Killing chicks that are hurt

[PirateGirl]

For the older bird, I use a pellet gun at the back of the head at the base of the skull pointed inwards to the middle of the skull.

Death is immediate, the bird may extend its wings and tense its body.

I understand that one day I will be faced with the need to cull. I have read this thread and many others and many suggestions as to methods. This particular one strikes me as one that I am comfortable with. I am afraid of any dislocation/broken neck methods because if you don't get it right/pull hard enough on the first go it could be bad. Anyways, I am comfortable using firearms, cannot use them within town limits (my property), but could legally use a pellet gun. So my big question is this... what velocity gun is needed to ensure that you get the job done?? Clearly you understand that not all pellet guns are created equal in terms of stopping power. Could it be done with one of the hand guns? Does it need to be one of the air rifles that fires with the same velocity as a .22? Let's assume this is for an adult chicken or duck, knowing that if you could cull an adult with it, you could cull a chick/duckling with it, or small things the cat catches and doesn't fully kill, etc. Thank you for your input. I know this isn't the most pleasant discussion, but I understand the value in a mercy kill and feel bad enough about the things the cats/dogs bring to me. I know to be a responsible pet owner that this is a piece of it.

 

[PirateGirl]

As much as I'd want to do the right thing by putting a chicken out of its misery, I could never bring myself to do actually do it. I'd have to take it to the vet to be euthanased. I admire other people's bravery though

Have you done this? What sort of cost is associated with this? Avian vet or any vet?

 

[Wickedchicken6]

I understand that one day I will be faced with the need to cull. I have read this thread and many others and many suggestions as to methods. This particular one strikes me as one that I am comfortable with. I am afraid of any dislocation/broken neck methods because if you don't get it right/pull hard enough on the first go it could be bad. Anyways, I am comfortable using firearms, cannot use them within town limits (my property), but could legally use a pellet gun. So my big question is this... what velocity gun is needed to ensure that you get the job done?? Clearly you understand that not all pellet guns are created equal in terms of stopping power. Could it be done with one of the hand guns? Does it need to be one of the air rifles that fires with the same velocity as a .22? Let's assume this is for an adult chicken or duck, knowing that if you could cull an adult with it, you could cull a chick/duckling with it, or small things the cat catches and doesn't fully kill, etc. Thank you for your input. I know this isn't the most pleasant discussion, but I understand the value in a mercy kill and feel bad enough about the things the cats/dogs bring to me. I know to be a responsible pet owner that this is a piece of it.

Thank you. I have dispatched enough animals/birds over my lifetime that I feel comfortable sharing my knowledge if it can help someone. Most people do not wish to dispatch an animal and I have always taken over because I don't want any creature to suffer, especially once it's clear all avenues have been exhausted. I was the grim reaper for my section of the hog barn and have been the grim reaper for decades on this farm. Now I live trap poultry predators. I take pride in being able to end life in one shot, as quickly and painlessly as humanly possible rather than leaving them to suffer. It is a depressing subject, but one necessary to discuss.

The pellet gun I use fires a .177 pellet and uses a spring piston.
The gun is rated at 450 FPS, which is more than adequate to dispatch a full-sized bird when shot at the back of the head at the base of the skull, which is my preference. The gun would be about 8-10 years old I believe.


The following is my guidelines.

Blunt force trauma: Most small animals/birds that's a baby, small lambs, piglets, rats

.177 pellet gun: full-sized poultry; chickens, small ducks, guineas, mice, rats, baby bunnies (if something's wrong)
(Blunt force trauma can work for most of these as well.)

22 rifle: for anything larger; dogs, cats, foxes, skunks, raccoons, sheep, calves

Full-sized cattle: .243 rifle

 

[PirateGirl]

Thank you. I have dispatched enough animals/birds over my lifetime that I feel comfortable sharing my knowledge if it can help someone. Most people do not wish to dispatch an animal and I have always taken over because I don't want any creature to suffer, especially once it's clear all avenues have been exhausted. I was the grim reaper for my section of the hog barn and have been the grim reaper for decades on this farm. Now I live trap poultry predators. I take pride in being able to end life in one shot, as quickly and painlessly as humanly possible rather than leaving them to suffer. It is a depressing subject, but one necessary to discuss.

The pellet gun I use fires a .177 pellet and uses a spring piston.
The gun is rated at 450 FPS, which is more than adequate to dispatch a full-sized bird when shot at the back of the head at the base of the skull, which is my preference. The gun would be about 8-10 years old I believe.


The following is my guidelines.

Blunt force trauma: Most small animals/birds that's a baby, small lambs, piglets, rats

.177 pellet gun: full-sized poultry; chickens, small ducks, guineas, mice, rats, baby bunnies (if something's wrong)
(Blunt force trauma can work for most of these as well.)

22 rifle: for anything larger; dogs, cats, foxes, skunks, raccoons, sheep, calves

Full-sized cattle: .243 rifle

Thank you very much. My husband told me the chickens and ducks are my responsibility and I will need to take care of them when the time comes. I am trying to figure out how I will do this before the time comes (I think it will be better for me and them both). The things the cat/dogs catch tend to become my responsibility as well from time to time. I have been looking at pellet guns for the past year, so this helps. I also know of a few close neighbors that have used pellet guns/air rifles in the neighborhood, so I don't think I will get complaints.

