Is ETHER a humane way to euthanize? any info for me? DH wants to no

[redhen]

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I just saw this... I'm sorry!

You did the right thing for them. Please try to remember that.

 

[rebecca10782]

I am so sorry you have to go through this. I can't stand to watch anything suffer. If you are sure there is no hope what so ever, I would call a vet that comes to your home. It is better that way, the animal doesn't go through the fear of going to the vet. They can just give them a needle and they go peacefully. Chopping off their heads might be quick, but I guarantee they go through terror before they die. If you don't have access to a vet, I can see that being the only way, but I could never do it if I had the option of euthanasia.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

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Not everyone has this option, either because of the enormous cost or because no vet in their area does house calls, especially for chickens, at any price. If you plan on using this option, make sure now there is a vet who will provide this service at a price you can bear. Find out now, before you ever need it done. You don't want to have a suffering bird waiting while you flip through the Yellow Pages phoning every vet in the book to see who does chicken house calls. Find out now, so if you learn it's not a feasible option, you can decide on a good Plan B.

 

[CPF Kate]

Just as an FYI, after I had several birds scalped by raccoons and euthanized (two were shot, one had head cut off) my vet recommended Ether - starting fluid in a can, then put the birds face into the can. They fall asleep and then suffocate to death. One of the ducks had to be shot twice - after the first time he was flopping around (which they do when you shoot them) with a giant hole straight through the back of his head, he popped up out of the box and had to be shot a second time. Trying to take the head off was nearly impossible to do with one hand holding the bird and trying to get adequate swing and momentum with the hatchet. That got butchered as well, and I can only hope the poor thing's neck was broken and didn't feel it.

 

[Mdrook]

Chemically putting an animal down is not the most humane. It takes much much longer than a quick chop of the head that is an instant death. That is the most humane way. Any other way is really just appeasing the owners feelings. Breaking the neck just crushes the windpipe and suffocates the bird but I would even choose this way over the 'gassed' method. You can go to your vet and pay them good money to do it for you but that is not a quick most humane way either IMO and a waste of money when you can do it yourself. It is a very hard thing to do. Especially if you are attatched but sometimes it is a necessary evil. JMO

If you hold a bird under your arm the etxtend extend its neck as far as it goes forward comfortably. Then with a quick pop forcw the head upward. It seperates cervical spine from the brain stem causing instant death very humane