What do you do when your cull attempt fails..

[orelsi]

I detest the gas/suffocation methods. A quick chop to the neck with a hatchet/axe is fast, painless and works 99% of the time. It's the most merciful method imho.

 

[2 chiks n a roo]

How is she doing?

She made it through last night and today, but she's quite weak. She's drinking plenty of fluids but having trouble holding her head up. I've put a sort of neck brace (toeless sock folded over) to help support her neck.
She's not breathing heavy anymore, very calm with the aid of paracodeine in kefir for the night. I don't think she'll make it to morning but she's proven me wrong twice now. Last night was -2, even colder tonight. I added another pile of dried grass clippings to their bed and fluffed them up around her.
Her sister will keep her warm unless she passes away.
It's supposed to be a warm day tomorrow, so if she makes it, I'm giving her a warm bath to clean her up, make a sling with a neck support for her so she can move her legs and at least hold her head up for the day and if no improvement by tomorrow night, I'll be euthanizing her. I'm not going to let it drag out.
I'm not expecting her to get through cos she's trying to eat but not quite getting the food. It's like she's got double vision and thinks it's closer than it is. She had a tiny bit while I held the dish for her, but she prefers liquid.
Before I went to the market this morning, I made her a chick starter mash with herbs and honey. It was finished by the time I got home. Her entire neck was wet and covered in crumbs so I know she had most of it other than not being able to stand, she was quite perky until about 3pm. That's when it cold down their end.

 

[Themellowyellows]

She made it through last night and today, but she's quite weak. She's drinking plenty of fluids but having trouble holding her head up. I've put a sort of neck brace (toeless sock folded over) to help support her neck.
She's not breathing heavy anymore, very calm with the aid of paracodeine in kefir for the night. I don't think she'll make it to morning but she's proven me wrong twice now. Last night was -2, even colder tonight. I added another pile of dried grass clippings to their bed and fluffed them up around her.
Her sister will keep her warm unless she passes away.
It's supposed to be a warm day tomorrow, so if she makes it, I'm giving her a warm bath to clean her up, make a sling with a neck support for her so she can move her legs and at least hold her head up for the day and if no improvement by tomorrow night, I'll be euthanizing her. I'm not going to let it drag out.
I'm not expecting her to get through cos she's trying to eat but not quite getting the food. It's like she's got double vision and thinks it's closer than it is. She had a tiny bit while I held the dish for her, but she prefers liquid.
Before I went to the market this morning, I made her a chick starter mash with herbs and honey. It was finished by the time I got home. Her entire neck was wet and covered in crumbs so I know she had most of it other than not being able to stand, she was quite perky until about 3pm. That's when it cold down their end.

Aw, hopefully she pulls through! Did you get any antibiotics in her? A bath can kill a sick chicken, so just wet a towel and wipe her.

 

[2 chiks n a roo]

Aw, hopefully she pulls through! Did you get any antibiotics in her? A bath can kill a sick chicken, so just wet a towel and wipe her.

A warm bath is ok and dried under a brooder or hairdryer, I've done it before with her other sister, she had daily baths for 2 weeks
She had antibiotics , and amazingly, she made it through the night although she had got out of their nest and tried to go back but got stuck between their nesting box and the makeshift one they're in. I thought she was dead but she was breathing so I put her back in and made her comfy.
Managed to get 1ml of medicine into her but she wouldn't take any more so I moved her into the sun an left the door open for her sister to do what she wanted.

While writing this I had to go tell the dogs to be quiet, which I'm gonna have to do again shortly, (now)..

More eggs collected, dogs sorted, checked on Britney, she's very weak so won't last the day. I'm going to give her some paracodeine so she's pain free and let her slip away in the sun with her sister standing over her and their friend (the roo) having a dust bath in his house beside them. Even though the girls are in biggest crate (need it for the dog) there's an opening in Rhodey's hut where they can talk.
Brit' is curled up in front of the opening with the sun on her, just relaxed..

So I went out again (has taken 1/2hr to write this) and took a pic, tart perked up didn't she.. anyway, I've given her paracodeine kefir an honey, snuggled her down with a pillow of my socks and left her in the sun. Id rather she slipped away quietly so it's easier for her sister to accept. She knows she's losing her and hasn't left her side once.
If for some miracle she turns for the better, I'll bring them both inside with the brooder for the night.
The pic was before the paracodeine

 

[2 chiks n a roo]

Britney has slipped away in the sunshine, the paracodeine helped her relax enough that she pretty much just went to sleep and no nerve reactions. She's in exactly the same position I left her, penny is on the perch above her and settled in for the afternoon. Rhodey has decided to rest in the opening with hi head resting in the girls crate. I'm going to leave them alone until feeding time (3,hours) to mourn. I'll bury Brit on Tues, that gives them 2 days to get used to her 'not being there'..

So my own answer to the question..
What do you do when your cull attempt doesn't work...

Because I didn't want to traumatize them further, I decided to see if she could recover, in stages she did but being winter didn't help her. Not having extra space to bring her inside meant keeping her warm, fed by hand and pain free to allow her to go quietly. Even though many will disagree, and say just lop their heads off . These girls were their former owners pets for 5 years, and even though he suggested cut her head off a few days ago, I said no.
Any animal dying is obviously suffering so I won't say she didn't, but I can say she wasn't in pain, she was warm, comforted by myself, her sister and their friend, she didn't die alone, her body didn't thrash about as they do when they die, she merely went to sleep calm and quiet
Now, she may rest in peace..

