A Squeemish Subject: Euthanasia

[chick4chix]

I'm not sure if this is the way to copy an earlier post- but below I put the story of euthanizing one of my birds in 2009. I have since had to put another bird down and it worked equally well and without stress.


I just posted but it didn't connect the link to the thread- I will try again.



Index » Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures » Humane Euthanasia - I had to put one of my girls to "sleep" tonight

 

[kari_dawn]

try [ u r l ] at the beginning (w/o the spaces) and then [ / u r l ] at the other end again, w/o the spaces.

 

[ChooksChick]

Another gas to use is ether: also known as starter or carburetor fluid.

Same tight rubbermaid tote, make the bird comfy, then soak a rag in fluid and put it in.

Only thing is, the animal passes out, but its reflexes react to the decrease oxygen in the bloodstream, so there can be some movement inside...sometimes flailing. They're out cold, but it's still upsetting.

Ether was used in the medical profession on humans until the 50s, and in cases of too much, it kills. The animal is out so fast it doesn't know.

I still can't do it. I have to have hubby do it.

 

[remuda1]

I've had to euthanize one chick and then I have also processed one rooster. For the chick who, unfortunately, developed a severe crossed beak, I couldn't do it as while caring for her I grew too attached. My husband grudgingly did the deed for me and to this day will not tell me how he did it.

As for the rooster, he had gotten too aggressive with the hens and was huge. He was not the lead roo and I just got exhausted with hearing all of the squawking of the hens and of the lead roo disciplining him.... Soooo, I got my courage up, went and purchased a large traffic cone from Home Depot. Cut the top off of it to make the hole larger. Hung it upside down, placed Mr. Roo into it with his head coming out of the bottom. He took this all very calmly. I then made short deep cuts on either side of his neck. He did not react in pain to this. He bled out very quickly. Of course, there was a small amount of spasms but at that time he had already expired.

I almost talked myself into throwing him away, but that just seemed wasteful and disrespectful. So I skinned him and a couple of weeks later, I wrapped him in bacon, put him in the oven and invited my parents for dinner. He was yummy and best of all, it's much quieter around here, the hens are much happier and I don't have to stress over it anymore.

I think it's much easier when it's a mean rooster causing havoc than when it's a helpless chick or sick hen. But I think now that I have done the rooster, it will be a tiny bit easier for me to cull due to illness or infirmity. The chicks though, I think will always be very very hard

. This is the method I was most comfortable with after extensive research and watching numerous videos. I think it just takes finding the particular method that fits your comfort level while taking into consideration the welfare of the bird.

 

[CMV]

Here's an old post that discusses euthanasia guidelines. As I commented in the post- it's a bit dry to read through completely, but highly educational.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=5112773#p5112773

I keep both layers and meaties, so culling/euthanizing are old hat to me. I can remember a time when it was a difficult thing to contemplate, though.

A good topic to bring up.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Usually when I have to euthanize a bird, I use the old hatchet. My DH helps me with this. I'm not much on the chopping- and I don't want them to suffer. He's big and strong- its just easier for me. I had to dispose of a naughty rooster this past week, and couldn't find anyone to wield the hatchet. So I used to broom stick method. I put the roo face down on a flat surface (in this case, my porch), sat the broom stick over his neck, stand on the stick-one foot on each side of his head, then very quickly gave a good pull on his feet. This was much easier for me than severing the head. No flailing, no blood, and it was quick.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Decapitation is very quick and very sure.

I worry more about the animal than about my own feelings. Sure, it is easier on the person to put the bird in a box and just walk away. But is that the easiest for the bird?

I know that for the commercial houses, they have a gadget that hangs on the wall that is used to break necks. It looks efficient and easy to use. I don't think it is outrageously expensive. Maybe too much for dispatching only 1-2 per year, but not really too bad in price if you know you are going to have to euthanize more than a couple of birds.

Seriously, I wish there were more vet support available at a price that was doable.

 

[Avalon1984]

Quote:
X2 Animal well being and a quick death will always come before my own "emotional" comfort.

 

[Beekissed]

I use dislocation of the cervical spine....quick, bloodless, final. I used to do this by wringing but found it to be faulty, so now a quick jerk up and down while holding onto the head and letting the body provide a counter weight does the trick better.

I'll always dread the killing....but when presented with a tough or dirty job, it's always best to grit your teeth and get it over with quickly.

 

[CMV]

Quote:
You have one hanging in your house. It's called a broom stick (although you can use a heavy garden rake, too). howfunkyisurchicken mentioned the broomstick method, which is what I always recommend for inexperienced folks that have to deal with euthanizing a grown bird. Swinging a hatchet takes some experience to do it right and not make a hash of it. (Believe me! I am sorry to say that I once botched a kill, but it was excellent motivation to perfect my technique, and it has never happened again.) Using the broomstick method can be done by one person and requires no experience. All you are hoping to achieve is cervical dislocation, so the broomstick method is preferable because there is generally no blood to have to clean up after.