UPDATE: Please tell me the humane thing to do.

[suzpyoung]

UPDATE: That last post really hit me - thank you for the "tough love". I did the baking soda/vinegar shortly afterwards. However, please someone tell me she was already unconscious when I looked after 15 minutes (I thought sure she would have been gone by then) and she was very still but appeared to be gasping for air. This is making me feel just awful.
March 3-4 I hatched 10 beautiful little chicks. However, one of my Polish/Silkie crosses (the last to hatch) just lays on her side, can't stand or hold her head up. I really don't see how she has a chance. She hatched around 4:00 p.m. Thursday. I've tried to help her drink but she can't tilt her head back. What is the right thing to do?

 

[Duchessk75]

Aww, I'm so sorry. Yesterday, I was given advice on the humane way to put a chick down. This is my first batch of chicks, so I'm new to the scene. One of my chicks was blind, and wasting away. Apparently, there is a thing called cervical dislocation, which from what I understand means cutting their heads off. Another person said to freeze them. As they get colder, they fall asleep, and don't feel themselves passing away. I'm going to go with the second option if anything happens to any of my other chicks

Again, I know how hard it is when one is sick, and I am really sorry for your loss. Its amazing how attached you can get to these little fluff balls!

 

[HickoryGuy]

I'd rather have my head chopped off instantly than freeze to death.

 

[GeneGoddess]

Quote:
Cervical dislocation is actually more of a stretching the neck to break the spinal cord. It is how many people will kill a mouse a few at a time for research purposes (check out my SN - if there is a mouse at the pearly gates, I am NOT going to be let in). I can do it pretty easily on a mouse, (lay mouse stomach down on ground, place thumb and forefinger right behind skull high on neck, grab by tail and jerk swiftly/smoothly backwards) and it takes less than a second and is humane. I've heard of the freezer thing, but it is not considered humane. We used CO2 for large quantities of mice, but that's not readily available. In theory, you could try CD with the chick (grab the legs instead of the tail), but I have no personal experience with it.

 

[Chipper]

Quote:
I feel the same way.It should be quick with no suffering.The chick has probably already suffered enough in many cases.
Freezing a chick to death may make it easier on the person doing the deed but,I know I would not want to freeze to death.

 

[bad_coffee]

http://www.sialis.org/hospdispatch.htm

Take your pick.

B

 

[Davaroo]

You can euthanize it too. Just place a wad of paper towel in a large zip baggie, covered candy tin, etc. and soak it with engine starter fluid, acetone, etc.

Slip the little chick in the container, close the container and your eyes and leave.

It will be overcome with the fumes instantaneously and slip off within seconds.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
I feel the same way.It should be quick with no suffering.The chick has probably already suffered enough in many cases.
Freezing a chick to death may make it easier on the person doing the deed but,I know I would not want to freeze to death.

yup..i dont think freezing is humane at all... just think about how you have felt when you were REALLY really cold... how miserable you were.. how your fingers or feet burned..... not a quick way at all..

 

[cluckcluck42]

I'm sorry you have to do this

I am not looking forward to the time that I may have to make this decision. HUbby and I decided we would decapitate. We thought of how we would want to go, and something very, very quick is the answer. I would not do freezing, that would be a horrible way to go if you ask me.

 

[Duchessk75]

Well, now that Ive been given a few more opinions, maybe freezing isnt the best idea...it sounded ok and better then cutting its head off at the time. It was explained to me that your not actually freezing it..as it gets colder and the body temp lowers, it falls asleep, then slips away.