Nitrogen euthanasia

[WthrLady]

If the flapping sound simply breaks your heartstrings, it does mine, wrap them in a towel with their head out.

 

[Cluckies]

So very sorry for your loss, it is heartbreaking. but thank you for sharing as many of us will need this going forward, for our lovely girls, when their time comes. I dread the day.

 

[minihorsemama]

I recently had one of my girls develop Marek's. It became clear after several weeks of vet trips, taking very good care of her inside our home etc. that she was just getting weaker and would eventually succumb to a bad death so I decided to end it. I didn't want to take her to the vet again and have read about the break-the-neck method but there's just no way I could do that to her. I'm aware of the CO2 method and I know it's widely used but I just can't imagine it's an easy death. As noted in another post here, the brain is aware when it's CO2 overloaded and the "trying to breathe" reflex kicks in. To me it almost sounds like awake suffocation.

So, instead I've read a lot about substituting Nitrogen because it isn't supposed to trigger the same reflex since we live in a Nitrogen-Oxygen atmosphere the brain doesn't "think" anything is abnormal until it's too late. Nitrogen is also easy to obtain... any gas supply store or welding supply store will carry small canisters of it. I picked one up at my local supply for $130. The majority of this is the price of the cylinder which is refillable. I figured that since I have 6 chickens (and plan on additional in the future), this may not be the only time I'll have a sick chicken needing euthanasia so the cost would be fine since I estimate there's enough gas per cylinder for at least 6 uses.

I took a big plastic tub from Target and made it airtight with the exception of one hole I drilled in the side for the hose coming from the nitrogen tank and four smaller holes in the bottom to vent out any remaining oxygen (nitrogen is lighter than air so the remaining air will vent from the bottom). I put the whole thing in a big plastic bag and after putting my sick girl in the plastic tub and put the airtight lid on it, sealed the bag. This kept the nitrogen recirculating (and also allowed me to vent any remaining air out as the bag filled up).

I've attached a photo.

I put my sick girl in there and turned on the gas. I would say it was all over in under 5 minutes. At one point I did hear flapping at the very end (which was hard to take because from other threads here you know that's the end). I was surprised about that because I thought that she would succumb and not regain consciousness. Maybe that's an autonomic reflex? I don't know but I kept the gas on for about 15 minutes just to be sure and didn't open the bag or container for a half hour. I wanted to make sure before I buried her that there was no chance she could just be unconscious and could come alive later etc. After it was over I took her out and waited in the normal air for about a half hour again to make sure I felt she was cooling down (no body heat being generated).

Again, this is just my experience. I did work and again, if you're facing this decision and don't like breaking the neck, it's an option. Note that in reading other posts of people who used CO2, I heard the peroxide/baking soda and the dry ice method being used. To me the dry ice is hard because you have to obtain it too and make sure neither you nor your chickens touch it. I also read about one guy who hooked a hose to the tailpipe of his car. Please don't do that because what comes from the car is not pure CO2 but a mixture of CO2 and burnt hydrocarbons. You know if you go behind a car near the exhaust and breathe in the vapors you want to cough. That's because the unburnt hydrocarbons irritate the lungs. Don't do this to your chickens, it hurts. You need pure CO2 (or as I did it, pure Nitrogen). Remember they're your pets and deserve as quick and painless death as possible.

Feel free to email me if you have any questions on the bin or Nitrogen process I used. My email is : [email protected]

Bless our chickens!

What are your views on ether?

 

[BarneyArmy]

Sorry for kicking up this old topic, but I thought this was the best place to post my question.

Today I euthanized one of my quail hens with helium. It went quick, so I'm happy about that. I chose helium because that is supposed to be the most humane form of gas for euthanasia. But to my shock, the hen didn't go quietly. It seemed she was aware of her opposing death and seemed to be fighting it. Now that I'm thinking about it, it could have been after death spasms. She might have been brain dead already. All in all it only lasted a few seconds, so that's ok, but I was quite disappointed that she didn't go quietly.

So my question is: What are the chances that the 'fighting' I saw were just after death spasms? I have never killed an animal before, so I don't know if that is normal.

 

[WthrLady]

Ok. First dont beat yourself up. 2nd
In future...wrap her tightly in a scrap of sheet or towel and I use a piece of tap around 5hat. Like a chicken burrito with only their head sticking out. Then I use a black rubbermade box so it's dark. Then i put on my tractor headset, turn up the music. And do 5he deed. I come back to the box after an hour.

I dont like doing it, but it's part of the job.

 

[BarneyArmy]

It's not that I mind seeing her die. I think I should face it, whatever happens.

