Humanely killing smaller birds

[jesirose]

I know some cull doomed baby rabbits by giving their head a good whack on a hard object. Seems a pretty quick way to go.

ETA: We're considering raising guinea pigs are dog meat. There's a thread about raising them somewhere here on BYC, by ohiogoatgirl. They're a lot easier to care for than rabbits. My rabbits have been nothing but a headache.

Thanks - I've never considered guinea pigs - ill have to research it.

Edit: Do you know if they could be raised in a tractor like rabbits and chickens can?

 

[jesirose]

To clarify we are going to raise most of the birds to full size - I didn't mean they would all be killed as chicks.

 

[Elke Beck]

For me, the killing cone has been the best solution. I don't have to deal with restraining the bird, they die pretty quickly and there is little mess. OTOH, if you want a quick kill to feed the whole bird to your dogs, then just hold the bird by the feet, put the head on the ground or a block and hit it on the back of the head with a hammer. It will be quick and most likely there will be little blood.

If you are doing smaller birds, like under a pound, then sharp pruners are good. One snip and the deed is done.

 

[RJSchaefer]

Thanks - I've never considered guinea pigs - ill have to research it.

Edit: Do you know if they could be raised in a tractor like rabbits and chickens can?

Yes, the wire just needs to be smaller. They are more climate tolerant than rabbits from what I understand. The biggest problem is keeping them straight, but that's only a problem if you're going to try to breed for traits. I'm considering using ear tags for mine if we ever do this, but then it's still difficult to figure out which baby belongs to who.

They don't chew, climb, dig, cannibalize or generally freak out like rabbits. They need less feed (do fine on a forage only diet). Big concern is getting them the necessary vitamin C.

 

[RJSchaefer]

To clarify we are going to raise most of the birds to full size - I didn't mean they would all be killed as chicks.

IMO, it's your business what you do with the chickens, whether their new or old. As long as you aren't mistreating or torturing them, food is food regardless of its stage of development.

 

[jesirose]

Wow thanks for that info! I will definitely do more research, guinea pigs would be better size anyway

 

[RJSchaefer]

Yup! We want them for dog food, *maybe* occasional people food, and their pelts. Just need to get the 2 dozen other projects finished first!

 

[fluttervale]

I have pet guinea pigs and they could easily be raised in a tractor. You would need something finer at the bottom if they are breeding because the babies are tiny versions of an adult. They would be as vulnerable as a chicken to predation, maybe more as they don't climb or jump or fly. They don't dig but will nose under things. They can bite but are easy to hold so they can't reach fingers. One of mine is a major attempted biter but she's only ever gotten me once. (She's a show-bred Abysinnian, they are known to be nippy.)

My biggest girl weighs about 3 pounds. I joke that if I ate guinea pig, she would be the first on the list, because she puts the pig in guinea pig. The adult males can fight, and females can be bred back early. Girls typically don't fight if they have enough room, but some breeds are better than others about that. Vitamin C needs can be easily met by providing enough fresh fruits and veggies. For example, 1/7 of a red pepper contains a day's worth of vitamin C for one pig. I get enough fresh veggies left over for my 3 girls from making salad for dinner once a day. You can also just add ground up vitamin C pellets to their water. They are typically very laid back and good mothers.