This breaks my heart... i have to cull a chick :(

[chickenvirgin]

so sorry {{{huggs}}}

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

The flopping was a bit unexpected for me as well. Luckily I had wrapped mine in a towel, and was able to hold her still.

Rest assured you have done the right and brave thing, and your little friend thanks you for it.

 

[yellowchickensmomma]

. You are very brave. I hope I can be that brave when and it I have to do that.

 

[justmeandtheflock]

 

[ihvpower]

It is sad but must be done..both so that she does not suffer and so that defect is not carried on to another little chick

 

[Amethyste]

She was never going to breed...we have no roosters cos of the no-rooster ordinance here. She was just refusing food, and getting weaker, and her beak was getting worse.

She probably would have survived a while longer, but it is starting to get cooler here in the season <Pacific NW> and she had practically no reserves to help her stay warm and healthy

She had no energy either....al she did was sit quietly on the ramp and watch the others...and occasionally get the energy to try to grab a little bit of treats like lettuce or greens and then drop it and go back to the ramp. We would hold her on our laps and try to offer her her own lettuce or whatever it was but it was like she lost interest in trying to eat.

Her growth was stunted as well.... her sibs were outgrowing her by leaps and bounds, and she wasnt catching up. We tried syringe feeding and everything over the last week or so and she wanted nothing to do with it. And having the crossed beak as well didnt help her any with eating

The vet was pretty sure there was something congenital going on as well due to the way she was put together too...it just wasnt obvious until now. Not quite sure what was wrong with this little one...but at least she knew she was loved.

Thank you all for the support... you are all the greatest

At least you understand about the chickie... and dont think I am a total nutcase like many of my friends and neighbours do about my birds.

 

[siriradha]

You did the right thing, the loving thing.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

You proved that you are an excellent chicken-keeper, to have done what was so difficult for you for the benefit of one of your flock. While some cross-beaked birds survive to adulthood, many more just cannot keep themselves fed sufficiently. And perhaps your chick had other issues too. These are the most difficult to decide to cull, because it seems they're not suffering, although actually they are slowly starving to death. They may not show it, but they're in distress & discomfort. If they were in the wild, they'd be an easy catch for a predator, who wouldn't be as gentle or swift in dispatching it.

You can be glad you gave her the best life she could ever have had, and every chance to survive. I pray for comfort & peace to fill your heart now.

 

[smileysal]

We had to despatch one of our babies too because she had a dodgy leg and was getting trampled on by all the fit ones, it's hard but you know in your heart it's the right thing to do.
Just think, your chick, mine and philadelphia's chick are all playing together in chickie heaven where there is nothing wrong with them and they can all fly!!!

 

[Emzyyy]

Im sorry about your chick. I know how it feels I got my cross beaked hen to almost a year old then she got sick and there was nothing I could do. I used the baking soda and peroxide method. She went to sleep quietly. I used a old cooler and put a metal mesh bottom in and towls over it and then filled the bottom half with baking soda and peroxide and set her on top nice and snug, closed the lid, and she was asleep within 5 minutes.

Goodluck with your girl.