How To euthanize a chicken humanely

[lilofthestars]

I was so upset yesterday I was talking to a veterinarian online. And she was telling me that a very humane way to euthanize a chicken and I’m not sure if this is correct or not is to go and get some Carburetor starter. Spray it on cotton balls and put them in a mason jar put your little chickens head in there and wrap her up with a towel let a little air in there so she doesn’t suffocate she’ll just go to sleep. What’s your opinion on this? My husband said he didn’t like it because he’s he’s forcing the poor chicken to put her head in the jar.I just had a really bad experience yesterday and I don’t never wanna go through that again ever.Shelley was my pet chicken I had her for seven years. She started getting sick in June I tried to take her to the vet but they told me they couldn’t take her because of the bird flu. Then she seem like she was getting better she was having a hard time walking she lost a lot of weight and her voice changed. But she was still eating and eating. I actually made an appointment and was taking her to the vet and my husband heard her in the backseat in the cage making really strange noises and said she’s not gonna make it. I will put her out of her misery. So he read online how to put a chicken down humanely and it was neck stretching. You just hold her like you’re petting her and just stretch her neck a certain way. Well he did it and then she was moving her body not her neck and threw up white stuff you know I couldn’t stop crying it was breaking my heart I thought she was suffering. In the meantime I did read a lot and talk to the vet online and says sometimes their body does move a little bit but she also made a loud noise like she was suffering. But how in the world is people know this the chickens don’t tell them lol. So any input on what I put up in the top please that would be great like I said I never wanna go through that again. Thank you for helping

 

[MyParadiseFalls]

You shoot them and whack their heads? That doesn't sound humane at all.

actually, whacking their heads knocks them unconscious. shooting them in the head straight off is THE most humane way that exists, I have (unfortunately) put down many many many animals that way and the ALWAYS die instantly. No pain, a little flopping from nerves. I use a .22, but for people who aren’t allowed to shoot in the city, dislocating the neck vertebrae (broomstick method) is second most humane. No matter what ppl say, the animal does not see it coming, if your sick chicken or animal gets to that point it probably WANTS to end its misery. Do the right thing

 

[Sammster]

You shoot them and whack their heads? That doesn't sound humane at all.

A gun-shot death would be instant and humane. If you live where you can shoot guns

 

[JoePa]

Over my lifetime and many raising chickens - I found that the best way to kill a chicken is with a shotgun - you aim at the back of the head - it dies instantly - never knows what happened - put some feed down on the ground so the chicken is eating it and then shoot it - one thing I have found out is that people often try to help a sick chicken and while doing that are only making the chicken suffer - putting the chicken down is the best thing for the chicken - actually people are unintentionally acting on their own feelings rather than the chicken's when they try to keep it alive - that goes with any animal -

 

[Sussex19]

I use the broomstick method, which is shown in this video

The only thing that you need to watch out for, is that your feet are secure before pulling. You don't want to take too long, but don't try to make to quick either, because that is when mistakes happen.
I'm so sorry it didn't go as planned I don't do CD by hand as I am not confidant of getting the right pull.

 

[Donna-NC]

This method is approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) as the only method that could be used safely at home.

http://www.alysion.org/euthanasia/index.html

I have used the method linked to above for a paralyzed parakeet from a ceiling fan injury. I did not need to make CO2 with the baking soda/vinegar method because I have a CO2 cylinder for my kegerator. But it worked very well. Small amount of CO2 at first caused the bird to fall asleep and then I increased the CO2 as noted in the page linked to.
For a chicken you would need to use a 5 gallon bucket as the euthanasia chamber, but it should work just as well.

Euthanasia is not something I like doing, but I disklike watching a hen suffer even more. The 3 best options don't work for us - I don't know how or have the hand strength to wring a neck (and YES you should know how to do that first); I cannot decapitate - I already have predators that haunt my hens so the blood would only attract them even more; nor do I have a place to do that where my dog cannot get to the blood; I cannot shoot with a 22, I live within the city limits. We have vets in the area that would consider it - at about $400 to $500. I've got multiple hens, a dog and a cat, my vet budget is limited and I have to take that into account.

I read the above referenced article and several others as well. Here are my takeaways:

1. Get an appropriately sized, air-tight/watertight container - we chose a 25lb. pet food storage container. The top is affixed, it's translucent so I can make sure the bird is still by shining a light through from the other side. It could be drilled into and modified fairly easily.
2. Use a CO2 tank - we purchased a 5lb capacity one and a regulator and tubing. We went to a brewing store and they supplied us with all the correct equipment that would work together. We can also get it refilled there for less than $25.
3. Create a 'bleed' hole (toothpick size is sufficient) on the opposite side and end from the gas end to allow oxygen to escape as the CO2 is pumped in.
4. Wait until after dark if possible and do it in a darkened space, this will keep the hen calm and quiet.

