture the poor thing. This is very hard because it has been in the house a been cared for over a month an been on antibiotics (2 kinds) and not getting better, It has a respiratory problem. Please help, this is hard as it is so I would prefer a "non-bloody" method that will be quick and hopefully not painful. So PLEASE any good advice?

 

[Cindiloohoo]

I have a few ideas, in case someone doesn't come up with something better. You could induce hypothermia by putting it outside, or snap it's neck. I hate to even type that, but at 8 weeks I don't really know any other ways. Another thread has a discussion on stunning a bird that sounds humane and then you could kill and it wouldn't feel anything. I'm sorry you are having to go through this. I hope someone has a better idea!!

 

[FortWorthChicks]

I would remove the head.

sorry about the bucket situation and about having to cull but the best way is quick and off with the head. so sorry

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
Your best choice is to snap it's neck... I know, I know... it ain't easy to hear. But if you don't want a bloody method and the vinegar/baking soda ain't workin' (which in my opinion never does) you are going to have to snap the neck. Just like what you would think, use your fingers on both sides of the neck and snap it.

Another way to snap is to put something like a board on its neck and pull the body up... I think this would be harder to do for someone attached to the bird.

Another way would be to take a shovel and put it on it's neck and then put weight down (quickly).

There is no fun way of doing it. Good luck.

 

[Uzuri]

If you still want to try the CO2 method -- get dry ice. That stuff has killed *people* before. A convention that I go to often has to warn people not to sleep on the floor of their hotel rooms if they bring coolers with it since it collects in low areas.

chances are your vinegar/baking soda mixture wasn't just the right combination, and therefore didn't put off enough gas. That's not a problem with dry ice, since it's solid CO2 and puts off the gas as it melts. Just don't let the chick come into direct contact with it, because that WOULD be cruel (immediate frostbite).

 

[Emzyyy]

Maybe your not doint the baking soda method right? I used it on a full grown bird and it worked fine. I used a cooler with a lid though. I put a wire grate in the bottom to leave room for the liquid so the bird wouldn't be sitting in the liquid filled the bottom part with the baking soda and peroxide put a towl over it and put the bird in and shut the lid. She was gone within 5 minutes & it just puts them to sleep. I'm sorry.

 

[LittleFeat]

since you are having trouble with the blood issue....try digging a small hole just like you would to bury it. Put the chick in the hole and do the shovel just behing the head and just quickly chop the head off with the shovel using your foot just like when you dig. Then immediately cover the baby with dirt and you've culled and buried without ever really having to deal with the blood. It will be a quick kill and quick disposal.

 

[write2caroline]

Hold the body with one hand or have someone else hold it and grasp the head and pull and twist away from its body at the same time. Grisly I know. It was how my grandfather did it. It is fast and efficient.
I am sorry.

I have been nursing a little frizzle for a month too. I was finally going to do the deed and it died peacefully on his own yesterday while I was holding him. I kept trying to work up the nerve to do it but finally he went on his own.

It is really sad but they shouldn't have to suffer.

Caroline

 

[chickless]

You could take it vet if you are near any, which may seem extremely expensive to some, and worth it to others. It depends on the vet and their attitude towards something like this, and how much they charge.

A discussion of humane bird euthanasia methods can be found here: http://www.sialis.org/hospdispatch.htm

Hi, I'm new and haven't posted before, but I know exactly how this feels and I'm very sensitive to suffering too. Good luck.

--Angela

 

[vkp23]

My husband recently had to cull a chick we hatched. There was something wrong with the neck and he couldn't hold his head up much less straight. Poor thing couldn't even keep up right because of the obvious curve in his spine. If I righted him he would try to lift his head and would immediately flip onto his back and kick his feet trying to right himself. But he couldn't. I'm not above caring for "special" chicks. I have one that hatched with the top part of her beak missing up to her nose. But she can eat and drink fine and is doing great at almost 7 weeks old. I saw no point in culling her since she is capable of living a normal life. But this other guy, there was just no way he could live any kind of normal life, and it would have been mean to keep him alive. Any way, my husband did the shovel thing. It's quick and kinder IMHO than trying to gas it. I have heard some horror stories because we are not trained how to do it right. We can make mistakes and only cause the bird pain from confusion and physically. I know you don't want it to be bloody and I feel for you on that. But if you think about what is kinder to the chick? A quick death that you see blood in, or a slow and painful one for the chick but you are spared having to see blood? Decapitation is the quickest kindest and least painful for the chick considering what tools and experience you have. I'm sorry for you situation.