Am I a bad chicken mom for this.

[Ridgerunner]

There are many different ways to put a chicken out of its misery. The killing cone and knife bleed-out method, cone and knife cut the head off method, pruning shears, tree loppers, hatchet and stump, broomstick method, break the neck in bare hands method, using carbon monoxide, and others. I had never heard of the hammer to the neck method but I can see why it would work well.

I think the best method for you to use is the way that you can. You do not want to just injure the bird or injure yourself by closing your eyes or flinching at the wrong time. You want it to be swift and sure to minimize suffering. Some people can handle sharp objects better than others. Some people can hit what they are aiming at, whether with a hatchet or hammer, better than others. You need to use a method that you can do.

I suspect that hammer crushed the nerves going to the brain so it was pretty painless. The nerves are what carries the pain sensation to the brain, not the blood, and they were destroyed. I consider that a humane method. it may be hard to watch, but so are the others.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

I've had to dispatch a number of birds over the years. Sometimes an old bird can surprise you in how hard they can be to kill, but it sounds like your dad did a good job.

I favor a sharp axe myself, but not everyone wants to deal with so graphic a method. The broomstick method works fine, but you have to be decisive about it. No hesitating. A sharp, hard pull.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

You aren't a bad chicken mom, however I think you / your father could probably benefit from learning how to effectively use cervical dislocation which is a much less traumatic approach and, in my opinion, more humane