Taking older chickens to get slaughtered

[19Chicks]

I forget what it's called but they charge $3 to slaughter one chicken. We will be getting rid of about 25 next year, but we want to make sure that they will be killed humanely. I have read that cutting the head off completely is the most humane it will get. Slitting the throat so they will bleed out takes longer I heard. My chickens will be 2 years old next year, is that the time when to get rid of them? Or is it 3 years old? Also, I thought about calling the place to see how they kill the chickens, but I didn't want to sound rude. Should I call anyways?

 

[redsoxs]

In terms of 2 years or 3 years, chickens lay throughout their lives but the production really dips after year 2nd year of laying. So, it's not like they are going to just dry up and stop laying. In terms of most humane way to dispatch...the opinions seem to be in two camps. Those who slit the jugular maintain the birds don't flop nearly as much (and they don't) and kind of just "go to sleep." They say with a sharp knife the chicken experiences little pain. When the head is lopped off with an axe death is instantaneous but the nerves are also severed...violent flopping ensues. So...it's up to you to decide the more humane method. I have heard of chickens being humanely gassed in large processing plants. Good luck to you!