/ Register

  1. If this is your first time on BYC, we suggest you start with one of these three options:
    Raising Chickens Chicken Coops Join BYC
    If you're already a member of our community, click here to login & click here to learn what's new!

Is it time to put her to sleep-How??

Discussion in 'Managing Your Flock' started by Nupine, Jun 19, 2008.

Most Liked Posts
Page 1 of 3
  1. Jun 19, 2008 #1
    Nupine

    Nupine Chillin' With My Peeps

    1,678
    2
    181
    Nov 21, 2007
    Ohio
    I have a very nice Mille Fluer D'Uccle pullet I got from a show 4 months ago. A month later she got a big scab on her nose, and guess when I first noticed? At a show!! She had her head between her legs itching it and looked like an ill bird at a large show. Well about 6 weeks ago, she injured her leg. I didn't really do much abut it, as I guessed it would heal or something, well she has been hardly able to move lately. It is like both legs are paralyzed. If you put her on her back, she just stays there, she can't move either leg. So I moved her into a sling in a cage. It is an old fashioned horse saddle girth, the kind with all the little ropes. I put four little ropes behind her legs and the rest in front. It is to support her body weight. If any of you need a bantam sling and don't know what to use, use one of these. They work great. Then I take the metal buckle things and tied them with haystring to the top of the cage, to suspend her just a smidge. But she can't live like this forever, can she? If I need to disbatch her, I will nervously do it myself, which dispite 5 years with chickens, and currently almost 50, I have never done before. I usually have my dad do it, which he puts them on the ground and takes a dull old shovel and crushes their neck. Not very humane IMO. So I was thinking, drench a rag with starter fluid, stick it in a mason jar, then put her head in the mason jar, and wait an hour, just to make sure? I certainly don't want to wait 10 minutes and see her just barely alive. What should I do? [​IMG] :eek:
     
  3. Jun 19, 2008 #2
    MommyM

    MommyM Out Of The Brooder

    32
    0
    22
    Jun 9, 2008
    California
    You can break its neck if you have to do it. I think it's better than suffocating her. My mom said they would break their necks, and once she saw an injured cat that someone ran half over that was still alive but no way it would make it and she pulled over and broke its neck to put the poor thing out of its misery....[​IMG]
     
  5. Jun 19, 2008 #3
    Nupine

    Nupine Chillin' With My Peeps

    1,678
    2
    181
    Nov 21, 2007
    Ohio
    Not sure if I can handle that.
     
  7. Jun 19, 2008 #4
    FutureChickenMan

    FutureChickenMan Chillin' With My Peeps

    848
    3
    151
    Oct 29, 2007
    Go to your local auto parts store and get a can of STARTING FLUID. Make sure it contains ETHER. Put her in a sealable containter (5 gallon bucket works well), spray the starting fluid in the container (make sure you get a good cloud going in there), put the lid on the container (tight) and walk away.

    This is the least physical way of culling an animal short of an injection.
     
  9. Jun 19, 2008 #5
    Bec

    Bec THE Delaware Blue Hen

    4,017
    8
    251
    Feb 21, 2007
    Home Of The Delaware Blue Hen
    I don't know about in your state, but here you can take your pets (chickens included) to the local SPCA and have them humanely euthanized. That is a nice option. I couldn't handle any other way.
     
  11. Jun 19, 2008 #6
    rooster-red

    rooster-red Here comes the Rooster

    7,008
    18
    261
    Jun 10, 2007
    Douglasville GA
    Quote:This will work, but ether in liquid form will irritate mucus membranes of the eye, nose & throat.

    It would be less stressful on the animal to put it in a sealed container with a jar & rag soaked in ether.

    The fumes will make it go to sleep, then let the animal stay in the container for 45 minutes to make sure of an overdose.
     
  13. Jun 19, 2008 #7
    nautical_bouy

    nautical_bouy Chillin' With My Peeps

    281
    2
    141
    Mar 23, 2008
    Beaver PA
    Ether makes me puke,,,,, you ever smell it???

    If you can't break a neck and make it instant,,,,, use dry ice.
     
  15. Jun 19, 2008 #8
    Wynette

    Wynette Moderator Staff Member

    25,559
    65
    411
    Sep 25, 2007
    Michigan
    From what I've learned here on BYC, the ether method actually suffocates them, which is why it takes them so long to die. That sort of seems inhumane, at least to me, to make them suffer for that long before dying, and I'm a bit claustrophobic - suffocating would be a horrible way to go, IMO.

    I've done a lot of research on this topic, and from what I learned it seems the most humane way is to sever their spinal cord (cut their head off). That being said, I'm not sure that I could ever do it. A very good friend recently did so, by tying the legs of the chicken together and tying the rope to a tree limb, and then QUICKLY cutting the head off. INSTANT death, rather than suffocation. JMO. Wish there was an easy and less "involved" way to do it that was also humane. I'm sorry you have to make this decision, but we should feel fortuante that we can make this decision for them and know when it is time. GOOD LUCK. [​IMG]
     
  17. Jun 19, 2008 #9
    chicknmania

    chicknmania Overrun With Chickens Premium Member

    4,921
    152
    301
    Jan 26, 2007
    central Ohio
    Quote:I never thought of that! I hate having to deal with humane killing, too. (don't we all)...I was going to suggest the state agriculture animal disease department, they will euthanize too for a lot less than a vet will and depending on what state you're in, do a necropsy very cheaply, then you might have a better idea what was wrong with her.
     
  19. Jun 19, 2008 #10
    hooligan

    hooligan Chillin' With My Peeps

    1,981
    2
    169
    Aug 20, 2007
    Arkansas
    Take her to the vet. Mine doesn't even charge for chickens.
     
Page 1 of 3

BackYard Chickens is proudly sponsored by