How to vets euthanize buttons?

[Carterborchers]

Hi,

I know it’s said that if you plan to keep poultry, be prepared to cull. I just can’t. I get too attached to these birds. A chick seemed to hatch with some kind of respiratory problem and seemed uncomfortable. I thought about taking him to the vet to euthanize him. I’ve taken one of buttons to this vet before and euthanasia was considered. She mentioned that they use gas because they wouldn’t be able to get an IV in (obviously). Does anyone know what kind of gas they use? I’m worried it might be carbon dioxide, and that doesn’t seem like a calm, pain free passing. At least in humans, high levels of CO2 would cause a panic response. Just asking for future consideration. The chick seemed to improve, but took a turn for the worse today and went limp in my hand before I could even fully remove him from the enclosure. His beak was already grey. It happened in 2 seconds…I put him alone under a heat plate because I wasn’t sure if he was still in the dying process or dead.

 

[Cloverfluff]

Hi,

I know it’s said that if you plan to keep poultry, be prepared to cull. I just can’t. I get too attached to these birds. A chick seemed to hatch with some kind of respiratory problem and seemed uncomfortable. I thought about taking him to the vet to euthanize him. I’ve taken one of buttons to this vet before and euthanasia was considered. She mentioned that they use gas because they wouldn’t be able to get an IV in (obviously). Does anyone know what kind of gas they use? I’m worried it might be carbon dioxide, and that doesn’t seem like a calm, pain free passing. At least in humans, high levels of CO2 would cause a panic response. Just asking for future consideration. The chick seemed to improve, but took a turn for the worse today and went limp in my hand before I could even fully remove him from the enclosure. His beak was already grey. It happened in 2 seconds…I put him alone under a heat plate because I wasn’t sure if he was still in the dying process or dead.

Typically they would use the anesthetic gas normally used for general surgeries. Due to the way that birds lungs work, that can be enough for euthanasia. The most commonly used anesthetic is Isoflurane, but specialty vets may use a different one. Most of the birds I've seen this applied to go down fairly calmly. Once sedated, if the gas hasn't fully euthanized the bird, a cardiac injection may be administered. This is not typically done in front of an owner, mainly due to the fact it can be uncomfortable to witness if one is not accustomed to it.

 

[Susan Skylark]

Isoflurane is not used for euthanasia (I guess in theory you run the bird at 5 for an hour and hope it gets an overdose but certainly not reliable) and most clinics don’t have co2 or nitrous oxide, isoflorane can be used to induce general anesthesia and then a different means of euthanasia can be used (the mentioned cardiac stick or intra osseus injection into the femur) but this is a ton of stress on the bird and you, the handling, drugs, induction, the possibility they wake up (birds have a ridiculous metabolism and go through drugs like crazy), to say nothing of cost and availability. I know it is hard, but a quick decapitation with a sharp kitchen shears or dislocating the cervical vertebrae is at least easier on the bird, though it can still be tough on us, chickens do quite literally run around without a head, they are dead and out of pain but boy is it grotesque!