How I cull chicks
It is never fun to cull a chick. Not only are they cute, but seemingly helpless as well. But, a chick with a birth defect (hatch defect?) is better off (in my opinion) culled rather than forced to endure a painful, difficult life.
Tools: Small zip lock bag. Hand held pruning sheers.
I put the chick inside the bag. I use my weak hand (left) to hold the chicks body from outside the bag. The bag is open, so that I can put the sheers into the bag. I quickly snip off it's head. I keep a firm hold on the body of the chick, as there is a wee bit of 'death throes' it goes through. Any blood, and there is very little, is contained within the bag. When the body is still, I zip up the bag and put dispose of it. I believe the death is instant and the chick does not feel anything.
I am never happy about having to do this, and I always apologize to the bird.
