@Chicken Girl1
My usual method is the broomstick cervical dislocation when I am culling surplus cockerels but I struggle mentally with that for poorly pullets.... actually I just really struggle mentally/emotionally to cull sick birds that I have cared for and the last twice I have used long handled loppers for sick birds, really just because I could do them in a more comfortable position than laying them on the ground holding their feet which is the broomstick method. I recently bought a pair of pipe cutters and the design of those may give a cleaner cut, but I have yet to try them for that purpose. Just be prepared for the after death nerve responses. There can be significant jerking and flapping even with an apparently frail and sick bird and it is pretty disconcerting, especially if you were not expecting it.... but assuming you have been quick and positive in your actions as regards the killing method, they will not be feeling any pain.
The options as regards her illness are most likely a reproductive disorder like internal laying, maybe salpingitis but that is less likely, a tumour or perhaps fatty liver haemorrhagic syndrome. How long is it since she last laid an egg? Usually it will be several months if internal laying is the issue, maybe a week or two for salpingitis.
If you are able to open up the abdominal cavity after death and take some photos and pull out the contents and take more, we should be able to figure out between us what the problem was. To open the abdominal cavity, I make a cross cut or snip just below the end of the breast bone. If the bird is lying on her back then cutting there with the first incision means there is very little chance of nicking the intestines (which makes the job messy and smelly). Accidentally cutting into the intestines is unlikely anyway, but I prefer to make it less likely. Once you have a hole there into the abdominal cavity I use a pair of scissors to enlarge the hole, cutting further across towards each leg and then a central cut from the centre down towards the vent.... so like a T shaped incision... obviously the closer you get to the vent the more likely you are to catch the gut, so just watch what you are cutting. There are You Tube videos on how to eviscerate a chicken which will give you as good an idea as anything as regards the abdominal cavity. There are also videos which show how to do a detailed necropsy. In this case I'm pretty sure the abdominal cavity is the only place you will need to look for answers, so don't be put off by how thorough some of the necropsy videos are.
Good luck with what I know is going to be a very difficult task for you. Obviously there is the option of taking her to the vets but you have to weigh that against the stress of taking her there and the dogs and cats that may be encountered in the waiting room and being taking into an unfamiliar surgical area with a stranger.... personally I think it is kinder to do it yourself at home.
I will be keeping you in my thoughts and hoping it goes as smoothly as possible for you both.
My usual method is the broomstick cervical dislocation when I am culling surplus cockerels but I struggle mentally with that for poorly pullets.... actually I just really struggle mentally/emotionally to cull sick birds that I have cared for and the last twice I have used long handled loppers for sick birds, really just because I could do them in a more comfortable position than laying them on the ground holding their feet which is the broomstick method. I recently bought a pair of pipe cutters and the design of those may give a cleaner cut, but I have yet to try them for that purpose. Just be prepared for the after death nerve responses. There can be significant jerking and flapping even with an apparently frail and sick bird and it is pretty disconcerting, especially if you were not expecting it.... but assuming you have been quick and positive in your actions as regards the killing method, they will not be feeling any pain.
The options as regards her illness are most likely a reproductive disorder like internal laying, maybe salpingitis but that is less likely, a tumour or perhaps fatty liver haemorrhagic syndrome. How long is it since she last laid an egg? Usually it will be several months if internal laying is the issue, maybe a week or two for salpingitis.
If you are able to open up the abdominal cavity after death and take some photos and pull out the contents and take more, we should be able to figure out between us what the problem was. To open the abdominal cavity, I make a cross cut or snip just below the end of the breast bone. If the bird is lying on her back then cutting there with the first incision means there is very little chance of nicking the intestines (which makes the job messy and smelly). Accidentally cutting into the intestines is unlikely anyway, but I prefer to make it less likely. Once you have a hole there into the abdominal cavity I use a pair of scissors to enlarge the hole, cutting further across towards each leg and then a central cut from the centre down towards the vent.... so like a T shaped incision... obviously the closer you get to the vent the more likely you are to catch the gut, so just watch what you are cutting. There are You Tube videos on how to eviscerate a chicken which will give you as good an idea as anything as regards the abdominal cavity. There are also videos which show how to do a detailed necropsy. In this case I'm pretty sure the abdominal cavity is the only place you will need to look for answers, so don't be put off by how thorough some of the necropsy videos are.
Good luck with what I know is going to be a very difficult task for you. Obviously there is the option of taking her to the vets but you have to weigh that against the stress of taking her there and the dogs and cats that may be encountered in the waiting room and being taking into an unfamiliar surgical area with a stranger.... personally I think it is kinder to do it yourself at home.
I will be keeping you in my thoughts and hoping it goes as smoothly as possible for you both.
