Help me convince my bf to let me dispatch a sick chicken

[Pukkits]

A thought. Some people, including myself, struggle with the personal act of euthanizing. Don't misunderstand, I don't think there's anything wrong with it euthanizing animals that cannot recover and I absolutely do so with my animals at the end of their life, I just can't perform the act myself.

Could part of the problem be he feels he should be there when she's dispatched and as in chickens it's kind of a violent feeling act?

We had a chicken sicken suddenly last year and she lost her mobility (she passed a double egg, pinched a nerve that stopped her leg use, but because of a previously unknown cancer, it wasn't going to heal). The other birds didn't pick on her, but she was dragging herself around. Medication and a few days didn't help, but she wasn't going to get better. It was expensive, but I took her to the vet for euthanization. While someday I will need to perform the act myself, I had just suffered a human loss and now was not the time to learn dispatching.

As your boyfriend is struggling, could a compromise be you're willing to do what a vet suggests - if he pays for the vet visit. Some people don't listen to their partners on difficult topics like this. Sometimes they will listen to a professional. A good vet can explain things you've probably already said about masking pain, and maybe draw comparisons he may understand. And if his issue is being involved in the euthanization act, he can pay the vet to do it.

I know relationships need to be cared for, but if you think Juicy is suffering, I think it's worth the discussion conflict of trying to figure out why he's so averse to euthanizing her.

 

[SnackMeat]

True. Could be an aversion to even having someone break her neck.

There are multiple forms of euthanizing that use chemicals or chemical reactions to displace oxygen so essentially they pass out and then stop breathing.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-chick-vinegar-and-baking-soda-method.147192/

I think this is faster and kinder than using the freezer method (which my parents use for our family hamsters growing up but now, looking back, I wish we hadn't used that method.)

 

[Wyorp Rock]

her mobility is reduced and she can no longer jump or run.

Here is the issue Im facing: my boyfriend refuses to believe she is ready to go.

She eats, drinks, and slowly walks around the yard

What can I say or show him to make him see its the right choice? Or am I in the wrong here? Since she still does normal chicken activities (in slow motion) should we let her continue on?

I have put my foot down and its causing relationship stress and it may cause much more if I just do it without him being on board.

She is justing hanging out with the flock. No one is picking on her.

Help me convince my bf to let me dispatch a sick chicken​

What's your goal here.

Convince your BF You are right?

Are You? Is he?

Is this about the hen or a battle to prove something?

I do agree, your hen seems to have something going on that is causing a decline in health. Happens to the best and worst of us.

She's eating/drinking. She's moving about, although more slowly than she used to. She's not getting picked on by her flock, instead it sounds like she's interacting with her flock.

She can no longer run or jump. O.k. Provide her with a soft place to sleep at night and keep the bedding clean.

How about instead of trying to convince each other that she needs to be put down, enjoy her for the remaining days she has and let her do what she's doing..."Chickening" the best she can.

Chickens often don't sweat the small stuff; they get on with the business of living each day to the best of their ability. There's a lesson in there for all of us.

If she's still willing to move about, get to food/water, visit with her friends, then she's not given up on life.

How many days, weeks, months does she have left? I don't know. You don't either.

When it's her time. She will plop down and sit (or lay), won't move, keep her eyes closed, perhaps have some labored breathing. She'll stop eating/drinking. She'll not move about nor interact with her friends. Her friends may take the time to come sit with her throughout the day and just be near.

I've seen it.

THEN, you will both know you are right and can then decide to hasten the dying or you can just let her go out on her own.

Have I put down hens before? Yes, most definitely. When there were very clear signs that they were not going to get up and move about again. Yes, I've put them down. Have I left them with the flock until they just expired on their own? Yes, I've done that too. They died surrounded by their flock sitting with them like one would do sitting in a Hospice room waiting for that last breath.

Do the best you can. Love your BF. Go have a cry, a hug and a kiss. Work on this together. Go outside, give your hens a little treat, sit back and watch them Chicken. Life is short, take a moment to enjoy it.

Just my musings and 2¢