I have a day old chick and she was an assisted hatch. I helped too early. She cant cheep or eat or stand, but she has been kicking her curled up feet a lot, and was pretty active. Breathing very hard too. I gave her sugar water throughout the day. She does seem like she may be suffering, but I don’t know if it’s too early to make the discussion to cull her. Should I give her more time?

the pictures are a time line of her since she hatched.
Any chicks unable to stand at a day old of mine have never survived. It doesn't look to me like this chick was too early, unless you removed a yolk or there's one that I can't see in the picture. The first pic looks like a head over wing malposition. It might have stayed in egg too long, and gotten weak. My most recent hatch I had a malposition chick that I assisted, wasn't too early, but it still didn't make it more than a few hours.

I also had my first chick I had to cull myself this hatch. It hatched unassisted with it's navel still open, and something happened over night and the yolk pulled out, it was pooping through it's belly. :/ A sharp knife and a cutting board was a really quick way to go about it. I don't think any of my scissors are sharp enough to kill any thing quickly. That's another option, if you're looking for something quick.
 
I have a day old chick and she was an assisted hatch. I helped too early. She cant cheep or eat or stand, but she has been kicking her curled up feet a lot, and was pretty active. Breathing very hard too. I gave her sugar water throughout the day. She does seem like she may be suffering, but I don’t know if it’s too early to make the discussion to cull her. Should I give her more time? the pictures are a time line of her since she hatched.

I had to cull twice now. Both babies. The quickest and easiest, because I didn't have to look, was to dig a hole, lay baby in the hole, place shovel at neck, quick, hard shove downward. Quick and I could immediately shovel dirt on top to bury it. Only way I am able to stand it.

So sorry. I'm glad you didn't have to do it. If your at all like me, it is tough to do, even if necessary. You gave her all you could.
:hugs

I had to assist 8 out of my last hatch (all but one survived), one was exactly like the one that you lost, curled feet & all. All we can do is try, and pray for the best. I had to cull my 1st quail chick a couple days ago. It was a blind, albino, runt of a chick. It wasn't thriving, just pecking at nothing & everything, couldn't find the food or water, just had to luck bump into them both. I couldn't cull it, my DH did it for me. I plan on building/making my own killing cone to use for butchering & culling & I've got some sharp kitchen shears, not to mention my new hatchet. I'm hoping culling gets easier in time.
 
Agree with this.
I did the research. I guess you guys haven’t. Your way sounds horrible to me, my way sounds horrible to you. The humane society said it was kind and gentle as hypothermia is a pleasant way to die, you go to sleep. Please remember in life your way is your way but there are other ways. I was offering an option. When we had to cull a cockerel my husband did do it by twisting his neck which was also quick and gentle.

Sorry you lost your wee chick and glad nature took its course.
 

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