What do you do with sick day old chicks?

[Ol Grey Mare]

Any one ever had a brief experience with an occluded airway? I can't for the life of me imagine how, after such an experience, one can claim that death by asphyxiation is an easy death. It may be easier for the one administering it... but it's not easier for the recipient.

Which is in direct opposition with my personal philosophy in providing good animal husbandry

 

[333113]

Have you actually used that method?

Yes. For a larger chicken, you need a larger tupperware box, and a larger container for the baking soda. For a young pullet who was unfortunate enough to tangle with a raccoon last week, I used a large plastic shoebox, a cup of baking soda in a deep quart tupperware, and a half-cup of vinegar. She was gone in a few seconds, poor thing. She could not have survived what the raccoon did to her. Did I mention that I hate raccoons?

 

[333113]

Any one ever had a brief experience with an occluded airway? I can't for the life of me imagine how, after such an experience, one can claim that death by asphyxiation is an easy death. It may be easier for the one administering it... but it's not easier for the recipient.

After years of raising chickens, I have pretty much decided to go for a quick death as the humane way. I have to think that chopping off the head is pretty much the same experience for the chick as asphyxiation, though it does look like they pass out first with asphyxiation. I personally don't chop off heads much anymore, though I have in the past. If a chicken is larger and thrashing around because of previous trauma, I can't be sure I can deliver a death blow quickly. Sorry to be graphic--this is a difficult subject.