How To euthanize a chicken humanely

[SueT]

Euthanasia is not something I like doing, but I disklike watching a hen suffer even more. The 3 best options don't work for us - I don't know how or have the hand strength to wring a neck (and YES you should know how to do that first); I cannot decapitate - I already have predators that haunt my hens so the blood would only attract them even more; nor do I have a place to do that where my dog cannot get to the blood; I cannot shoot with a 22, I live within the city limits. We have vets in the area that would consider it - at about $400 to $500. I've got multiple hens, a dog and a cat, my vet budget is limited and I have to take that into account.

I read the above referenced article and several others as well. Here are my takeaways:

1. Get an appropriately sized, air-tight/watertight container - we chose a 25lb. pet food storage container. The top is affixed, it's translucent so I can make sure the bird is still by shining a light through from the other side. It could be drilled into and modified fairly easily.
2. Use a CO2 tank - we purchased a 5lb capacity one and a regulator and tubing. We went to a brewing store and they supplied us with all the correct equipment that would work together. We can also get it refilled there for less than $25.
3. Create a 'bleed' hole (toothpick size is sufficient) on the opposite side and end from the gas end to allow oxygen to escape as the CO2 is pumped in.
4. Wait until after dark if possible and do it in a darkened space, this will keep the hen calm and quiet.

Our box works like this: We also tested it empty as much as possible to find the problems and the solutions.

• Laid container on it's back so the lid would lie flat on any surface
• Drilled small hole in the bottom of the container-ours has wheels and it's between the wheels at the back and I put in a two part 'hose barb' (1/4" Hose Barb Thru-Bulk Bulkhead Straight Hex Union Stainless Steel Fitting) into that hole and made sure it was siliconed to stop leakage of the gas. Hole was on the bottom because CO2 is heavier than air so it would be concentrated at the bottom.
• We had large binder clips that we also used to keep the top sealed around the edges as we found during testing that the pressure would make it leak the CO2. The clips stopped that.
• We attached everything and then I brought our girl out of the coop at dusk and into the darkened garage, put some toweling into the container and put her in with her head at the back of the container near the wall barb, closed the lid, put on the clips and let the gas in and put a flashlight on the opposite side of the box so I could see her movement stop.
• CO2 entered VERY lightly at first, she stopped moving within seconds. I took out the toothpick from the bleeding hole and turned the gas up a bit to flood the container. We let it run until empty - about 5-10 minutes. She died unconscious, no panic, no pain, just gone.

We just buried her this morning. I've had several folks who claimed they'd done it before and were willing to help put some ill hens down in the past and each time it went badly and my birds were put through trauma before they died. Never again. I have my solution and it worked out well.

If you all want to attack me for this feel free, I did what I had to with the circumstances I have to deal with. If you want more info or photos of my gas chamber, reach out.

I made a small CO2 chamber to euthanize a baby chick. I mixed vinegar and baking soda in a plastic bag to create the co2….fed the gas into the container thru a hose and the chick quickly and quietly died, as described above.

 

[BDutch]

Euthanasia is not something I like doing, but I disklike watching a hen suffer even more. The 3 best options don't work for us - I don't know how or have the hand strength to wring a neck (and YES you should know how to do that first); I cannot decapitate - I already have predators that haunt my hens so the blood would only attract them even more; nor do I have a place to do that where my dog cannot get to the blood; I cannot shoot with a 22, I live within the city limits. We have vets in the area that would consider it - at about $400 to $500. I've got multiple hens, a dog and a cat, my vet budget is limited and I have to take that into account.

I read the above referenced article and several others as well. Here are my takeaways:

1. Get an appropriately sized, air-tight/watertight container - we chose a 25lb. pet food storage container. The top is affixed, it's translucent so I can make sure the bird is still by shining a light through from the other side. It could be drilled into and modified fairly easily.
2. Use a CO2 tank - we purchased a 5lb capacity one and a regulator and tubing. We went to a brewing store and they supplied us with all the correct equipment that would work together. We can also get it refilled there for less than $25.
3. Create a 'bleed' hole (toothpick size is sufficient) on the opposite side and end from the gas end to allow oxygen to escape as the CO2 is pumped in.
4. Wait until after dark if possible and do it in a darkened space, this will keep the hen calm and quiet.