Our box works like this: We also tested it empty as much as possible to find the problems and the solutions.

• Laid container on it's back so the lid would lie flat on any surface
• Drilled small hole in the bottom of the container-ours has wheels and it's between the wheels at the back and I put in a two part 'hose barb' (1/4" Hose Barb Thru-Bulk Bulkhead Straight Hex Union Stainless Steel Fitting) into that hole and made sure it was siliconed to stop leakage of the gas. Hole was on the bottom because CO2 is heavier than air so it would be concentrated at the bottom.
• We had large binder clips that we also used to keep the top sealed around the edges as we found during testing that the pressure would make it leak the CO2. The clips stopped that.
• We attached everything and then I brought our girl out of the coop at dusk and into the darkened garage, put some toweling into the container and put her in with her head at the back of the container near the wall barb, closed the lid, put on the clips and let the gas in and put a flashlight on the opposite side of the box so I could see her movement stop.
• CO2 entered VERY lightly at first, she stopped moving within seconds. I took out the toothpick from the bleeding hole and turned the gas up a bit to flood the container. We let it run until empty - about 5-10 minutes. She died unconscious, no panic, no pain, just gone.

We just buried her this morning. I've had several folks who claimed they'd done it before and were willing to help put some ill hens down in the past and each time it went badly and my birds were put through trauma before they died. Never again. I have my solution and it worked out well.

If you all want to attack me for this feel free, I did what I had to with the circumstances I have to deal with. If you want more info or photos of my gas chamber, reach out.

 

[Sussex19]

I have never had to put a chicken down yet. I just let them live out their days and die naturally when their time comes. Many methods of killing chickens seem inhumane and painful to me.

It is great when you can just let them live out there days, and die at peace.
But the problem is, it doesn't always go like that.
I had a goat that was 12 years old, and she was one of my best friends. She had a very good life, but on her last day the thing I wanted most for her was just for it to be over.
If I could have, I would have put her down with my own hands, but I didn't have any way of doing it.
She died later that day; taking her the hours drive on bumpy roads to a vet would have been even worse. I now have a captive bolt pistol for it, if it ever happens again.

It is the same with chickens, I put a BO down last week because it seemed she had a brain problem, and wasn't 'all there' and not coming out of the coop any more.
I had to leave for a few days, and couldn't physically take her out every morning.
Instead of letting her starve by herself in the coop, I chose to give her any easy way out.

So do think about it, would you prefer to die in a dark coop all by yourself, of thirst and hunger, or in a sunny paddock with full tummy and a breeze on your cheek?
I know what I would prefer.

 

[Birdinhand]

I believe this would be the easiest way for someone who is softhearted (and that’s not a bad thing, just saying). I put my betta fish down like that (except it was a clove mixture instead of C02) and while it was still sad, it was a lot better than cutting its head off like some sources said to do. I think it helps mentally if you know the animal is still intact, if you know what I mean .

Easier for the owner yes, but it definitely causes distress in a fish as well as an animal and humans. Our co2 sensing system is designed to stimulate anxiety and cause us to hyper ventilate as the increased co2 increases blood acidity… dying of co2 poisoning is terrifying, that’s the reason its not allowed to be used in human execution of criminals.

 

[CloneFly]

I'm so sorry... I've personally never culled any of my hens nor am I a big advocator of euthanizatia, though sometimes it has to be done. I would suggest trying Arcenicum Album 30c. Crush 2 pellets and administer it orally. If they're ready to go, it'll help them pass quietly. If not, they it may actually help them get a bit better. Again, I'm so sorry about your baby... one of mine died today after throwing up a bunch... it's hard to watch

 

[Donna-NC]

Out of curiosity, could you eat them after doing it this way or is this just for sick chickens?

I know it's done in SOME poultry processing plants here and in other countries, with chickens and turkeys. It's becoming more popular as it's less expensive in the long run and easier to do. Animal welfare regulations state that gassing has to be done with an inert or anoxic gas (carbon dioxide, nitrogen or argon) which deprives the birds of oxygen and induces unconsciousness prior to death.

The rules also state that the birds be killed BEFORE being hung on the assembly line where they are then bled out. That means that they have to begin that process while still in the gas chamber.

I know that most poultry processing plants currently use a water bath-electrify system to stun the hens then bleed them out with a throat cut while hanging on the line. They hang the birds first so there's a fair amount of stress for the bird. Processing plants have finally realized that having our meat supply stressed out affects the quality of the final product and have started to modify their processes to avoid that stress as much as possible.

Thank God for Temple Grandin and all the hard work she's done for the humane treatment of livestock for slaughter.