Would appreciate input on killing a baby - legs don't work

[aart]

I am glad that is over with for you and him.


I did not like how the cut didn't take the head completely off either, I've been told you have to basically cut and pull it off at the same time but there really is no need to take the head all the way off.

Ditto Dat^^^

Sharpness of shears (or knife) can definitely be a challenge,
feathers and bone need incredible sharpness and perfectly aligned shears to cut well,
and feathers and bones can dull a sharp blade pretty quickly.
@KikisGirls is correct in that there's no need to actually sever head for euthanasia as long as neck is broken.

 

[Duckymark]

The shears i have always severed the head completely on a single cut. I have the messermiester 8.5 in utility shears. They have the notch, I think they are messermiesters smaller home use poultry shears.

 

[WVduckchick]

Yah, it is.

So the baby is dead. After a ride to the vet that could not have been fun for it - I put a mirror and a warm water bottle in the box but no other keets since I did not want to stress them - they'll have their trip to their new home this weekend - the euthanasia was the best I could have expected.

The vet was in surgery so we had to wait a bit, then he used an anesthetic and the baby did not seem distressed at all in the clear Tupper box with a cotton ball with the stuff on it. In fact the keet went to sleep with its little head on the cotton ball and seemed peaceful for the first time in days.

The vet did talk to me about culling/killing/butchering/euthanasia and I got to try my poultry scissors on the carcass once we were sure it was dead. He did like the notch my scissors have, so that the neck can't slide off the blade when you push down. He did think it would be best to have two people, one to hold the bird and one to do the exact cut.

this is what my scissors look like - the notch in the blade is close to the center screw of the scissors before the serrated part starts:
https://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-K...539277224&sr=8-1-fkmrnull&ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1

The thing that bothered me is that the head did not come off - I felt the neck bones cracking from the cut but the skin did not get cut through by the scissors and the bird was stuck in the blades after the "cut" - apparently that is enough to do a humane kill? is it called a 'cervical separation'? Is that what you all talk about when you describe the bucket method, etc.?

The charge for the euthanasia was only $15 since the keet was so small, I guess, and I if I have another case that is suffering like this, I will try to bring it to this vet again because it was a really peaceful death and seemed not to suffer one bit, other than the trip there.

I also did appreciate him taking a look and saying that, yes, there was nothing you can do with those legs. It makes me feel better to get another opinion and possibly give the baby a chance, if there is one. If there had been a chance to save it, I would have happily paid for more vet care and they were very nice about that to help make that decision.

I have brought other birds there for exams and medications, etc. so they do know we have a flock and come in with other birds, when needed.

RIP little one

RIP

The broomstick method is also a fairly easy form of cervical dislocation. It doesn’t remove the whole head. The idea is to detach the spine from the skull and the brain, and they quickly lose consciousness. There is actually a tree/post mounted gizmo that purposefully has a notch so the spine is separated but the skin doesn’t get cut. No blood that way.

 

[igorsMistress]

My view is that the decision to kill/cull is an extremely personal one that must not be judged by any one else. You are there. We aren't. You and you alone know what your limits are regarding nursing along a weak or disabled baby chick, and only you can truly assess the chick's reasonable chances for recovery and a normal life.

The most humane, fast, painless method for dispatching a sick or severely disabled baby chick is to snip off the head with sharp scissors or hand pruners. Recently I had to do this using this method, and it's so fast that there is no pain or suffering. The chick didn't suffer, either.

You took the words right outta my mouth.

 

[bobbi-j]

I'm glad you were able to take your keet to the vet, get it taken care of and practice with your poultry shears. It's a great way to learn what to expect in the future. And honestly, the vet is a reasonable cost. If it's not something you have to do frequently, it might be the best option for you if you're not comfortable with cervical dislocation or decapitation.

 

[Hensndoes]

OP- sorry you had to go through this. I recently had to cull a chick. Not fun. And next time I was thinking of trying the gas mix. Seems a bit kinder. Anyone ever do the Walden effect? Link below.

http://www.waldeneffect.org/how_to_cull_chicks/

 

[aart]

OP- sorry you had to go through this. I recently had to cull a chick. Not fun. And next time I was thinking of trying the gas mix. Seems a bit kinder. Anyone ever do the Walden effect? Link below.

http://www.waldeneffect.org/how_to_cull_chicks/

I believe this was discussed farther back in the 7 pages of posts on this thread.

 

[bobbi-j]

OP- sorry you had to go through this. I recently had to cull a chick. Not fun. And next time I was thinking of trying the gas mix. Seems a bit kinder. Anyone ever do the Walden effect? Link below.

http://www.waldeneffect.org/how_to_cull_chicks/

It may be “cleaner”, but I don’t necessarily agree that it’s “quicker” or “kinder” than CD or decapitation. It just means that you can walk away from it and not have witness the death. And that’s OK if you can be sure the chick doesn’t suffer. I get that not everyone can stomach killing an animal - especially a cute, fuzzy little chick. Just be sure that the method chosen really is kindest for the chick and not the person putting it down.