Our box works like this: We also tested it empty as much as possible to find the problems and the solutions.

• Laid container on it's back so the lid would lie flat on any surface
• Drilled small hole in the bottom of the container-ours has wheels and it's between the wheels at the back and I put in a two part 'hose barb' (1/4" Hose Barb Thru-Bulk Bulkhead Straight Hex Union Stainless Steel Fitting) into that hole and made sure it was siliconed to stop leakage of the gas. Hole was on the bottom because CO2 is heavier than air so it would be concentrated at the bottom.
• We had large binder clips that we also used to keep the top sealed around the edges as we found during testing that the pressure would make it leak the CO2. The clips stopped that.
• We attached everything and then I brought our girl out of the coop at dusk and into the darkened garage, put some toweling into the container and put her in with her head at the back of the container near the wall barb, closed the lid, put on the clips and let the gas in and put a flashlight on the opposite side of the box so I could see her movement stop.
• CO2 entered VERY lightly at first, she stopped moving within seconds. I took out the toothpick from the bleeding hole and turned the gas up a bit to flood the container. We let it run until empty - about 5-10 minutes. She died unconscious, no panic, no pain, just gone.

We just buried her this morning. I've had several folks who claimed they'd done it before and were willing to help put some ill hens down in the past and each time it went badly and my birds were put through trauma before they died. Never again. I have my solution and it worked out well.

If you all want to attack me for this feel free, I did what I had to with the circumstances I have to deal with. If you want more info or photos of my gas chamber, reach out.

Thank you for this detailed explanation. I think this will be helpful for more backyard poultry keepers. I bookmarked it in case I need this info in the future.
I consider $400 to $500 way to expensive for such a deed. I'm not even willing to pay the price the ask here for small animals (I have bantams) at € 150.

I'm sorry you had to do this. Sorry for your loss and good memories.

I made a small CO2 chamber to euthanize a baby chick. I mixed vinegar and baking soda in a plastic bag to create the co2….fed the gas into the container thru a hose and the chick quickly and quietly died, as described above.

Thanks for the chick solution too, for the same reason. Glad to know that the chick passed quietly.

 

[Donna-NC]

Thank you for this detailed explanation. I think this will be helpful for more backyard poultry keepers. I bookmarked it in case I need this info in the future.
I consider $400 to $500 way to expensive for such a deed. I'm not even willing to pay the price the ask here for small animals (I have bantams) at € 150.

I'm sorry you had to do this. Sorry for your loss and good memories.


Thanks for the chick solution too, for the same reason. Glad to know that the chick passed quietly.

Now don't take this the wrong way - my hens are precious to me. I feed and care for them and they give me eggs and enjoyment. Heck I take them out cut up grapes and sprout seeds for them to have every day (sprouts have more protein than just seeds). When I find big bugs (cicada season coming soon yay!) I call them over to feast!
BUT with all of that being said, they are not on the same level as my dogs and cats. For one thing my dogs and cats live inside with me 24/7, they sit on my lap for hours on end when I'm knitting in the evening, they sleep on the corner of my bed, and they give affection in return that birds do not. They don't interact with us the same way if you know what I mean.
I don't feel the need to sit and hold a hen as she passes on, not the way I want to with one of my pets. I want to hold my dogs or cats as they draw their last breath, I want my face to be the last one they see, to know I love them deeply as they cross. To feel comfort and peace in my arms.
So long as the hen experiences no trauma when she passes I feel that I've done the best I can and have no regrets. This solution has provided us with what we needed to assure ourselves that we gave as good as we could when dealing with a situation that while normal and part of life is heartbreaking for the ones on the living side.
My grannie always said "Don't name those birds, they're not pets." But of course her hens were food too so it made sense. I name my birds, and they come over sometimes and want to sit on my lap-when it's cold out! Otherwise I'm just more or less just a food supplier to them, the big non-rooster, rooster!

