Non violent way to kill a chicken

[silkiechicken]

100% CO2 will work, but I can tell you this from gassing mice, they do run around and gasp for air till the end. The humane way is to break the neck or remove the head. Any method of cervical disolcation. Sure a lethal injection is peaceful on the outside, but just because they are in paralysis when the killing drug kicks in, doesn't mean they aren't in pain.

 

[tulie13]

Quote:
This definitely supports the idea that either Baking Soda/Vinegar or Dry Ice would cause the panicking sensation. Carbon Monoxide is probably the most "peaceful" way to go. That's why suicidal people lock themselves in their car with the exhaust piped back into the passenger compartment and the garage closed. Nice, easy way to kill yourself, you just drift off to sleep and never wake up...

DISCLAIMER - I am not recommending anyone kill themselves - this way or any other way!!!

(hey, I have to put a disclaimer on all these posts, don't I???)

 

[Toast n Jelly]

A vet shouldn't charge more than 10 or 15 $. I've done that route before and it's worth the money. I've also had to use a hatchet for sick poults as well.

 

[Happy Chicken Mama]

Oh I am so sorry... it is such a tough thing to do.

We use the baking soda and vinegar and have never had a problem.

We put a cup of vinegar and about two tablespoons of baking soda into a small Rubbermaid container with an inverted plastic basket on the bottom (just something to sit above the fizz). We have never had to do this with large birds. I am sure the ratio would be diferent.

We mix the two and a few seconds later (after the initial fizz) place the bird in and close the lid.

It has never taken more than 3-5 seconds. There has never been a scared bird but I think that when we do this the birds are really ready to go. And we hold them and usually wrap them loosly with a towel so it is as gentle of a transition as possible.

Again I am so sorry. It truly ruins your day.

 

[possumqueen]

Quote:
The injection you're thinking of has been outlawed in most places for a long time now.

The injection the vets use now is pentobarb. It's a super concentrated dose of anesthetic. There is no paralysis, just nearly instant oblivion, same as deep surgical sleep. The animal just never wakes up.

 

[vfem]

Ok sweety... (miss you on TEG btw)... you're going to have to 'do her in'. I have been through the horror having to do the deed already with one of my Pekin ducks. It was heart breaking to have to let him go, but a broken leg was shedded and I could not fix it.

I realized the day we had to de-head him that I would need to know how to do this incase something were to happen and I needed to do the right thing by the animal.

It may hurt you know, but giving her peace will help you through it.

(I, however, am not a wasteful person, so we ate the duck!)

 

[kipepeo]

Quote:
This summer I took an older chick in to euthanize and it cost me $30 yikes and I don't know how they did it because I didn't want to hear the noise I thought she would make. I had been working with her for over a week and I don't know what was wrong she couldn't walk but would eat and drink and act fine. I was a vet tech and I have had to put animals down before sometimes it got to me animals I had worked with for a long time and sometimes it didn't I just don't think I can do the hole ax thing or head snap I dont' know maybe I will get the strength to do it.

 

[TheMatador]

Quote:
OK, first I will recognize that all posts here are from owners who legitimately want birds to die the least traumatic deaths possible when necessary. I applaud everyone's empathy for these little critters we all love so much.

BUT: Are you kidding? Being locked in a small, dark box and then choking on car exhaust until passing out is a peaceful death? This is nuts.

How peaceful do you think it is for an animal to have its owner who is obviously wound up and nervous at the time place them in a foreign and pitch black confined space?

How is car exhaust, straight from the tail pipe, anything like the CO that leaks into living spaces from heating systems or gets loose in an industrial settings? There are no parallels. Cars expel hot exhaust that happens to have CO in it. NOT comfortable pure breathing air that happens to have CO in it. This method would be no more peaceful than holding its head down a stove pipe.

My two cents.

Furthermore, just get it done. Its terrible and we all feel bad when it has to happen, but it needs to be done and finished as quickly as possible. Just go the hatchet route or break the neck IF YOU KNOW HOW TO EFFECTIVELY DO IT and move on. You owe it to both the animal and yourself. Constructing elaborate death machines is not going to work as you wish or make this peaceful for anyone.

 

[buglit]

Nicely said Matador!

 

[NatalieB]

My husband and I have had to use the ax several times. It is what is best for them. We have made an agreement----he does the deed---I dig a hole and clean up. Sad but par for the course if you are going to have chickens........