@LilyS
The easiest humane way to kill an unwanted bird is with dry ice, a 5 gal bucket, and a little patience (about 30 seconds). It is accepted by the American Veterinarian Association as a humane way to dispatch...IF you do it correctly...which I will tell you how.
First, go down to your local grocery store (like Fred Meyer or Krogers...I'm in Oregon too), ask for about 1/4 pound of dry ice. The clerk has to get it for you because they'll need to handle it with gloves. Never handle dry ice with bare hands due to the fact that it is kept at about -109 degrees F. Keep the dry ice in the fridge freezer until evening. (It won't be there by morning though as it is melting in your freezer). It will last about 8 hours in the freezer.
Get a 5 lb bucket with lid (like the one at Home Depot). About 5 minutes before the deed, put the dry ice at the bottom of the bucket and pour 1 cup of warm water on it. It will build a huge cloud of vapor. Place the lid on the bucket, slightly dislodged, to allow this vapor to build up to a large cloud inside the bucket (that is the secret of humane killing).
At night, pick your rank rooster off the roost, hanging upside down to keep him calm. Quickly lower into the huge cloud of CO2 and place the lid, again slightly dislodged, to avoid gas blowing the lid off. He will gulp one quick gulp and be rendered unconscious immediately. Leave him in bucket for a full minute or two. He will be suffocated within 30 seconds, but will flap for several minutes....I usually have them quiet by 30 seconds though.
Guaranteed to work painlessly and quickly with as little trauma to yourself. (Broomstick method is a little tricky to get right the first time, and can cause a lot of squawking and fighting if you don't do it right).
My method.
LofMc
