Tonight will be the first night I have to put down a chick. It's a Freedom Ranger that was labeled as a bantam and its a very nice bird. All of the chick's feathers are coming in, and they were picking the tail feathers out of this poor girl, making her bleed. I've been keeping up with the blu kote, making sure there isn't exposed blood.
Tonight, before leaving to go to my aunt's house for a couple hours, I noticed her sleeping under the light. She was facing towards me, so I couldn't see her butt. I couldn't see blood so I just assumed she was sleeping. I came back and she was dying on the floor under the light, still hardly breathing. I picked her out and then noticed her butt had been ripped open by the other chicks. Her vent is now an open hole and I can see her insides moving when she breathes. (Sorry, that's gruesome)
I know there's no use trying to save her, because that would require surgery that I'm not qualified for, nor willing to spend on a bird that's just going to get butchered in a month or two.
I'm just prepping myself for putting her out of her misery. Her eyes are closed tightly, and she's dripping from the mouth. I'm hoping she's not conscious anymore, though she tries to hold her head up when I sit her up.
I've never been the one to actually take their life away before! My dad usually does the dirty work and I do the rest when it comes to our excess roosters and ducks for food. But I've never done it myself or had to even think about killing a chick.
Sorry, kind of using BYC as my personal journal, but just wanted to tell somebody what's happening.
Here goes nothing, I guess.
Tonight, before leaving to go to my aunt's house for a couple hours, I noticed her sleeping under the light. She was facing towards me, so I couldn't see her butt. I couldn't see blood so I just assumed she was sleeping. I came back and she was dying on the floor under the light, still hardly breathing. I picked her out and then noticed her butt had been ripped open by the other chicks. Her vent is now an open hole and I can see her insides moving when she breathes. (Sorry, that's gruesome)
I know there's no use trying to save her, because that would require surgery that I'm not qualified for, nor willing to spend on a bird that's just going to get butchered in a month or two.
I'm just prepping myself for putting her out of her misery. Her eyes are closed tightly, and she's dripping from the mouth. I'm hoping she's not conscious anymore, though she tries to hold her head up when I sit her up.
I've never been the one to actually take their life away before! My dad usually does the dirty work and I do the rest when it comes to our excess roosters and ducks for food. But I've never done it myself or had to even think about killing a chick.
Sorry, kind of using BYC as my personal journal, but just wanted to tell somebody what's happening.
Here goes nothing, I guess.
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