 

[BDutch]

Now don't take this the wrong way - my hens are precious to me. I feed and care for them and they give me eggs and enjoyment. Heck I take them out cut up grapes and sprout seeds for them to have every day (sprouts have more protein than just seeds). When I find big bugs (cicada season coming soon yay!) I call them over to feast!
BUT with all of that being said, they are not on the same level as my dogs and cats. For one thing my dogs and cats live inside with me 24/7, they sit on my lap for hours on end when I'm knitting in the evening, they sleep on the corner of my bed, and they give affection in return that birds do not. They don't interact with us the same way if you know what I mean.
I don't feel the need to sit and hold a hen as she passes on, not the way I want to with one of my pets. I want to hold my dogs or cats as they draw their last breath, I want my face to be the last one they see, to know I love them deeply as they cross. To feel comfort and peace in my arms.
So long as the hen experiences no trauma when she passes I feel that I've done the best I can and have no regrets. This solution has provided us with what we needed to assure ourselves that we gave as good as we could when dealing with a situation that while normal and part of life is heartbreaking for the ones on the living side.
My grannie always said "Don't name those birds, they're not pets." But of course her hens were food too so it made sense. I name my birds, and they come over sometimes and want to sit on my lap-when it's cold out! Otherwise I'm just more or less just a food supplier to them, the big non-rooster, rooster!

I didn't get it the wrong way. I did understand you care a lot for your chickens and this was to end pain and misery without the hope of recovery.

My chickens are no pets either. But I like to give them a happy and long life too. They have names and I wont cull or eat them.

Only once I had a sick chicken who was really miserable. I was not sure if she had pain. Started to look for a descent and painless way to end her life. To my relief she passed before I even found a good method.

 

[Donna-NC]

I didn't get it the wrong way. I did understand you care a lot for your chickens and this was to end pain and misery without the hope of recovery.

My chickens are no pets either. But I like to give them a happy and long life too. They have names and I wont cull or eat them.

Only once I had a sick chicken who was really miserable. I was not sure if she had pain. Started to look for a descent and painless way to end her life. To my relief she passed before I even found a good method.

I didn't mean you specifically, it was a general overall comment since this is a subject that people are so strident about.
My girl wasn't in pain as I could tell, she still ate and drank. BUT she couldn't walk anymore on her own, she stumbled and flopped around. She was losing weight albeit very slowly, getting abused by the other hens and over 5 years old so she wasn't going to get better, I KNEW that. I segregated her in a little quarantine coop with a little run inside the bigger run and had to take her in and out of that coop every day and all she did was lie there next to her food and water and was pretty much just waiting to die. Frankly, she couldn't chicken anymore. There comes a time when you have to make the call, that's all there is to it.
I get lots of comments about what I name my hens - right now we have:

• Chicken Marsala = Marsi
• Chicken Momo = Momo
• Chicken Enchilada = Lada
• Popcorn Chicken = Poppy
• Chicken Nuggets = Nugget
• (Deceased) Chicken Cordon Blu = Blu

Yes, we name them after chicken recipes/food, they don't care. So we have some fun with it!

 

[Loving my girls]

Euthanasia is not something I like doing, but I disklike watching a hen suffer even more. The 3 best options don't work for us - I don't know how or have the hand strength to wring a neck (and YES you should know how to do that first); I cannot decapitate - I already have predators that haunt my hens so the blood would only attract them even more; nor do I have a place to do that where my dog cannot get to the blood; I cannot shoot with a 22, I live within the city limits. We have vets in the area that would consider it - at about $400 to $500. I've got multiple hens, a dog and a cat, my vet budget is limited and I have to take that into account.

