Chick culling - A useful tool

WARNING: Somewhat gory details below.

This may not be useful to many, as most people in this hobby have already figured out what's best for them. But because I'm still learning, I assume there are others still seeking what's right for them as well.

I have put down and harvested about 40 birds, give or take, over the past 1.5 years; every single one bugs me, some more than others. Most for eating, some due to cocci, some Mareks, and most recently, because I screwed up. I learned a harsh lesson with this last hatch that I have no desire to relearn or re-live again. With everything that went on and feeling overwhelmed in the mornings, I forgot or otherwise neglected to rotate the eggs consistently. Out of 14 eggs, only 3 pipped and I helped 2 out of the egg after 36 hours (which I will normally do), one hatching on its own.

I was devastated. Posted here the picture of one of the chicks and was linked an article. I believe, due to not turning the eggs at least once a day (as I've had several hatches go well with 1 turn daily), I scrambled up these chicks.

I put down the other bird I helped out of the egg this morning. After observing him for a few days, I found he just wasn't standing correctly due to a turned out leg (which I could have handled), and then noticed his anus was off kilter and non-functioning. Lesson learned, indeed, lesson learned.

In the past for chicks or very young birds, I've always found something long and flat, like a screw driver or pencil even, and used it for cervical dislocation, however I found that having to maneuver the chick gave it undo extra stress on its last leg of life. Some people can pull their heads off with their hands and I just can't bring myself to do so, though it seems like there'd be less struggle.

Moose is a reptile guy, and though there are no reptiles, currently, we do have some tools around from when he was caring for them. He has big Hemostats for reach when feeding small mice to applicable devouring critters. This morning, I used those to cull the chick and it was so much easier, almost more comfortable (and I think those 2 facts are what makes me sick to my stomach when I cull). The chick was held upright at all times in a gentle grip and wasn't stressed. I opened the hemo wide enough to slip it around the chick's neck and in one motion, closed and pulled. The hemo locks as soon as it's closed, providing a solid grip that is tight and unwavering, and you can use both hands to pull in opposite directions.

It was quick, painless, and no struggle. There was no peeping because he was being moved into an unusual position, it was just done. I like when it's just done. I hate that it's easy, but want it to be that way for them, not for me. I'm a bit of a tree hugger, and this is what works for my mind and soul.

I sure hope this helps someone. Maybe someone has other suggestions as well if they would like to share.

Please forgive my straightforward language. I hold the chick by the body and whack its head on the nearest hard surface with three swift, unwavering blows. It is usually dead after the first but I don't want to take the chance, so three.

Schipperkesue wrote:Please forgive my straightforward language. I hold the chick by the body and whack its head on the nearest hard surface with three swift, unwavering blows. It is usually dead after the first but I don't want to take the chance, so three.

*Shivers* Ooooh I just can't >.< I would be soooo scared. That's why I like cervical dislocation. Head pops off and there's no mistaking that you didn't use enough force, or hit it wrong or whathaveyou.

I commend you, I juuuuust cannot. Kind of why I posted this, in case there's any other softies out there like me who are unsure.

When I first started with chickens I would put them in a zip lock bag, squeeze the air out and put them in the freezer. I started to think about this a lot as I became more experienced and I think it maybe was a nice method for me but possibly not for the chicks. I now have a very sharp pair of utility scissors that I use. I have to say I have not had to use them for a couple of years now with my home hatched eggs.

I raise a breed prone to splay legs. After putting down five or more chicks after each hatch you get a little cold about it. You have to.

coopslave wrote:When I first started with chickens I would put them in a zip lock bag, squeeze the air out and put them in the freezer. I started to think about this a lot as I became more experienced and I think it maybe was a nice method for me but possibly not for the chicks. I now have a very sharp pair of utility scissors that I use. I have to say I have not had to use them for a couple of years now with my home hatched eggs.

Ah, this is a good idea as well... I have a horrible problem with it mind you... There are five things I always lose in my life, and only 2 of which I usually find: Keys and cell phone (findable), watches, sunglasses and, you guessed it, scissors....

