DIY HUMANE way to Kill Slaughter Chicken (Stun-kill, Gas)

[grhouser]

Hi, I'm glad I happened upon your post. I am also interested in humanely killing chickens for home consumption, did some research and have a plan to build a small box to humanely dispatch them. It turns out that you can humanely gas them with a gas mixture used to for certain types of welding called C20 or C25 (80% argon, 20% carbon dioxide or 75% argon, 25% carbon dioxide respectively) which is used in welding as a shielding gas (gets rid of oxygen while welding). Here is an article that discusses it: http://www.upc-online.org/nr/33005co2.htm. This mixture is heavier than air and the CO2 is a low enough concentration so that they do not get breathless and feel like they are suffocating, the oxygen in their lungs gets displaced by the mixture and they pass out due to what is known as hypoxia/anoxia (interchangeable terms for losing consciousness due to lack of oxygen). In order to minimize distress I'm thinking of making a small foam box by cutting up a piece of corning foam -- http://www.homedepot.com/s/corning%20foam?NCNI-5, ($18). I will make it big enough to put a small chicken cage into and will make it airtight by taping and caulking the inside seams and put a coupler in the side for hooking up a gas line to the welding bottle gas. I will put the chicken in the cage and allow it some time to come to a restful state, move the cage into the box, close the lid and turn on the gas. Since the mixture is heavier than air it seems it would be better to put a coupler attached to a piece of hose through the side of the box (coupler outside, hose inside) in the bottom of one side of the box and a small tube in the top of the opposite side. This would allow the gas to fill from the bottom to the top and force out the air. When a match will no longer stay lit in front of the nozzle where the air exits then all of the oxygen is depleted from the box and you could cap the vent and turn off the gas feed. Give it a minute or two and the chicken should be unconscious or dead. I don't have any chickens yet myself or I would post how this works out. I may have chickens next year. If anyone gives this a go or something better I'd like to hear about it. Nice to see others care about the welfare of the animals we share the planet with.

 

[grhouser]

Hi, I'm glad I happened upon your post. I am also interested in humanely killing chickens for home consumption, did some research and have a plan to build a small box to humanely dispatch them. It turns out that you can humanely gas them with a gas mixture used to for certain types of welding called C20 or C25 (80% argon, 20% carbon dioxide or 75% argon, 25% carbon dioxide respectively) which is used in welding as a shielding gas (gets rid of oxygen while welding). Here is an article that discusses it:

(copy/paste) http://www.upc-online.org/nr/33005co2.htm

This mixture is heavier than air and the CO2 is a low enough concentration so that they do not get breathless and feel like they are suffocating, the oxygen in their lungs gets displaced by the mixture and they pass out due to what is known as hypoxia/anoxia (interchangeable terms for losing consciousness due to lack of oxygen). In order to minimize distress I'm thinking of making a small foam box by cutting up a piece of corning foam --

(copy/paste) http://www.homedepot.com/s/corning%20foam?NCNI-5

(there is one that costs about$18). I will make it big enough to put a small chicken cage into and will make it airtight by taping and caulking the inside seams and put a coupler in the side for hooking up a gas line to the welding bottle gas. I will put the chicken in the cage and allow it some time to come to a restful state, move the cage into the box, close the lid and turn on the gas. Since the mixture is heavier than air it seems it would be better to put a coupler attached to a piece of hose through the side of the box (coupler outside, hose inside) in the bottom of one side of the box and a small tube in the top of the opposite side. This would allow the gas to fill from the bottom to the top and force out the air. When a match will no longer stay lit in front of the nozzle where the air exits then all of the oxygen is depleted from the box and you could cap the vent and turn off the gas feed. Give it a minute or two and the chicken should be unconscious or dead. I don't have any chickens yet myself or I would post how this works out. I may have chickens next year. If anyone gives this a go or something better I'd like to hear about it. Nice to see others care about the welfare of the animals we share the planet with.

 

[punk-a-doodle]

grhouser, look into nitrogen or helium gas. Even less detectable to chickens. Not good for rodents, burrowing creatures, etc though.

 

[grhouser]

Thanks for the advice, punkadoodle, I'm not sure yet which is most economical and provides the intended, humane result. Sorry about the multiple posts, a newbie mistake.

 

[foamyownsyou]

Just use a air rifle .177 cal and put it to the chickens head and squeeze the trigger that what I do it's an instant kill. Best regards -foamy the squirrel

 

[galanie]

I'll likely get swatted for saying this, but OMG just end them. Don't overthink it, please. I'd rather hear of an air rifle than suffocation by some intricate plan. Seriously.

 

[cassie]

X2

 

[theshoenlebens]

X3

 

[Beekissed]

I'll likely get swatted for saying this, but OMG just end them. Don't overthink it, please. I'd rather hear of an air rifle than suffocation by some intricate plan. Seriously.

Yep. Not that it isn't fun to explore other options.... but is it for the human or the bird?

 

[bachbach1]

+1 You have to just get over it and end them. There is nothing cruel about it, it has been going on since the beginning of time. Any bird placed is a small box is probably going to freak out on that alone, and suffocating them is just cruel. After you are going to kill them, dead is dead, no matter if you sing them a song, or pet them to sleep before you do the deed. A lot of people try to put human characteristics on animals, birds have very small brains, they are eating machines that know how to replicate, and survive. I have seen so many chickens killed in my life, and have never heard one make a distress full sound. Their minds are to simple to know what you are up to, and far to basic to comprehend death, life or fear of dying. Humans know all those things, the bird doesnt.

So with all that in mind and the chicken doesnt know what death is and you want to be humane, get a block of wood, and whack the head off with a meat cleaver, or camping axe, that is 100% instantaneous lights out, didn't know what is coming (a bird couldn't know what was coming anyway, there I go placing human characteristics on chickens again) My friend I believe you may be fearing your response to having to kill your own food, and confusing that what is good for the bird, remember dead is dead.

My problem may be that I am a serial killer of chickens, I just cant stop. I raise them humanely, provide for them and then humanely end them. I plead insanity, I love fried chicken, and I hate store bought. Lighten up, and think about the fact that the only humane thing about killing your food is to do it where it is instantaneous, no suffering there for the bird. Now for you it might be different, put on your big boy pants and geturdone, it gets better in time. If you didn't feel a thing when you did it I would worry about you, still it gets easier for you but the bird gets the shaft every time, the good thing is he doesnt know it.

Nothing here is harsh, just real. Real isn't pretty a lot of times. Good luck with your quest for a way through this.