I read the above referenced article and several others as well. Here are my takeaways:

1. Get an appropriately sized, air-tight/watertight container - we chose a 25lb. pet food storage container. The top is affixed, it's translucent so I can make sure the bird is still by shining a light through from the other side. It could be drilled into and modified fairly easily.
2. Use a CO2 tank - we purchased a 5lb capacity one and a regulator and tubing. We went to a brewing store and they supplied us with all the correct equipment that would work together. We can also get it refilled there for less than $25.
3. Create a 'bleed' hole (toothpick size is sufficient) on the opposite side and end from the gas end to allow oxygen to escape as the CO2 is pumped in.
4. Wait until after dark if possible and do it in a darkened space, this will keep the hen calm and quiet.

Our box works like this: We also tested it empty as much as possible to find the problems and the solutions.

• Laid container on it's back so the lid would lie flat on any surface
• Drilled small hole in the bottom of the container-ours has wheels and it's between the wheels at the back and I put in a two part 'hose barb' (1/4" Hose Barb Thru-Bulk Bulkhead Straight Hex Union Stainless Steel Fitting) into that hole and made sure it was siliconed to stop leakage of the gas. Hole was on the bottom because CO2 is heavier than air so it would be concentrated at the bottom.
• We had large binder clips that we also used to keep the top sealed around the edges as we found during testing that the pressure would make it leak the CO2. The clips stopped that.
• We attached everything and then I brought our girl out of the coop at dusk and into the darkened garage, put some toweling into the container and put her in with her head at the back of the container near the wall barb, closed the lid, put on the clips and let the gas in and put a flashlight on the opposite side of the box so I could see her movement stop.
• CO2 entered VERY lightly at first, she stopped moving within seconds. I took out the toothpick from the bleeding hole and turned the gas up a bit to flood the container. We let it run until empty - about 5-10 minutes. She died unconscious, no panic, no pain, just gone.

We just buried her this morning. I've had several folks who claimed they'd done it before and were willing to help put some ill hens down in the past and each time it went badly and my birds were put through trauma before they died. Never again. I have my solution and it worked out well.

If you all want to attack me for this feel free, I did what I had to with the circumstances I have to deal with. If you want more info or photos of my gas chamber, reach out.

Thank you for taking the time to enter this information to help ALL us hen owners who will, at some time, have the need to carry out this despicable task,
Many, many thanks
Debby

 

[Somshine]

Euthanasia is not something I like doing, but I disklike watching a hen suffer even more. The 3 best options don't work for us - I don't know how or have the hand strength to wring a neck (and YES you should know how to do that first); I cannot decapitate - I already have predators that haunt my hens so the blood would only attract them even more; nor do I have a place to do that where my dog cannot get to the blood; I cannot shoot with a 22, I live within the city limits. We have vets in the area that would consider it - at about $400 to $500. I've got multiple hens, a dog and a cat, my vet budget is limited and I have to take that into account.

I read the above referenced article and several others as well. Here are my takeaways:

1. Get an appropriately sized, air-tight/watertight container - we chose a 25lb. pet food storage container. The top is affixed, it's translucent so I can make sure the bird is still by shining a light through from the other side. It could be drilled into and modified fairly easily.
2. Use a CO2 tank - we purchased a 5lb capacity one and a regulator and tubing. We went to a brewing store and they supplied us with all the correct equipment that would work together. We can also get it refilled there for less than $25.
3. Create a 'bleed' hole (toothpick size is sufficient) on the opposite side and end from the gas end to allow oxygen to escape as the CO2 is pumped in.
4. Wait until after dark if possible and do it in a darkened space, this will keep the hen calm and quiet.

Our box works like this: We also tested it empty as much as possible to find the problems and the solutions.

