RIP Hulksmash

Today marks day 14 and 15 of our chicks lives.

I have spent hours a day on physical therapy for Hulksmash, and not only was I not seeing improvement, but she was actually getting worse.

This morning, I slept in, and my husband decided to retape her leg and do physical therapy with her. He realized that her leg wouldn't even turn back to the right positioning. She also wouldn't walk around at all. Up until today, the other chicks were pretty kind to her, and would cuddle up against her, even though she was about half their size. Today they started pecking at her.

Anyway, he felt strongly that the kindest thing to do was to euthanize her. I've been thinking the same thing, so even though I was heartbroken, I agreed.

Now, how to cull a chick humanely? I didn't want to traumatize her, as she was my favorite chick. Many people suggested beheading with a sharp pair of scissors, but there was NO WAY I could do that.

This website had a method that sounded pretty easy and humane. Warning, there is a picture of a euthanized chick on the website. We ended up doing that method together, and it was as easy and quick as promised. My husband buried her with our chickens that we lost last fall.

I am so sad that I had to do it. I mourn her loss. She was my favorite, and she was so beautiful. However, she was suffering, and I really do feel that it was a kindness.  Considering I don't even squish spiders (unless they're poisonous), that is saying something.