Help! How do I kill my chicken without pain?

[danihoff19]

Hi I was wondering if there is a way to peacefully send a chicken off to chicken heaven. One of my hens was attacked by some predator and is in a lot of pain, blind in both eyes. I'm pretty sure that the bite to her back damaged her ability to use her wings. I just want to know how to send her off without starting her or causing her pain. Can I inject her with Vicodin or some other pain medicine? I don't mean like Tylenol or ibuprofen but like oxycodone or oxycotin or Vicodin. Could that work? I can't imagine using any form of blade on her. We wouldn't be able to. Please let me know, I want to end her suffering and pain.

 

[1cock2hens]

The least hands on way I can think of is a way that some dispatch predators, asphyxiation. put her in a box covered a with a blanket then run a hose from your car exhaust to the box, the fumes will kill the chicken painlessly, it will just fall asleep..

Of course you should read up on the method, some cars are surprisingly clean and just won't do the job. I hope that help you

 

[danihoff19]

The least hands on way I can think of is a way that some dispatch predators, asphyxiation. put her in a box covered a with a blanket then run a hose from your car exhaust to the box, the fumes will kill the chicken painlessly, it will just fall asleep..

Of course you should read up on the method, some cars are surprisingly clean and just won't do the job. I hope that help you

Will she be afraid though? And I've heard some people said it burns their eyes and it's hot.

 

[KayTee]

I am really sorry for you and your bird - it is a terrible situation for you both. I understand your desire to end her suffering with the least pain possible for her and for you.

There has recently been a thread highlighted on BYC about this very issue:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/ways-to-euthanize-a-chicken

Personally I tend to use the axe method, but only because I have a husband who is very competent with an axe, and I am able to hold the bird still for the few seconds that it takes. It is never a pleasant thing to have to do, but it is better than letting a bird suffer.

I wish you all the best - I know that it will be hard for you, but in the end you will be doing the right thing for your girl.

 

[TerryH]

So sorry that you are in this situation. Trust me, I can relate. Unfortunately I had to do this for the first time yesterday. I read many, many threads on the subject. Here is a copy and paste from one of those. It is the method that I chose and it was not as bad as I had imagined though still very tough. Appeared completely painless to the bird. There was no movement or anything after the separation.

/img/smilies/hugs.gif First, let me say I'm sorry for your sad situation.


In my opinion, breaking the neck is the most humane, it seems to kill the chicken instantly.  I use a different method to dispatch the meat birds but with dear old friends I prefer to do it in a less messy, more dignified & respectful way.


Sometimes it's easier to have someone else less emotionally attatched to the bird do it for you.  Then they can focus on doing a quick effective job and not be so personally saddened by its loss.  Find a friend or relative who is willing, or find a neighboring chicken keeper with whom you can trade these sad favors.


I recently had to euthanize a hen who had become an internal layer, I owed it to her to end her suffering.  I first dug the hole in a pretty part of my garden near a flowering shrub.  Then I held her under my non-dominant left arm and calmed her with kind words & gentle stroking.  Then I strengthened my resolve, grabbed a hold of her just behind her head with my stronger right arm, and gave a decisive firm yank, pulling out & twisting slightly.  I knew she died as soon as the neck bones gave way with a crunch.  Of course there were some reflexive flappings of her wings for a moment afterwards, it took about a minute for her to grow still & her eyes to close. 


It's essential to give a really hard yank.  Once you release the head & see the neck is hanging limp, you know you've done the job.  You can continue to hold the bird, or lay her down, cover her with a feed sack or towel, & walk away if you cannot bear it.  That's why I say sometimes it's easier for someone else to do you the favor, so they can concentrate on doing the job well for the bird's sake.


You can also lay the bird on the ground with her neck under a thick straight stick, like a broomstick.  Hold the ends of the stick down firmly with your feet, grab the legs & pull up really hard until you feel that crunch. 


This last time was the first time I tried doing it while holding the bird under my arm.  It was both successful (for the hen's sake) and -- don't get offended by my choice of words -- more satisfying for me as her keeper, it felt nicer to hold her right up to her end instead of laying her on the ground to wonder at the last "what's going to happen to me now?"


I wish you peace with your decision & your actions to follow.

 

[1cock2hens]

I was raised on a commercial chicken farm and have killed hundreds if not thousands of injured or sick chickens, we always snapped there necks, 9 out of 10 times they flop furiously, it's not for the squeamish , if the OP can't stomach using a knife I find it hard to imagine it would be easier to snap it's Neck.. idk my first thoughts was i wish they weren't a quarter of the way across the country i would just do it for them

 

[MrsBrooke]

I wrap their body in a towel, so their wings are bound. Then I wrap their head with a rag to block out light. That calms them down.

I then take a shovel or axe, straddle the chicken between my knees on the ground, use the rag to extend their neck, and use whatever tool I have to sever the spinal cord. It's instant and painless. The bird will have muscle spasms as the electric nerve impulses fire reflexively, but the chicken is "gone."

It's never an easy thing to do, but I hope that helps.

MrsB

PS - I still cry a little every time.

 

[Rcballou]

Right before night but with last light take the chicken as it's roosting or settling down put an old sock over its head with some settling fragrance like vet rx. Take her to your sturdy stump that has two Nails hammered into it shaped as a "V" around and inch apart...look it up. Put the chickens neck in-between the "V" stretch the body out by pulling on the legs and chop the neck off as you're pulling in legs (simultaneously). It's very quick and efficient.

 

[SulkyBantam]

Right before night but with last light take the chicken as it's roosting or settling down put an old sock over its head with some settling fragrance like vet rx. Take her to your sturdy stump that has two Nails hammered into it shaped as a "V" around and inch apart...look it up. Put the chickens neck in-between the "V" stretch the body out by pulling on the legs and chop the neck off as you're pulling in legs (simultaneously). It's very quick and efficient.

This thread is 5 yrs old! But there are many more recent ones.