• Laid container on it's back so the lid would lie flat on any surface
• Drilled small hole in the bottom of the container-ours has wheels and it's between the wheels at the back and I put in a two part 'hose barb' (1/4" Hose Barb Thru-Bulk Bulkhead Straight Hex Union Stainless Steel Fitting) into that hole and made sure it was siliconed to stop leakage of the gas. Hole was on the bottom because CO2 is heavier than air so it would be concentrated at the bottom.
• We had large binder clips that we also used to keep the top sealed around the edges as we found during testing that the pressure would make it leak the CO2. The clips stopped that.
• We attached everything and then I brought our girl out of the coop at dusk and into the darkened garage, put some toweling into the container and put her in with her head at the back of the container near the wall barb, closed the lid, put on the clips and let the gas in and put a flashlight on the opposite side of the box so I could see her movement stop.
• CO2 entered VERY lightly at first, she stopped moving within seconds. I took out the toothpick from the bleeding hole and turned the gas up a bit to flood the container. We let it run until empty - about 5-10 minutes. She died unconscious, no panic, no pain, just gone.

We just buried her this morning. I've had several folks who claimed they'd done it before and were willing to help put some ill hens down in the past and each time it went badly and my birds were put through trauma before they died. Never again. I have my solution and it worked out well.

If you all want to attack me for this feel free, I did what I had to with the circumstances I have to deal with. If you want more info or photos of my gas chamber, reach out.

Out of curiosity, could you eat them after doing it this way or is this just for sick chickens?

 

[Somshine]

A gun-shot death would be instant and humane. If you live where you can shoot guns

I agree. If we're processing them my husband does the chopping block. We had a rooster a couple years ago who just went full out a******. We tried everything to correct his behavior and put up with it for quite a while but it kept getting worse. I still have about eight gouge scars on my legs. He got to where he wouldn't even let the kids come off the deck. He was more interested running around, keeping them on the deck and threatening them than he was keeping up with his hens. Then he started attacking our dog in the face. We decided before we ended up with a blind dog or injured kids we had had enough. One time he gouged so far into my knee my whole niece swole up for days. But still I loved him and he was the father of what is now my flock. I just couldn't put his proud self on the chopping block. My husband put him in a box and took him out into the woods by the creek and opened the box. He hopped out and looked a little confused at first but then started pecking around and scratching and he shot him pretty close range with birdshot in the head. My husband is a very good shot. But at least we didn't have to manhandle him or do anything to dominate the king. One minute he was checking out a new environment and the next it was lights out. He never knew what hit him. But I still cried like a baby. Thank goodness we have not had that experience with any of our other roosters. They tried it at puberty but quickly learned it just made life more difficult for them lol

 

[Donna-NC]

Out of curiosity, could you eat them after doing it this way or is this just for sick chickens?

I know it's done in SOME poultry processing plants here and in other countries, with chickens and turkeys. It's becoming more popular as it's less expensive in the long run and easier to do. Animal welfare regulations state that gassing has to be done with an inert or anoxic gas (carbon dioxide, nitrogen or argon) which deprives the birds of oxygen and induces unconsciousness prior to death.

The rules also state that the birds be killed BEFORE being hung on the assembly line where they are then bled out. That means that they have to begin that process while still in the gas chamber.

I know that most poultry processing plants currently use a water bath-electrify system to stun the hens then bleed them out with a throat cut while hanging on the line. They hang the birds first so there's a fair amount of stress for the bird. Processing plants have finally realized that having our meat supply stressed out affects the quality of the final product and have started to modify their processes to avoid that stress as much as possible.

Thank God for Temple Grandin and all the hard work she's done for the humane treatment of livestock for slaughter.

 

[arazla]

I came to this thread looking for suggestions as I have a turkey with heart failure that is rapidly waning. I tried heart meds even, but have to chase her down every time, though now she tires out quickly. The vet said she would improve in a few days, but after a few weeks I can see that it's not really improving and she most likely wants out. Like others, I don't want to fork out $500 for the vet to come provide the euthanasia. I do not have a gun and am nervous about breaking her neck or trying to chop her head off in case I miss somehow. Carbon monoxide seems a bit complicated honestly. Is there seriously NO medication you can just overdose a sick bird with?! Like what would happen if you gave a turkey a few oxycodones for example? Would it be pain free or is there something I'm missing, like opiates cause pain to birds?