How to cause cervical dislocation in chicks/chickens for testing?

Tomorrow morning I will need to cull some of my 6-8ish week old chicks and turkeys to send in for testing.

What is the best way to cause cervical dislocation with out damaging the specimens?

Or is there a better way to cull them for this?

If I have to cull a chick to put it out of it's misery, I always use a shovel, set the chick down on the ground and step on the shovel quickly. The only thing with this method is most time the head comes off.

I want to cause as less damage to the body/head/trachea (incase they need to examine it) as possible. But I also want to cause as quick of a death as possible with out undue suffering.

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I had to cull a chick (6 weeks old) the other day, think it broke its leg or something, it was very bad looking, sure it had been broken not something else. I tried the cervical dislocation and it didn't turn out well, I think I pulled too hard and its head came off, sigh....wondering how to know how hard to pull, but I think I have found out. It was fast though, but sickened me, as I thought I was just doing it the unbloody way. Thank goodness for plastic bags that are nearby and a shovel that picks up blood on the ground . Guess practice makes perfect, sigh, but takes such a long time to get there. Good luck. Don't pull too hard, girl. Beautiful days, CynthiaM.

Well, the deed is done.

I don't even like stepping on spiders and beetles because I hate the crunch. It's worse to hold a living life that you have been feeding and caring for in your hands and break it's neck.

I used a broom tick across the back of the neck, held the body and pulled up. I hope I didn't do it wrong. It took some them a few minutes to die. I held onto them as they died, so that they didn't flop around too much. I wasn't sure how hard to pull either.

Only one of the turkeys bled. It had blood come out of it's beak, but the head was still attached.

All this done before 6am. What a way to start the day. I'm off to the bus to send them to Abbodsford.

Crossing my fingers that I've just been stressing for nothing.... Now the waiting begins.

Oh, sigh, totally, what a way to start your day, I feel for you. Yes, the waiting begins and you know that we are all waiting with you, waiting can be such a hard thing sometimes. Find something to make this day have a smile in it, CynthiaM.

Awww Silkie I hate that you are having to go threw with this.
Now that part is done and we are all waiting with you to find out the results.
Get a walk in today with your camera. Big hugs.

Does anyone know how long of a wait it will be before I hear back from them?

The guy at the bus station was reluctant to let me send it. First he thought it was live chickens in the cooler. (He asked about contents. Not sure if that is normal or not, but maybe he asked because of where I was sending it too.) I explained that it was dead chickens, and then he said that he still thought that he didn't think you could send that sort of thing, until I explained that the Animal Health told me that they use the Grey Hound for that, and couldn't he just mark it down as "Perishable" Then he tried to tell me that I couldn't send it today, because the bus didn't leave Terrace until 11pm tonight. I assured him that there was lots of ice packs in the cooler, and all the birds were double bagged so they wouldn't leak and it would probably be fine if they went out on the 11 oclock bus. I couldn't wait another day because they had to be sent ASAP. He reluctantly let me do it this time. So nice of him.

Thanks to everyone for all their help and support.

Oh darlin' Silkie. My heart goes out to you. I respect you so much for doing it yourself. That is how my partner has killed a few of ours lately and he is struggling with the 'method' but likes that there is no blood to deal with.

Just call Dr. Cox. He is very accessible. Or ask the woman who answers the phone down there when you can expect to hear from them. They're really accommodating and want to help.

And next time, don't tell the bus people it's dead chickens. Unusual for them to ask . I'd make it up next time.

Oh my heart goes out to you too Silkie. That's a pretty crappola way to start your day. I know how it must hurt you to have to do that deed. You seem like such a caring and gentle person, I'm certain you did all you could to offer them a humane end to their lives. It's all we can do is try, and as Cindi says, get better with time and repetition (but who wants that!).

So yes, we're all waiting with you, and I'm hoping your day got better and that tomorrow is a good day for you.