Can I put my chicken down with painkillers?

[bibzybean]

One of our hens has been very ill lately and the vet suspected she has cancer. We thought she was definitely going to pass a few days ago, but she is still alive today - she keeps improving and then declining again. None of us are prepared to do the classic method of putting down a chicken. We may take her to a vet to do it, although financially we are not in a place to afford it and our chicken hates being touched or moved so the trip might traumatise her. We have a lot of leftover painkillers from the vet from our last ill chicken, so I was wondering if basically overdosing her on painkillers was a viable and more peaceful way to go. I wouldn't want to cause her any more injury or trauma.

 

[coach723]

I would not recommend doing it that way. We don't know exactly what's going on with your bird, it may not be digesting and absorbing normally, which could make it ineffective or much, much too slow, which could increase suffering. When using pain killers they are normally given intravenously in large enough amounts to be nearly instantaneous. When euthanizing it should be as quick and painless for the bird as possible. Cervical dislocation is often the best and easiest method for home euthanasia, it's easiest for the bird, but is not hands off for the human. The following article might be helpful for you, I do it this way for many of the same reasons as the articles author sites. This is unfortunately a needed skill if you are going to keep chickens, unless you have a vet that will do for you at a reasonable cost that you can handle.
Even then, sometimes circumstances dictate a faster timeline, to be kind to the animal, if an appointment cannot be made pretty quickly.
https://www.muranochickenfarm.com/2017/06/the-easiest-way-to-cull-chicken.html
I understand how you feel, honestly. It is not something I enjoy either, but it's necessary, and our responsibility as animal owners. And despite the emotions involved, it is very often the greatest kindness you can do for them. In truth, the anticipation of doing it is often much worse than the actual doing of it is. With the method above, you can do it, and walk away for a few minutes to let your emotions settle, let yourself breathe, and then come back.

 

[bibzybean]

I would not recommend doing it that way. We don't know exactly what's going on with your bird, it may not be digesting and absorbing normally, which could make it ineffective or much, much too slow, which could increase suffering. When using pain killers they are normally given intravenously in large enough amounts to be nearly instantaneous. When euthanizing it should be as quick and painless for the bird as possible. Cervical dislocation is often the best and easiest method for home euthanasia, it's easiest for the bird, but is not hands off for the human. The following article might be helpful for you, I do it this way for many of the same reasons as the articles author sites. This is unfortunately a needed skill if you are going to keep chickens, unless you have a vet that will do for you at a reasonable cost that you can handle.
Even then, sometimes circumstances dictate a faster timeline, to be kind to the animal, if an appointment cannot be made pretty quickly.
https://www.muranochickenfarm.com/2017/06/the-easiest-way-to-cull-chicken.html
I understand how you feel, honestly. It is not something I enjoy either, but it's necessary, and our responsibility as animal owners. And despite the emotions involved, it is very often the greatest kindness you can do for them. In truth, the anticipation of doing it is often much worse than the actual doing of it is. With the method above, you can do it, and walk away for a few minutes to let your emotions settle, let yourself breathe, and then come back.

thank you. I will definitely keep that method in mind, it seems easiest and quickest for both parties. If she doesn't die today of natural causes I think we will take her to the vet to be put down because I'm not quite ready to do the deed myself and I hate to see her suffer.

 

[Sequestered Ridge Ranch]

Sealed box filled with Argon

 

[Debbie292d]

One of our hens has been very ill lately and the vet suspected she has cancer. We thought she was definitely going to pass a few days ago, but she is still alive today - she keeps improving and then declining again. None of us are prepared to do the classic method of putting down a chicken. We may take her to a vet to do it, although financially we are not in a place to afford it and our chicken hates being touched or moved so the trip might traumatise her. We have a lot of leftover painkillers from the vet from our last ill chicken, so I was wondering if basically overdosing her on painkillers was a viable and more peaceful way to go. I wouldn't want to cause her any more injury

We put ours down by either putting them in a small cardboard box or cage, then go out in the woods and utilize my 20-gauge. We have a couple farmers that would do it for us too if we couldn't. If you have any friends that are farmers, they'd probably help you out.