I am often thankful I have access to euthanol and keep a small stash home for emergencies. Quick injection straight into the heart and its done.

fuzzylittlefriend wrote:I am often thankful I have access to euthanol and keep a small stash home for emergencies. Quick injection straight into the heart and its done.

*Thumbs up* That'd be quick enough for sure.

I dislocate the neck, a quick pop on the head and it is dislocated, it is the same thing I do when I am butchering.

fuzzylittlefriend wrote:I am often thankful I have access to euthanol and keep a small stash home for emergencies. Quick injection straight into the heart and its done.

When you use this method what do you do with the chicks afterwards? They will be harmful to other animals if they get a hold of those chicks and eat them.

I have been fortunate in not having to destroy too many chicks, since I am willing to tolerate every weakness, splay, yolk belly, slow hatch, cross eyes, hump-backed, flippers and star gazers, you name it. I only destroy when there is no hope except a miserable protracted death. And I intervene heavily to inflict life.

My favorite way is to make Hub do it.

If that is not possible I lay the chick on the ground, set a digging spade on the neck, put my foot on the spade, downward thrust and BOINK head is off. I have not tried this with a large, flapping bird. All large birds are done by Hub in the killing cone, with a neck stretcher (weights on a rope hung around the neck) to make sure he hits the neck and removes the head in one blow, instead of chopping off half a bird's face as it ducks its head back into the cone.

uno wrote:I have been fortunate in not having to destroy too many chicks, since I am willing to tolerate every weakness, splay, yolk belly, slow hatch, cross eyes, hump-backed, flippers and star gazers, you name it. I only destroy when there is no hope except a miserable protracted death. And I intervene heavily to inflict life.

My favorite way is to make Hub do it.

If that is not possible I lay the chick on the ground, set a digging spade on the neck, put my foot on the spade, downward thrust and BOINK head is off. I have not tried this with a large, flapping bird. All large birds are done by Hub in the killing cone, with a neck stretcher (weights on a rope hung around the neck) to make sure he hits the neck and removes the head in one blow, instead of chopping off half a bird's face as it ducks its head back into the cone.

LOL! I will make it Moose's duty. This is a most excellent Idea! I kid, mind you, I wouldn't do so. This chickening thing was my idea, HAH.

With our big birds, I use the "Broomstick" method. I've done it wrong twice, and having a bird look me in the eye, half alive and half dead, either seizing or suffocating taught me exactly how to not get it wrong. I threw up both of those times after I fixed the mistake and got them dead and haven't screwed it up since. When I do the cull, I don't pull hard enough to pull the head clean off either, The skin stretches and they bleed out into a convenient neck pouch and then I can just cut the stretched skin. I know Sally fallon would be peeved that I was throwing away chicken heads as they make the best stock, but I just cannot imagine heads in a pot!

Schipperkesue wrote:Please forgive my straightforward language. I hold the chick by the body and whack its head on the nearest hard surface with three swift, unwavering blows. It is usually dead after the first but I don't want to take the chance, so three.

This is how I do it also
and another way is I take the Kitchen shears and one quick snip

I agree with Sue. Having a liking to raising a breed prone to problems, you toughen your heart to having to kill. Still, I find a part of my soul breaks having to do it.

Small chicks I do the zip lock bag method of taking all the air out and then placing it in the freezer.

Larger birds, I have tried the broomstick. I came close Sweetened to doing the upchuck myself. One bird we did three times over because I couldn't tell if we did it right as it was still gasping. After doing it twice, I only use the method for much older birds.

Real sick birds, I smother. I place a plastic bag over their head and draw it as close and tight to the head as possible. I hold the body close to mine under one arm. Then I lock my fingers tight like a seal around the neck. As the bird breaths in I tighten my grip around the body to help collapse the air sacs. The bird will usually convulse twice: the first time I tighten around the troat and body and the next time the bird dies. Do it right and it takes under a minute to put down a sick bird. I stress sick as a healthy bird will fight you longer. That's why I only use this method on a real sick bird as they are usually too weak to fight.

toybarons wrote:Larger birds, I have tried the broomstick. I came close Sweetened to doing the upchuck myself. One bird we did three times over because I couldn't tell if we did it right as it was still gasping. After doing it twice, I only use the method for much older birds.