 

[lazy gardener]

Several years ago, I put on my big girl pants, and started doing all of my own culling, and killing to process. Hubby is a softie, and the chickens are my hobby, not his. So, it was not fair to make him do the killing. This is of course the most difficult part of flock management, but IMO it is a necessary part. It is simply not acceptable to watch any animal suffer when there is not a reasonable expectation of that animal returning to full function and having a good quality of life.

 

[happyhens1972]

As much as I'd want to do the right thing by putting a chicken out of its misery, I could never bring myself to do actually do it. I'd have to take it to the vet to be euthanased. I admire other people's bravery though

You see, I did this with the very first chicken I ever had that got ill to the point of no return. She was treated at the vet for a week or two, for an unknown illness but developed EYP and there was no saving her so I asked the vet to put her to sleep. I stayed to hug her into the next world and OMG, it was awful! I had been with a dog, as a teenager, when it was euthanised and it was a gentle, peaceful thing....an injection into an already inserted canula, an instant loss of consciousness and death was pronounced within ten seconds maybe. I assumed it would be the same but how wrong I was! They took an enormous needle and inserted it up under her breast bone, straight into her heart. Now before they inserted the needle, she was limp and calm and barely conscious but when they stuck that thing in her, she screamed and flapped and desperately tried to get out of my arms. It was definitely agonising for her. Don't get me wrong, the second they hit the plunger, she dropped like a rock but the last seconds of her life, before the drug hit, were excruciating, so I would never get a chicken 'humanely' euthanised by a vet again.

 

[lazy gardener]

Agreed. Any euthanasia I can provide at home is quick, instant, the animal does not have to suffer the trauma of being transported, and is comforted right up until the very last second. Death is instantaneous. There is no need for an animal to suffer such a death as that witnessed by @happyhens1972

 

[Wickedchicken6]

You see, I did this with the very first chicken I ever had that got ill to the point of no return. She was treated at the vet for a week or two, for an unknown illness but developed EYP and there was no saving her so I asked the vet to put her to sleep. I stayed to hug her into the next world and OMG, it was awful! I had been with a dog, as a teenager, when it was euthanised and it was a gentle, peaceful thing....an injection into an already inserted canula, an instant loss of consciousness and death was pronounced within ten seconds maybe. I assumed it would be the same but how wrong I was! They took an enormous needle and inserted it up under her breast bone, straight into her heart. Now before they inserted the needle, she was limp and calm and barely conscious but when they stuck that thing in her, she screamed and flapped and desperately tried to get out of my arms. It was definitely agonising for her. Don't get me wrong, the second they hit the plunger, she dropped like a rock but the last seconds of her life, before the drug hit, were excruciating, so I would never get a chicken 'humanely' euthanised by a vet again.

I didn't realize it would be like this. Thank you for sharing this information. I've only had two dogs put down, and I wish that I'd done it myself for the second dog. He knew something was up, even in the shape he was in...and it would have been much more peaceful and easier on him.

When our border collie was run over, I put him down myself much in the spirit @lazy gardener mentioned in the last post.

 

[happyhens1972]

I didn't realize it would be like this. Thank you for sharing this information. I've only had two dogs put down, and I wish that I'd done it myself for the second dog. He knew something was up, even in the shape he was in...and it would have been much more peaceful and easier on him.

When our border collie was run over, I put him down myself much in the spirit @lazy gardener mentioned in the last post.

I don't know if it is always like this or whether they used a different method because it was 'livestock' but the vet knew how I felt about the chicken, I had made it very clear she was a pet and not a commodity. I am assuming, to be honest, it was more to do with veins...dogs and cats have easily accessible veins in their forelegs whereas maybe a chicken's veins are harder to find...I really don't know...I just know I would never do that again.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Thank you very much. My husband told me the chickens and ducks are my responsibility and I will need to take care of them when the time comes. I am trying to figure out how I will do this before the time comes (I think it will be better for me and them both). The things the cat/dogs catch tend to become my responsibility as well from time to time. I have been looking at pellet guns for the past year, so this helps. I also know of a few close neighbors that have used pellet guns/air rifles in the neighborhood, so I don't think I will get complaints.

It's a very discreet, very successful way to take care of things. The information I've seen about dispatching animals discuss shooting from the front. From my childhood shooting sparrows with the pellet gun, I learned that shooting from the back of the head and base of the skull seemed more effective with less blood. It's how I dispatched sparrows I accidentally wounded. I've carried that knowledge with me using it on any livestock that required dispatching; sheep, calves and even a full-grown cow. It is by far my preferential way to dispatch. I assume the pellet/bullet severs the spinal cord and effectively damages the brain for an instant kill. Normally there is very little blood which I also prefer.

From the front can be as effective. However, the animal can usually see what you're doing, which is undesirable. I want whatever animal/bird to be as comfortable and loved as possible until everything goes black.

I had to put down two beloved older cats last fall (which involved the 22) I carried them outside lovingly to lay on in a soft, comfortable box in the sun while I pet them. While they were looking away, I did it and they never knew what was coming.

From the front, there tends to be more blood. Sometimes, from the front is the only way you can do it though. I trap rats and from the front is usually the only way I can shoot them with the pellet gun. The same with skunks with the 22. I don't want to see their back end at all...lol. (I walk right up to the trap to shoot point blank through the wire, which puts me within spraying distance.)