 

[2 chiks n a roo]

Undated pics were taken in March when it was finally starting to cool down.

The others were after too much needed rain.. the chicks run full of mud
Penny & Britney, Starbright batch sisters from Oct 2018.
Britney is the 2 tone brown on the tree stump in last pic, penny is more golden.

 

[Themellowyellows]

Aw no! Im so sorry to hear, glad she passed peacefully, I wish I gave my hen that recently passed away pain meds until the end, its so sad when there bodies just move around. She is in a better place, no suffering, no egg making... Happy as ever!

 

[2 chiks n a roo]

Aw no! Im so sorry to hear, glad she passed peacefully, I wish I gave my hen that recently passed away pain meds until the end, its so sad when there bodies just move around. She is in a better place, no suffering, no egg making... Happy as ever!

Yeah, watching animals in pain is horrible. I watched my Scottish fold cat suffer a violent death (serotonin syndrome) in 2021, worst thing I've ever seen in my life. Having worked for a vet many years ago, I've seen a lot of animals die in various situations. Britney's body may have suffered to the end, but I know she didn't feel it. Her sister ran to me a few minutes ago, so I gave her some sunflower seeds. She doesn't usually eat out of the hand, I think giving her a cuddle after her sister passed, helped.

Many people don't consider how it affects the rest of their flock when taking one away to sell or kill, they have as many feelings as humans or any other animal. I'm not saying having a large flock doesn't mean caring any less, there's just less consideration for those closest to the one leaving or dying. Taking that little bit extra time to watch and take note how they interact, can save a lot of stress and heartache from the others.

I'm currently studying lvl 2 vet nurse, (in between animals, markets and everything else) and I'm planning on specialising in chickens. The vet I worked at almost 40 years ago will be helping me complete lvl 4 next year. I plan on studying natural medicine so I can do non-veterinary assessments. But referring to a vet when it should be.

 

[Themellowyellows]

Yeah, watching animals in pain is horrible. I watched my Scottish fold cat suffer a violent death (serotonin syndrome) in 2021, worst thing I've ever seen in my life. Having worked for a vet many years ago, I've seen a lot of animals die in various situations. Britney's body may have suffered to the end, but I know she didn't feel it. Her sister ran to me a few minutes ago, so I gave her some sunflower seeds. She doesn't usually eat out of the hand, I think giving her a cuddle after her sister passed, helped.

Many people don't consider how it affects the rest of their flock when taking one away to sell or kill, they have as many feelings as humans or any other animal. I'm not saying having a large flock doesn't mean caring any less, there's just less consideration for those closest to the one leaving or dying. Taking that little bit extra time to watch and take note how they interact, can save a lot of stress and heartache from the others.

I'm currently studying lvl 2 vet nurse, (in between animals, markets and everything else) and I'm planning on specialising in chickens. The vet I worked at almost 40 years ago will be helping me complete lvl 4 next year. I plan on studying natural medicine so I can do non-veterinary assessments. But referring to a vet when it should be.

Good luck, and yes I so agree! The leader of the flock passed and she was loved by many... Including the family, not sure I have ever seen a chicken able to make so many memories... She walked into a really tall bush, and started talking "Coco coco cocococo" etc... Hence her name... "Coco" like the sound a chicken might make. She made the cutest faces on camera, very photogenic, and was loved by Chocolate her "Sister from a diffrent mother." Rest in peace to both of them. We just lost her the 24th of July.

Right is chocolate, left is Coco. You can see just how sick she looks.

 

[eatbeef14]

Ok, so the title alone is going to get some 'unwanted comments' so before you do, this is for Helping not hindering...

This has just happened today, I've got one very sick old hen and her mate won't leave her side, they've been inseparable their entire lives, so I made the decision today to gas them together.

I made a gas chamber out of a small cat crate, covered it with plastic feedbags, then put a waterproof cover over it. Made a comfy bed for the girls to go to sleep in. I had to wrap the non-sick but showing the poop signs one in a towel so she wouldn't 'kick the bucket' over..
It's a 2kg bucket and a 1.2litre container inside which I used to put the baking soda ready to pour the vinegar over.
I had a little practise outside prior to see how active it was, so I used about 200grams baking soda to 300mls vinegar... Closed it up and waited.. and waited, but 15 mins later nothing had happened. I felt crap about it not working. I had to take the one in the towel out, and mixed some more for the sick one. Closed it up and added another cover over it.
About to go back out and check, will take a 3rd solution, just in case...

I'm not going to leave her half dead, or suffering, but does anyone know how much should be used for 1-2 hens?
Asking so myself and others don't end up with the same situation in future...

I'm not about to chop her head off, and don't have engine starter etc.. is there something else someone has used that has worked fast?

Keep responses helpful

While this may not what you want to hear, the quickest way to euthanize a chicken is to place their head underneath a broomstick or pole of some type, press down on the stick with your foot, and pull up with their legs. It does not remove their head, rather it severs their head from their vertebrate, ending their life quickly. I am afraid most others ways can cause pain unless you go to a vet. While it sounds gruesome, there is usually no blood involved. Their body will move around as their nerves stimulate their body, but they are dead.