Benadryl to Euthanize Chicken?

[hayley3]

I used decapitation on my own and it was a very fast death for my hen.

You want a stump that is as close to "table height" as possible. Hammer in two nails about an inch or so apart. This will help hold their head. Lay the chicken on the stump, gently guiding the neck between the nails. This allows you to stretch out the neck a bit. Hold the hatchet in one hand, use the other hand to stabilize the chicken's body. Choke up a bit on the hatchet and swing very firmly down on the neck. Immediately raise your arm up for another hit if you didn't get all the way through on the first swing. Hesitation is your enemy. I had to kind of pump myself up, and I used the manta "fast and clean" to get in the right mindset. Truly the worst moment of it all was the 2-3 seconds where I had the hatchet raised and I kept thinking "What if I mess this up?!". But as soon as I swung (and then did a second swing to be sure), I felt better. It took maybe 40 seconds total.

Definitely make sure the blade is sharp before using it.

If you're still concerned about using a hatchet, then go with the broomstick method. Whatever you do, though, do it decisively.

I have no stump and it's 20 degrees outside. My hens never get sick in the summer, it seems. I did shoot a rooster once...shooting is hands-off but I don't want to do that to my hen. The rooster had killed a hen and injured another, so I was mad at him. I bought this axe: https://www.amazon.com/Gransfors-Bruks-FS-413-Gränsfors-Hatchet/dp/B0046VC5UM, but it's so dull, I tried it on a chicken quarter and it did nothing. So yeah my worry would be it would bounce off the hen's neck or cut halfway through.

 

[Anon112]

I have no stump and it's 20 degrees outside. My hens never get sick in the summer, it seems. I did shoot a rooster once...shooting is hands-off but I don't want to do that to my hen. The rooster had killed a hen and injured another, so I was mad at him. I bought this axe: https://www.amazon.com/Gransfors-Bruks-FS-413-Gränsfors-Hatchet/dp/B0046VC5UM, but it's so dull, I tried it on a chicken quarter and it did nothing. So yeah my worry would be it would bounce off the hen's neck or cut halfway through.

Oof, yeah, don't use an axe/hatchet that isn't very sharp.

 

[hayley3]

When you pull a friend's stuck car with your car using a chain, there's a right way and a wrong way to do it. Bear with me, this will make sense in a minute. If you are the one doing the pulling, you want to sloooowly pull forward until the chain is taut (snug, tight), and only then give it more power to try to pull the other vehicle. This is important! People who don't know any better will back up so the chain is slack, then GUN their engine, thinking a lot of power and speed are needed to yank the stuck vehicle loose. WRONG! What this will do is snap the chain.

Now what does this have to do with the broomstick method of dispatching a chicken? This. If you grab the chicken's feet and yank up hard and fast, there's a good chance you will decapitate the chicken, blood will squirt everywhere, the chicken will flap like crazy, splashing blood all over you and you will be so traumatized you'll never do it again. So don't do that!

Instead, gently hold the chicken head down for a moment to relax it. I know, I know - this is not the way you want to carry your chicken around on a general basis. But its life is going to be over in a few minutes anyway, and this is a form of anesthesia. Now scrape a little groove on the ground where its neck is going to be. May as well make it comfy. Lay your "broomstick" over the bird's neck just behind the head. Place your feet on the broomstick, one on each side of the bird's head. Grasping the bird's feet, gently but steadily pull up until the neck is stretched taut. Do it fairly quickly. Then give one more quick yank upward, without first dropping your hands. You may feel a "pop." The bird may thrash, but the deed is done. I like to have a bucket handy with a trash bag in it to drop the bird into immediately. Close the bag and tie it shut. This is especially handy if you did pull too hard and there is bleeding. And that's it!

Thank you for holding my hand. I was terrified to do this, but she was almost dead when I did it today, so with your words in my head, I was able to stop her suffering. The first pull didn't work but the 2nd did, I could feel something tear loose. I had to use the drain in my basement to lay her head on (at the edge I mean) and I used a 2 ft rebar.

 

[hayley3]

If not pulled hard enough, or the broomstick is not held securely enough it can result in a do over. Or several. Which can be stressful. If the pull is too hard, the head may actually come off, which some would find disturbing. Hens are easier than roosters for this method, as roosters have stronger necks.
I still prefer the method linked to in post #17 here.
My issue with an axe, is accuracy. Birds move, flap, struggle, and I like to keep all my extremities. And for a first timer, you might find the force needed to be surprising. If using any blade, make sure it's very sharp.
The best method is the one you are most comfortable with, that is as instantaneous as possible, which ensures that there will be less chance of error and less chance of any suffering for the bird.

Thank you...your words also helped when I did the broomstick method today. I did make sure my feet were holding down the rebar and to pull hard enough but not yank her head off.

 

[hayley3]

I also want to thank everyone who offered advice...I read and considered it all.