It's just that I expected for her to go quietly, and she didn't. Now I'm wondering if helium is not as humane as we all think, or if there was something else going on. I just want to investigate what happened, so I can make adjustments for next time.

 

[paneubert]

It's not that I mind seeing her die. I think I should face it.

It's just that I expected for her to go quietly, and she didn't. Now I'm wondering if helium might not be as humane as we all think, or if there was something else going on. I just want to investigate what happened, so I can make adjustments for next time.

I think you will not be able to predict if it will happen again. The "after death" involuntary muscle spasms are impossible to predict. If it makes you feel any better, assume that any movement is after death. I mean....consider the common phrase "Running around like a chicken with its head cut off". If a chicken can run with no head (and they can), then a quail can flap a few times after death as well.

 

[BarneyArmy]

I don't mind seeing muscle spasms either, as long as I know they are after death spasms, and not anything before death.

I had thought of the picture of a chicken running around with its head cut off, and it reassures me that you mention it too, so thank you. I should just try and convince myself that this was probably the case here.

 

[WthrLady]

I use ether.

The wrapping keeps them from flapping at all, before or after, and makes me feel a little better.

I also do things at night, so they're already half zonked with sleep. I mean if they can sit there and let a raccoon eat their heads.......

 

[Jayson_Black]

DO NOT USE C02 (CARBON DIOXIDE) DO MORE RESEARCH FIRST!!!

*Edit* I'm not necessarily responding to the Original Poster. I'm just posting Generally about using Co2. I only chimed in coz there seem to be some people happy about using Co2. Not Judging them. I haven't even used gas yet. But that's my point, I'm researching. Based on what I have found, I've seen some worrying posts. and so:

Hi all, I wanted the title in bold. C02 causes slight pain, but in particular, they have a reaction to it at certain levels. Wing Flapping, and Breathlessness.

NITROGEN is the correct choice. it has the least side effects (other than death). No reaction. Amazingly, it has a slight preservative effect (which could be handy if you're going to eat them.

A Common mistake that is apparently being made is that people don't put an exhaust hole for the existing atmosphere (inside the container) to escape, thus pressurizing the container. this could (or prolly will) cause perforated eardrums and general pain. BE CAREFUL. KNOW YOUR STUFF.

I need to euthanize 6 Roosters. I need to do it rather urgently. However, I am really taking my time to learn all about this method to ensure my birds don't suffer. not even a little bit.

I know you prolly don't want to. but you must include a window. so that you can visually see and confirm the bird's death. If the bird was unconscious, but not dead, and you opened the vessel to check on the bird, you would be re-introducing Oxygen. enough that the bird could regain consciousness. It's highly possible that the bird would have irreversible brain damage or other damage to its cells (from earlier lack of oxygen).

For me personally, I want to have the window so that I am emotionally affected by the process. I don't want it to ever become easy for me.

It could easily be argued that I have already been irresponsible in my breeding of chickens. I always knew there was at the very least a 50% chance of Having Roosters. I always knew any more than 1 or two would have to be killed. but I breed them anyway. I feel guilty about that. and so I feel that having a window is not only good for the birds but also good for me. if you know what I mean.

One clutch of 6 eggs had 6 roosters last summer :/ those 6 roosters are now causing all kinds of problems for the existing roosters and their Girls. "Snow" the Alpha Rooster (lack of a better description) spends his whole day protecting his girls from the young new roosters. There has been no blood yet... but I fear if this keeps on, that eventually there will be proper fighting. I most certainly do not want that.

I am currently (today) sourcing some Nitrogen from welding supplier. I am ordering that first so that I can experiment with design. A poster mentioned above that the gas leaving the bottle can be noisy. This is something I will have to develop first. a baffle/silencer system. I may use a series of channels and nooks and cranny's to diffuse the sound, as well as some filter wool similar to that found in Aquarium supplies.

Anyway, I saw some people talking up C02 and I really just wanted to share with everyone that there are high risks in using C02. You need gas measuring equipment so that a precise amount of C02 can be administered. If you can't afford that kind of measuring tools (close to $1000 for the cheapest) then stay away from C02. To summarize (~100% Co2 environment will cause distress to your birds and you)

Don't forget that being lazy or half-hearted about this project could result in your own death. "These gasses are heavier than air, and I am lead to believe they don't mix well or don't mix immediately with air. instead, if allowed to just come out of the bottle and out into the world uncontained, it will most likely just sit on the ground or floor in a big blob like mass. Because you can't see, smell, taste or touch these gases you will be in a childlike stuper before you know what is happening. you'll get sleepier and sleepier till you pass out, from there, every minute goes by you suffer brain damage. after 3 mins (apparently) there is no coming back". So please be careful with your own life as well as your chickens """I am paraphrasing my high school Science Teacher there.