Processing Day Support Group ~ HELP us through the Emotions PLEASE!

[aquaponics3712]

I have a mean rooster. He attacks everyone - my kids, my hubby, me....and now is is attacking our neighbors. He even has flown up and "flogged" my brother in the back of his head (and his wings are even cut!)

I can't with good conscience give him away. PLUS - I had planned to raise the birds for meat at some point. And now this seems the best time for this roo.

So my husband said he would cull him. However, even though he is mean, I still love him. And I want to do this as humanely as possible and I have looked into the best way to cull him (fast) and with as little pain as possible.

You guys are amazing with your support, and suggestions and I have read a bazillion posts on here on the different ways to do it. I have looked at other research online to support different people's opinion.

I am not confident in the axe method because of potential user error - (a few bad youtube videos have tormented me.)

So my son and my brother built a guillotine thinking that would be the "surest" method. However, when testing it on a green branch, it worked like a charm on a small one, but testing on a stick that was the size of what the neck looks like (with feathers) it only cut 3/4 of the way through. Granted the stick was green and probably bigger than the actual neck - but I just can't stand the thought of it not going completely through severing the head immediately.....AND what's worse are the threads on here that discuss how until brain activity has ceased, they can still be responsive (this possibly feel pain) for around 20 seconds after the head is severed. (I was horrified by this thought) and researched for 2 days and sadly have found research that supports this claim. Now I am REALLY a mess! (I can post the studies at different universities if you want...and if I can find them again.)

The research suggests using an anesthetic before killing. So, the topic of using Ether and it being painless (via some posters on this forum) has gotten me interested. But if I killed him with the gas I would think it would get into the meat making it unfit for consumption. However, what if I only used enough to put it to sleep and then immediately using the axe method. Would this short exposure to the gas still ruin the meat and make it dangerous to eat?

Granted, I may just need to be a big girl and do what needs to be done, but I would just like to know if I can anesthize first befoe killing (perhaps using a soaked rag for a few seconds) and then still eat the meat.

Thanks in advance for your support!

 

[3 NH reds]

Killing birds can be hard the first time. If you need a hands free method you could gas it with co2 or even ntirous from a whip cream kit. It sounds like this has to be done if the bird is attacking you.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Killing birds can be hard the first time. If you need a hands free method you could gas it with co2 or even ntirous from a whip cream kit. It sounds like this has to be done if the bird is attacking you.

Do not use CO2!!!! It is really cruel. The stimulus to breathe is the CO2 level in the blood, not the oxygen levels. If you increase the CO2 level, the bird will feel as though he is suffocating. It is not a kind way.

Carbon monoxide might be fine, but I know when people have died of carbon monoxide poisoning, they have a particular and odd color to their skin.

I have been tempted to use nitrogen, but haven't gotten an answer from my friend who is an avian vet. I've done some really deep dives on regular-air tanks (down to 230 feet) so am familiar with nitrogen narcosis, which is quite blissful.

Ether would make the meat unsafe. Not only is there the issue of Ether in the meat, but what happens to Ether when the temperature is raised. It is not used in slaughter.

Have you thought of a killing cone? They use killing cones for big turkeys. There would be no stress on the legs--they would be in the cone with their shoulders and upper breast holding them up. You could cut their arteries that way, just like a smaller chicken. I sure wouldn't want to have to deal with the flapping wings of a struggling goose either as you put it in the cone or as it goes through its death throes.

 

[jajeanpierre]

So my son and my brother built a guillotine thinking that would be the "surest" method. However, when testing it on a green branch, it worked like a charm on a small one, but testing on a stick that was the size of what the neck looks like (with feathers) it only cut 3/4 of the way through. Granted the stick was green and probably bigger than the actual neck - but I just can't stand the thought of it not going completely through severing the head immediately.....AND what's worse are the threads on here that discuss how until brain activity has ceased, they can still be responsive (this possibly feel pain) for around 20 seconds after the head is severed. (I was horrified by this thought) and researched for 2 days and sadly have found research that supports this claim. Now I am REALLY a mess! (I can post the studies at different universities if you want...and if I can find them again.)