The safe bet is to rip the head off , however I keep the feathers and blood tends to get everywhere as they flap. I have found there is about a width and a half of a broomstick on large chickens as a room for error of placement. The 2 I screwed up gasped because I had the stick more on the neck than the back of the head -- you really have to make sure the stick is right at the base of the skull or the neck just wont break.

>>Graphic<< I've had one that was harvested that I know was dead, the skin ripped and it was hanging by not a whole lot, however the eyes continued to blink and look around and it just made me have a fit. I cut the rest of the skin holding the neck together, there was no bone or nerve to cut through and threw the head in a box because I just could not do it. This same bird clucked while I was taking it down because I bumped the chest and it pushed air out of the lungs -- a chicken death sigh. I almost couldn't do in another bird after that happened, but I kept my crap together.

The autonomic nervous system continues to work after the brain is separated from the body. The bird's body feels no pain when the head is removed because there is no connection to the brain and the brain is the organ that registers pain.

My friends own a mink ranch, and they have a gas chamber that they use to put down chicks that need to be culled. And even larger poultry processing facility's are doing that method now.

So i think when i get everything set up i will look at a gassing chamber, to me it's one of the more human ways because the chicks just get sleepy, and than pass out.

Within time i want to set up a government approved poultry processing facility, because i can not find one around here that has the high quality standards i have!

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The chicks generally only need like 0.1 ml right into the heart. Not enough to hurt anything. They generally just go in the garbage. Adults I burn or they go to landfill. They still get a fraction of what it would take to euth a cat or a dog so not a big deal.

Testing....I cannot start a new thread. Just seeing if I can reply to a started thread. Sorry to interrupt. If this shows I need to call Jayme.

OK, Jayme gets a PM.

I gased four skunks this last year and seeing how effeciant it was I think it would work ten times faster on chicks .It took about 5-10 minutes to put down a Large skunk useing the cars exaust ? Might be worth doing it that way if you guys are to repulsed with the other methods ?

I tried car exhaust years ago on unwanted kittens. Didnt work. They clawed a whole in the
burlap sack and had they were trying to get out, I had to close the hole and keep trying. Finally it worked, but I could never do it again. The only way I can do kill anything is with my trusty 22........ and thats only if I cant see its eyes... ( gophers included ) Got another coyote yesterday morning !!!

call ducks wrote:My friends own a mink ranch, and they have a gas chamber that they use to put down chicks that need to be culled. And even larger poultry processing facility's are doing that method now.

So i think when i get everything set up i will look at a gassing chamber, to me it's one of the more human ways because the chicks just get sleepy, and than pass out.

Within time i want to set up a government approved poultry processing facility, because i can not find one around here that has the high quality standards i have!

I've read about the use of Argon gas to cull with. They say it works well. Apparently CO2 can be sensed by animals and they will initial fight it. Argon gas isn't detected. It just puts you to sleep.

Saw a doc once talking about capital punishment and they demonstrated how Argon gas works on people and animals. Pigs will put their head into a area where Argon gas is being used and the pigs will eat the food there. They will till they pass out and die. Even the pigs that happen to roll away from the gas after they collapse, will go right back to eating and die. Honestly, if there was ever a way to dispatch anything kindly, I think this is how I would like to go myself. No pain and quick.

fuzzylittlefriend wrote:The chicks generally only need like 0.1 ml right into the heart. Not enough to hurt anything. They generally just go in the garbage. Adults I burn or they go to landfill. They still get a fraction of what it would take to euth a cat or a dog so not a big deal.

Seriously, if you lived closer, I would love you to demostrate it so I can see it first hand. I often thought if there was a way to inject something that would be a quick death with no convulsion to the bird. Like they can at a vet. I burn all my culls, so I'm not worried about anything eating the carcass and getting sick.