How to euthanize a sick hen

[BuckMann Farm]

I have a bantam cross hen who has become very sick. I believe she has a neurological problem, and has lost her balance and the ability to walk or sit upright. She has become very skinny and I have been hand feeding her and keeping her separate from the others for a week now with no improvement. I just feel that the best thing for her would be to put her out of her misery. What is the most painless, least scary, most humane way to put down a hen? I was thinking about putting her in a pillowcase, then a plastic bag and putting her on the exhaust pipe... I would just love to give her a pill or something that will put her to sleep. Suggestions, Please!

 

[kyrose]

so sorry youre going thru this.my dh does the deed for me.one shot to the head.you can google search,that will give you many options..good luck..

 

[dawg53]

I use a .22, to the head, it is quick and painless for the bird.
Is it possible she has ear mites? They can cause the symptoms you have described. You can look into her ears and see them with a flashlight. Or at the very least, use an eyedropper to put some vegetable oil in her ears, wait a few days to see if there's any improvement before you put her down. Give her some buttermilk and scrambled egg mixed with her feed and provide that for her to eat. You can also give her a couple of drops of poultry nutri drench orally for about 3 days, once a day, then stop.

 

[BuckMann Farm]

Thanks so much for your advice! I did look in her ears and saw a mite, so I put a drop of veg oil in each ear and sprinkled some DE in her temporary cage. How often should I treat her ears? Do they make a specific ear mite med for chickens? I have some cat ear mite stuff, but I don't want to use it unless I know it's safe. I really hope that she comes around! I am attached to her even though she doesn't contribute any eggs.

 

[jlew]

I hope the oil helps and it was just a bout of mites.

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
I recommend you dust her with sevin dust, repeat dusting in 10 days. You should inspect your other chickens as well. You will have to dust their house, roosts and nests and repeat again in 10 days. Same for the temporary cage. Treat her ears for 3 days with the oil. Sometimes chickens will scratch their ears alot, that's one thing to look for. The oil will smother the mites. Retreat her ears with vegetable oil again in 14 days, for 3 days. That should do it.

 

[CarltonBlues]

Hello, How did your chicken go with treatment? One of our pet chickens has been suffering the same symptoms for about 1-2 weeks and I am very concerned. She can no longer get balance to stand, her wing at first dropped and it's now like her body has turned, with one wing on top, the other below. Please help with some advice or how to euthanise her. Thanks.

 

[WI FarmChick]

Hello, How did your chicken go with treatment? One of our pet chickens has been suffering the same symptoms for about 1-2 weeks and I am very concerned. She can no longer get balance to stand, her wing at first dropped and it's now like her body has turned, with one wing on top, the other below. Please help with some advice or how to euthanise her. Thanks.

Did you check for ear mites?

 

[klmclain1]

Do the treatment right away! No reason not to.

 

[nickie]

Whatever method people use for euthanasia has to be a method they ate comfortable with. Please be aware that the exhaust coming out of an exhaust pipe is hot. To me that is not a humane method. If you can't bring yourself to perform a cervical separation, or any other fast method then take it to a vet and have them do it.


Eta: just realized this post is a year old and recently brought back to life...