Please post links to the studies.

Slaughter and euthanasia are political subjects and recommendations by university researchers on how to euthanize things are often influenced by PETA.

 

[Kassaundra]

I have a mean rooster. He attacks everyone - my kids, my hubby, me....and now is is attacking our neighbors. He even has flown up and "flogged" my brother in the back of his head (and his wings are even cut!)

I can't with good conscience give him away. PLUS - I had planned to raise the birds for meat at some point. And now this seems the best time for this roo.

So my husband said he would cull him. However, even though he is mean, I still love him. And I want to do this as humanely as possible and I have looked into the best way to cull him (fast) and with as little pain as possible.

You guys are amazing with your support, and suggestions and I have read a bazillion posts on here on the different ways to do it. I have looked at other research online to support different people's opinion.

I am not confident in the axe method because of potential user error - (a few bad youtube videos have tormented me.)

So my son and my brother built a guillotine thinking that would be the "surest" method. However, when testing it on a green branch, it worked like a charm on a small one, but testing on a stick that was the size of what the neck looks like (with feathers) it only cut 3/4 of the way through. Granted the stick was green and probably bigger than the actual neck - but I just can't stand the thought of it not going completely through severing the head immediately.....AND what's worse are the threads on here that discuss how until brain activity has ceased, they can still be responsive (this possibly feel pain) for around 20 seconds after the head is severed. (I was horrified by this thought) and researched for 2 days and sadly have found research that supports this claim. Now I am REALLY a mess! (I can post the studies at different universities if you want...and if I can find them again.)

The research suggests using an anesthetic before killing. So, the topic of using Ether and it being painless (via some posters on this forum) has gotten me interested. But if I killed him with the gas I would think it would get into the meat making it unfit for consumption. However, what if I only used enough to put it to sleep and then immediately using the axe method. Would this short exposure to the gas still ruin the meat and make it dangerous to eat?

Granted, I may just need to be a big girl and do what needs to be done, but I would just like to know if I can anesthize first befoe killing (perhaps using a soaked rag for a few seconds) and then still eat the meat.

Thanks in advance for your support!

Brain dead is brain dead, if the spinal cord is severed there is no way for the brain to get the electrical impulses for pain or any other sensation. The neuroganglia are still firing (ganglia attatched to the spinal cord) The sensory and motor neurons are still able to fire away, but they can't send those impulses to the brain where the message is changed from electric or neural impulse to sensation, they are stopped at the neuro ganglia (hence the death throes are the neuro ganglia activating the motor nerves) sensory impulses are lost at the spinal cord and can not make it to the brain for interpretation.

 

[JulieNKC]

I am happy it worked out for you!

Do you have a 22 or high velocity air rifle? That might work better for you. There are posts on this thread about using them.

 

[JulieNKC]

Oops, sent without my reply, lol. I actually bought a pellet gun pretty much just for the birds. And had i known the goose would just lay there calm as can be once I put his head between the nails I would have used it. I was afraid he'd move and I'd miss. I blindfolded him and tied the wings down and he didnt move a bit, so thats probably what I'll try next. I have better aim with a gun than an ax and am more comfortable using one, so it will probably work out better. Just have to wait for a day that isnt so freakin cold now.

 

[aquaponics3712]

Thanks! I appreciate your reply! The research that I have been reading is that the brain (still being active for about 20-30 seconds) can still think, process fear, etc during that time. Thus, their suggestion for anesthesia first.

 

[aquaponics3712]

I will see if I can find them again. I have read so many over the past 2 days. :/

My head is spinning!!!

 

[aquaponics3712]

Here is one of them:

I can't find part 1 of the study. And there was another where the control groups and etc were very detailed if I can find it. Another lady on this forum posted a couple of links as well (which is what got me started on my reading journey.)

http://lan.sagepub.com/content/31/1/1.full.pdf