Had to put down my Hen - So so bad....

[discoveregg]

I haven't had to do the deed yet, and I've been dreading it, even before you posted!

 

[Wyogal77]

Sorry to hear about your loss. That is very unfortunate.
The key here is to provide your birds with a safe enclosure. I have a ten-foot tall fence around our chicken yard to keep out predators. Predators are opportunistic. They need to eat too and will snap up any bird that they can get to easily. I am not the type to "pay" back the predator by shooting them. In the future maybe consider constructing a safer enclosure for your birds.

 

[MissTurkey4]

I like Martha Stewarts method of killing turkeys. Works great.

http://social.entertainment.msn.com...spx?post=d66a3ca4-e207-490a-8842-477e34afbb1b

 

[turkeychickinny]

What a horrible experience. I feel bad for you. Having to kill her is one thing, but for it to be so difficult and messy...that stinks! I'm glad to have this forum to look to. When we are ready to butcher I'll read up first. Seems to me that the first time we had turkeys years ago, my husband put an ice pick through their brain. Sounds barbaric maybe, but it was pretty clean & quick.

 

[NYRIR]

So sorry for your loss....you did the best you could....we all make mistakes and learn from them.As for being barbaric? You aren't....leaving it to die on it's own would be

 

[Cetawin]

Jon I am so sorry. When you finally make up your mind to do the right thing and it seems like it is a fiasco, it makes you feel like crap. But please understand that the flapping and such is mainly the central nervous system which can take a bit longer to stop .... she was most likely already gone. You learn, you move forward and do better the next time if it must happen again.

It sounds like a coon. They can get into a fence fairly easily if it is not covered and even then they are tough to stop. I am sorry for your loss.

 

[SuburbanFarmstress]

A good pair of garden loppers can take a chicken's head off quickly, no problem. I would imagine it would work the same for a turkey. Less worry about aiming than with a gun or an axe. It helps if someone can hold the head for you.

Sorry you had such a bad experience.

I would suggest doing some research to be prepared for another unfortunate event. After reading a story similar to yours, I took a one day poultry processing class from a local farmer so I would be ready just in case something happened to my chickens. Now I'm planning on raising a turkey to slaughter at home for the holidays.

 

[TimTurkey]

I completely empathize with you, Jon. One of my poults broke his leg and I had to put him down. This is the first time I have had to kill a turkey.

Some 30 years ago I raised chickens for eggs. When the girls stopped laying efficiently, I dispatched them and got more. A friend that raised wolves to re-introduce into the wild here in Oregon would come over and help me. We just broke their necks and tossed them into garbage cans for transport. They do flop around a lot.

However, killing the 5 week old turkey was different. I tried breaking his neck, and probably did, but he did not act like he was dying/dead, even with his lolling head. Not just flopping; he was flapping and still breathing! I twisted his head again; it came partially off, squirting hot blood up my arm. He immediately stopped all movement. Ripped the guts out of me...

I will be taking a turkey butchering class next week.