Humane Culling for Pet Chickens: Chopping Block or Kill Cone?

[DiYMama540]

Luckily I've only had to do this once so far, but I went with the "gas chamber" method

I just couldn't bring myself to physically cull the bird and see the blood and so on and so forth. As long as you have plenty of fumes in the box it makes for a quick and quiet kill. The one I did just went to sleep and didn't wake up, no flailing around or blood or anything like that. For me it's the most humane because it's the only one I can carry out

 

[aart]

If you do not plan to eat the bird, the broomstick method is what I would recommend. It is easy and non-gruesome. Somewhere within this thread there is a video posted by aart, which is a good beginner's how to. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/help-with-broomstick-method-culling-method.1213032/
ETA: It is post #10 in the thread.

Yep, no blood.
Here's a link to the post:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-method-culling-method.1213032/#post-19332212
****Need to click "watch this video on youtube".

To me the most humane way to kill a chicken is the way you can. You want it to be fast and sure. You don't want to hurt yourself doing it. You don't want to flinch or close your eyes at a bad time. There will be death throes but if the nerves are severed there is no pain.

Exactly!

Personally, I chemically euthanize my chickens. It's a painless process, and they simply fall asleep and never wake up.

You need to give details here. Maybe you have a thread or article(or could make one) that spells it all out that you could link when needed?

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

I tried to watch the video but it has been removed @aart do you have another one?

 

[cbain0432]

Well..My son Culls my sick birds my shooting them in the head. Dead instantly without mess. I don't butcher either..

My son has to kill two of our younger pullets. He laid 1 board on the cement. Laid the chickens head on the board and put another board gently on top of her head. He held the board gently with one foot then jumped down hard smashing only her head. Instant kill. No flailing.

 

[aart]

I tried to watch the video but it has been removed @aart do you have another one?

Oh crap, forgot about that...it hasn't been removed you just need to click "watch this video on youtube".

 

[chickens really]

My son has to kill two of our younger pullets. He laid 1 board on the cement. Laid the chickens head on the board and put another board gently on top of her head. He held the board gently with one foot then jumped down hard smashing only her head. Instant kill. No flailing.

Yes..That works. Young chicks I bang their head on the side of my one Coop and instantly kills them too..

 

[DiYMama540]

Here's the article I used to guide me:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...re-culling-the-injured-and-sick-babies.72140/

For bigger birds, it's the same concept just on a bigger scale. Bigger box, more gas.

 

[woodmort]

When I was a teen and we were processing a dozen or so birds a day my go to was a sharp hatchet on a chopping block while holding the bird's by the legs. In my second life as an adult, went to a cone. I found the cone was cleaner with less trauma and flopping around. If you're going to process the bird it needs to be bled out so either method does that.

BTW, my uncle had a method that I wish he had taught me--he used a long, thin bladed knife that he inserted somehow through the roof of the bird's mouth into the brain. Bird died immediately but still had to be bled out.

 

[HoopyFrood]

Personally, I chemically euthanize my chickens. It's a painless process, and they simply fall asleep and never wake up.

That's exactly what I had hoped to do when we first decided to get them. But I have been completely unable to find a euthanization substance. What do you use and how do you acquire it?

I sure hope we can make that work. That would be my preferred method for sure.

 

[HoopyFrood]

Here's the article I used to guide me:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...re-culling-the-injured-and-sick-babies.72140/

For bigger birds, it's the same concept just on a bigger scale. Bigger box, more gas.

Wow I had never heard of that. I thought starting fluid was like ether, not that it was ether That's certainly a method worth considering! I've heard of lots of people trying to asphyxiate birds with CO or CO2... But I almost asphyxiated in a airtight bivy on a cold night once. It was one of the most terrifying experiences I've been through! I wouldn't want to do that to any other living thing. Ether is a much better idea!