A sad subject.....

[JensChickies]

Here's the link I used for the chicks. I likes that there was some research, and they did a smaller dose first, to put the bird to sleep, then the lethal dose which can be distressing. Doing alcohol first would allow you to skip the initial dose, but you could go ahead and do it just for peace of mind. I'm just not sure how much you'd need with a larger animal? I agree with Mrs K about wrapping her in a towel and keeping things dark, chickens think dark means sleep and they're much calmer. 

Thank you Donrae for your help. The link did not show up.

 

[seminolewind]

Do you know someone who could come put her down for you? I totally understand you not wanting to use an axe or knife, but perhaps someone else could. It's honestly a very quick, clean death. Anyone who hunts or fishes, etc?

I've used CO2 successfully, but only on chicks. The website I went by advised not to use it on animals over 2lbs. Never heard of the alcohol, sorry.

Thing is, no matter how you do it, the animal usually struggles some. We get this idea of going peacefully to sleep, but in reality no one wants to die.

It's very unfortunate that the axe is the quickest and most humane way. Some I can do and some I can't do. But my last-Fern was the one I tried vodka on. 20 mls is a lot for a chicken but it still takes some time. Fern went to sleep, peeked once as I laid her down, eyes then closed , she never knew or felt anything.

I have some claustrophobia and a fear of drowning. So I would not be one to do some of the ways I've heard of. In some ways, I feel like other ways would be more sad.

 

[donrae]

Chemo brain strikes again

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...FLbwWA1Cb70yjlnjzpDdIow&bvm=bv.85464276,d.eXY

 

[aldarita]

JensChickies, This is a topic hard to deal with but has to be dealt nevertheless. I, like you, would like to take everyone of my chickies to the vet when they have to be euthanized, it is really the best way to go, however it has happened to me that I have to put one of my chickies down over the weekend when the vet's office is closed. There is a small animal hospital in a city near by where I could take them but it is still one hour drive. I also had to learn and research the most humane way to do it and to me it is always hard and painful. I want to be able to cull my sick chickens as fast as possible because I don't want them to suffer any longer.
There is a thread that I found very interesting and helpful
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/934727/nitrogen-euthanasia

I hope it helps you too.

 

[JensChickies]

JensChickies, This is a topic hard to deal with but has to be dealt nevertheless. I, like you, would like to take everyone of my chickies to the vet when they have to be euthanized, it is really the best way to go, however it has  happened to me that I have to put one of my chickies down over the weekend when the vet's office is closed. There is a small animal hospital in a city near by where I could take them but it is still one hour drive. I also had to learn and research the most humane way to do it and to me it is always hard and painful. I want to be able to cull my sick chickens as fast as possible because I don't want them to suffer any longer.
There is a thread that I found very interesting and helpful
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/934727/nitrogen-euthanasia

I hope it helps you too. 

This really does, thank you. I found this thread a while ago and haven't been able to find it since.

 

[JensChickies]

Well my husband and I put down our sweet girl at night. We both feel terrible, but we knew it had to be done. We gave her 25ml of vodka first. It was so worth it. We got to hold her and talk to her and cuddle with her while she became really relaxed. It took her about an hour to really become relaxed. Then we wrapped her in a towel and put her in a box with some ether in. She had zero struggle and only picked her head up and let out a little honk with her last breath. It was very peaceful for her, I really don't even think she knew what was going on just from the alcohol alone. . Our first choice was to use nitrogen, but I couldn't find a welding supply store that was open, so we used ether. Thank you seminolewind for your help with the alcohol. And thank you to everyone else that gave me advise.

We sure are going to miss that sweet girl, she was really a sweet girl. Unfortunatly the sweet ones always go when we arnt ready....that goes for pets and humans alike.

Rest in Paradise Priscilla, you put up a good fight and we will miss you more thank you know.

 

[Cluckies]

So very sorry for your loss, very heartbreaking. Priscilla was a beautiful girl.

Thank you for sharing as many of us will be in the same situation and it helps to decide what to do.

 

[JensChickies]

So very sorry for your loss, very heartbreaking. [COLOR=333333]Priscilla[/COLOR] was a beautiful girl.

Thank you for sharing as many of us will be in the same situation and it helps to decide what to do.

Thank you...it was definitely a tough thing to do. If it wasn't for all the BYC forums sharing their stories I wouldn't have known what to do. Thank you for your thoughtful words.

 

[aldarita]

So very sorry about Priscilla, it seems that it all went peacefully for your description, which is the best we can hope for. You are right, the ones that endear the most to us are the ones that die first.
I never heard about giving them alcohol before, did you give it to her orally with a syringe?
At the vet's they first give them an injection to put them to sleep and then they apply the lethal one which could be the equivalent of the alcohol and then the gas.
25cc of alcohol seem to me too much for a chicken, I wonder if we could give them much less. How did you come up to that dose?

 

[BrendaJ]

I completely understands how attached you are to your chicken. I have been in your shoes. If you & hubby cant use an Axe on her then have someone you know assist or take her to a vet to be put down. You will make the right decision for your situation. Hugs