# Gentle way to put down sick peep



## Randy Rooster (Dec 14, 2004)

One of the 5 peeps my hen hatched out has something wrong with it.

What is the gentle -est way to put the poor thing down?


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Quickest and easiest is just to pull the head off. Death is instantaneous.


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## thaiblue12 (Feb 14, 2007)

I can't do the head twisting thing so I put them in the freezer. They die pretty quick and never make a peep so I am hoping that means they are not suffering. If I had dry ice I would use that but I am not running to the store to get a bit for one tiny chick.


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## wolffeathers (Dec 20, 2010)

You can chop it's head off just like an adult. Last peep I had to put down(was run over by a goat), I pulled it's head off. (Really meant to just break it's neck, but the head comes off easier than you think). But the idea of "pulling" the head off freaks some people out, so in the past I've simply used the meat cleaver and chopped their head off. Death is instant as Cyngbaeld stated, no need to worry about suffering or drawn out deaths.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

I may have to put down one of the little ducklings I just got. Seems it hatched poorly - the feet are curled and you can find a scab on the belly button. A friend suggested I use my chicken shears to just cut off its head if I have to do it. I'm hoping Tiny Duck will be ok - one foot is coming around with treatment and the belly button isn't infected. It's getting around pretty well with it's buddies. 

I am open to advice on how to uncurl the foot of a three day old duckling though.


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## bourbonred (Feb 27, 2008)

I completely understand where you're coming from. I spray a small amount of engine starter that has ether in it on cottonballs (dh keeps some in his shop) and place chick and cotton balls in an airtight disposable container and set in a warm place. I try to place sick chick near where he can hear other chicks as they hate being cold or alone. That puts baby to sleep permanently and neither of us are distressed. I've asked this question before and some of the answers were so rough.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

Bourbonred - that does sound gentle. How long does it take them to be gone? I'm all for something that is easy on the baby - if nothing else going for the fastest and most sure way to do what has to be done. I'm sure no one wants their babies to suffer, so they use what is very quick, though it seems brutal, at least its over right off.


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## bourbonred (Feb 27, 2008)

They go to sleep very quickly, and are dead not long after. I try to make sure the cottonball ether doesn't come in contact with the chickie though, just in case it were to burn or something. I have a bad habit of helping chicks out of the shell instead of letting nature take it's course. It seems about 50% of the chicks who are prolonged and struggling aren't going to make it anyway due to many different issues.


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## ScrumblyFarms (Nov 23, 2010)

I had to put a chick down. I put her in a zip-lock bag and put her in the freezer... Well actually DH did while I was bawling in the other room... Painless and you don't have to pull her apart.


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## WstTxLady (Mar 14, 2009)

Cyngbaeld said:


> Quickest and easiest is just to pull the head off. Death is instantaneous.


what we do. the gimpy chick we got from the feed store had the be put down that way. guess all my years of dove hunting has me doing that naturally.

one thing you have to remember, can't save them all and with them THAT young, easier to pop the head.


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## bigfoot2you (Oct 3, 2007)

:runforhills:


I put them in a baggie in the freezer.............


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## lauriej57 (Nov 20, 2008)

I think there is no easy way, at least not for us. Somewhat easier ways for the chick you have to put down. I think it also depends on just how bad off the chick is.

I had to put one down last week. We worked with her for 2 days, I kept finding her on her back, and mama hen ignoring her, which was my first clue something was wrong. Some sugar water, some holding and extra warmth, and she'd act just fine. 

Came home from work, expecting her to be dead, but no, she seemed to be doing great, checked an hour later....on her back again. Grabbed her up, held her close and she was starting to come to, but then would go out again, she wasn't much awake, so I wrapped her in a plastic bag, took all the air out, it only took seconds, it was hard, but had to be done. 

I, for one, as my chickens are also my pets, could not rip off a chicks head, or cut it off. She didn't struggle, and she was nice and warm snuggled up to me when she went.

I have also, in the past, had to do the head chop with an injured chicken. That's where, it depends on how bad off they are, comes into play.

Sometimes, you just have to do what has to be done.


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## mariaricarto (Jul 1, 2010)

Grannycarol,

For the curled up duckling foot - spread out the foot in the proper anatomical position and put a piece of tape on the bottom and top. I've done it with chicks, never ducks but it should work.

I take the pruning shears to the neck to cull chicks. Quick.


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## hugh (Apr 22, 2009)

hold by legs crack head on the concreate or post . its all in the wrist.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

I also pull off the head or hold by the feet and quickly whack the head against something solid. As long as it's quick, it's humane IMO. 

You can also use CO2, which is what I use to euthanize feeders. CO2 is the gas given off in quite high quantities during the acid/base reaction between baking soda and vinegar. You'd need two chambers - a reaction chamber and a euthanasia chamber. The reaction chamber should be big enough that the reaction doesn't bubble over into the euthanasia chamber via the tube that connects the two - but it also should be small enough that pressure builds up and makes most of the CO2 travel into the euthanasia chamber. the euthanasia chamber can be a small box with a towel over the top, with the chick in the bottom. CO2 is denser than air so as long as no errant air currents disturb it, it will sink to the bottom where the chick is. It is painless suffocation though some animals notice something is up before falling asleep, so some don't prefer it. 

I've never liked the idea of freezing an animal to death. It does not seem like a pleasant way to die. Just because you can't hear the peeps from the freezer doesn't mean it's not hurting.

As for the curled duck foot, try supplementing with B1 vitamins. Curled feet is a sign of deficiency in the flock, though it can also be hereditary or from poor positioning. I ended up just supplementing my feed mix. I think we use Brewer's yeast.


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## Shygal (May 26, 2003)

Well I can see I am going to be no good at this, if this ever happens to me


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## BjornBee (Jan 17, 2011)

I have to put a chick down this afternoon...after the kids are on the bus.

I think I'll dig a small hole, put the chick in, chop the head with the shovel and cover with dirt about a split second later so I do not need to see the chick any longer than possible.


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## postroad (Jan 19, 2009)

Good grief. Just yank that nogen off. Whats with all the drama?


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## Jean in Virginia (Oct 5, 2008)

When I first got into parrots, I had to put down a canary. Put it in a box, into the freezer, and 3 hours later I broke it's neck, because it just fluffed up and sat there. Horrible.

If you're buying starter fluid to use, check the ingredients and get the one that has ether as the first ingredient. If you have enough ether, as in saturate the cotton ball, there should just be a breath or two before they go unconscious, and then die. I put down a pet rat using it, and it was an easy death for it too.

Using shears to snip the head off would probably be the least offensive for the animal. 

I think we're wired to be traumatized with headless things, though. It's never pleasant.


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## Honorine (Feb 27, 2006)

I also do the ether, works on baby bunnies too. There's no way I could rip a baby somethings head off, I just can't. Ether is quick, and its something I can do as opposed to making the DH do for me. Don't care for freezing, and drowning is horrible, did that once, never again.


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## BamaNana (Dec 31, 2004)

Honorine said:


> I also do the ether, works on baby bunnies too. There's no way I could rip a baby somethings head off, I just can't. Ether is quick.


Me too.

Now for mean roosters, I have no problem whacking their mean little head upside a tree or concrete wall.


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## ai731 (Sep 11, 2007)

I use the baggie in the freezer method.


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## Randy Rooster (Dec 14, 2004)

thanks everyone for the suggestions- 

I used a 22 to put her down - didnt have the heart to behead her


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