really need advice but, please don't preach

[Cherstin]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts ... it's only happened to me twice in the past, and you are correct: not all advice found on the internet is the "best" advice. Even though it's been two years since it happened, reading those strong words made me feel sick thinking about what I'd done, so I got defensive. I still have a lot to learn when it comes to chicken care, and we've all been "young" in the hobby and I'm sure we've all made "young" mistakes. I shouldn't imagine anyone would say those harsh words to someone whose flock accidentally froze, however.

I'm not particularly familiar with the medicial field, and I've never dealt with hypothermia. I suppose I'm one of the minority taken over by Hollywood where freezing to death implies falling asleep and eventually losing conciousness and later, death. Now I know that I need to follow my own advice: raising animals is not always the easiest thing, but if I should ever have to cull again, I will certainly ensure that it is not the chicken that is uncomfortable, but rather me.

Original poster, best of luck to you.

 

[dandydoodle]

Thanks, everyone for the advice. I didn't keep the little guy around because, I liked it suffering. Honestly when it started out its leg wasn't this bad. Its leg just stuck out to the side a little from the knee down. It could get around just fine and wasn't really unhappy. So honestly he hasn't been suffering that long. He has been somewhat happy, she was even able to run with the other guys. It has been over the past week and a half that the leg has been progressively getting worse and now seems to be a problem with the hip too. I was hoping even though its hobble wouldn't be pretty maybe it could have a somewhat good quality of life and find it a home. Thanks, everyone for your help I really appreciate it. I am worried about if you try to cut off the head trying the first time and it not working.

Anyway thanks.

 

[airmechreed]

Quote:
I PMed you a website that I found in another forum post that had info on slipped tendon and how to correct it. NOT that it will work but it will give you info

 

[AlaskaGrownEggs]

Well, I do not have that kind of experience with chickens, but I have with rabbits. One time a had a baby rabbit that was having seizures, and we wrapped him in toilet paper and put him in the fridge. It broke my heart, but I knew what he had to experience in there was way better than having to keep living in pain.
There are several other ways. One is to put a powdered sleeping pill in warm applesauce. Then, use a syringe to deposit it in the belly. He will just die in his sleep. Or you can use chest compression by using your thumb and forefinger. All you have to do is find the soft spot on each side of his chest. You squeeze and it does not take much pressure for him to just die. Any other way may cost you like the vet putting it down. Now if you are going to use the scissors make sure you are confident that you can do it in one swift swipe of the blade and also be prepared for a little blood.

 

[PtldChick]

Quote:
X2 - quickest way for the chick, s/he'll never know what happened. Quick for you, too. I'm afraid if I used a cleaver, I might miss.

So sorry, sometimes some of them don't make it. I guess that's why hens lay so many eggs.

 

[mommissan]

Quote:
I'm going to defend your reasoning here Cherstin. I've met a few old geezers, much wiser than many people, who told me that they wanted to leave this world this way when the time came. They spoke of walking out onto the frozen lake if the "need" arose. There is no truly "humane" euthanasia. If anyone knows what method is best, they're already dead.

 

[PtldChick]

Quote:
Get a pair of poultry shears - they are made to cut up full grown meat chickens. You can get a decent pair for about $10-15. Sounds gruesome but think of it as investment in your chicken care kit.

 

[kari_dawn]

Decapitation may not be the only way. Some vets may euthanize the poor thing without charging a fee (IF euthanasia is the route you choose, but from what I am reading, his prognosis is not good based on the experience of others...though I think I saw a special needs chicken thread on here, and there are a couple of people who have chickens with legs that were injured somehow, or just deformed, and pointed backwards, and they seem to do okay, though I know you do not have the ability to care for a special needs bird...okay, back to the point. There may be another solution.)...my vet did that for me when my neighbor's cat got ahold of one of my little ones, and pulled it through the wire so hard that it pulled holes in it's crop.

Another thing some wildlife rehabbers use is dry ice, and a large plastic tote. The animal on one end, the ice in a bowl in the other. Snap the lid on, tape it shut, and give the animal time. The gasses that are released as the ice evaporates cause the animal to pass out, and eventually expire. It is like Carbon Monoxide poisoning...or so I have been told. Many times, they do not know it is happening, and another good part I guess, is that you could plausably put a heating pad under the end the chick is on to help keep him comfortable durring the process. Now, I have NOT tried this method, I am merely suggesting another possibility. As I have no experience with this method of euthanasia, if someone knows better than me, please correct me. I do not want to go about spreading bad information.


Edit: I found the thread I mentioned...look through the pictures...I think there were a couple of chickens on it with backwards legs.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=585797

 

[spiritdance]

Quote:
Have you ever been very, very cold? It's pure misery. The chick may well pass out, but only after suffering tremendously. This is NOT a humane solution! Not everything you read on the internet is the gospel; you have to use your own judgment and experience, being that cold is NOT painless!

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
Have you ever been very, very cold? It's pure misery. The chick may well pass out, but only after suffering tremendously. This is NOT a humane solution! Not everything you read on the internet is the gospel; you have to use your own judgment and experience, being that cold is NOT painless!

I think we've beat that dead horse into submission, there, so you might want to go easy now.

The poster is from FL....maybe she doesn't have any experience with the extreme discomfort of being cold unto death. Sunny days where she is from!