Using herbs to euthanize quail?

[Binki]

Hello!

Some plants are poisonous to birds but harmless to humans - I was wondering if anybody knew anything about euthanizing quail with herbs? Perhaps in their drinking water?

For example, I read something (not verified) about valerin where a few drops would cause the bird to have a painless "forever sleep" but it's used safely in humans as a natural herbal sedative.

I don't need to do euthanize anything right now but will need to in the future and I would rather hand people dead quail rather than them be transported and stress and get slaughtered by someone who isn't very good or experienced at it. Any ideas??

Does anybody do this with chickens? Should I also post in there? :O

 

[hooliganbros]

Good question. I've been chopping heads off,and to be honest, it is not my favorite thing to do.

 

[n2everythg]

A little off topic and not about using herbs but have you looked into CO2 for small animals?
I've never tried it but it makes sense and looks easy.
http://www.alysion.org/euthanasia/index.php

 

[007Sean]

A little off topic and not about using herbs but have you looked into CO2 for small animals?
I've never tried it but it makes sense and looks easy. 
http://www.alysion.org/euthanasia/index.php

Never tried CO2 but have used CO to euthanize. Doesn't take long and the bird seemed to be at peace, just like it went to sleep.

 

[fishforbrains]

I wouldn't try poison (herbs); there's a good chance you'll just cause organ damage and end up with a suffering quail. People have actually studied the most painless way to kill small animals, and cervical dislocation or decapitation is considered to be quite humane. In the lab, when we had to put down a large number of small animals, we used CO2 gas. They instantly lose consciousness and then die. You can easily make a gas chamber out of an airtight container with dry ice in it. Make sure to cover the dry ice well with a towel so the animal doesn't suffer painful frost burns.

 

[DK newbie]

I actually read several articles on using gasses to kill animals a while ago. I don't remember exactly, but I think they stated that CO2 was not suitable to kill birds - the concentration needed was too high or it took to long or something..

 

[Binki]

Great posts from everyone, thanks a lot for your input guys!

Sorry, I didn't get alerted to any responses to this post for some reason

I will have to look up the gas - and the meat is still safe even when euthanized with gas? That would be a big question for meat birds

The neck snap or chop is humane in my opinion since it is instantly disconnecting pain sensors... I just was wondering what, if any, "fall asleep bloodlessly" options there might be, especially since they're such tiny animals


Ugh, and so cute too xD

 

[domore]

CO2 creates a panic response in the body as the concentrations increase in the bloodstream. CO mimics O2 and fools the body into thinking that there are no problems. Similarly, with He, Ar, N2 and other inert elements, evolution has not needed to create a panic response to these gases in the way it has to CO2. Basically, rising CO2 levels mean you need to open some windows. Warm bloods exhale CO2, increasing the concentrations, thus the autonomous system response.

I raise fish and the way I euthanize the fish is with ice water. I don't know if it is less painful for the fish and I have no way to find out. However, it is less stressful for me to start the cleaning process with an inert once-alive object than it is with a still living one. Lowering body temperature may be another option to consider. FYI, clove oil is claimed to be a euthanizing agent for fish although I haven't used it...

 

[Binki]

Great information thank you!!

Ice water must be better for them rather than be cut alive - thank you for doing that for them. I would do that or maybe the fish equivelant of a quick death by knife - I *think* that would be to quickly stab it behind the eyes/neck to sever the nerves to the brain?

I think that's how people humanely kill a lobster before boiling it alive... I'm really against that when there's a simple and quick solution - lay the lobster on the counter, stab it in the top of the neck and it's done, now it can be put into the boiling water.. Takes two seconds and yeah it's not a cute animal but it definitely feels stress and panic and pain and fear so why choose to put it through more than is necessary to consume it? Anyways got on kind of a tangent there xD

Clove oil eh? I'll look that up and see if there's anything to be done with birds - maybe :O

 

[Oreo quail]

The ice water thing intrigues me. These birds are obviously warm blooded and generate a lot of heat. I wonder what shivering before death does to the meat. I don't suppose it's worth using liquid nitrogen or something to flash freeze. A frozen whole bird sounds difficult to process. Any thoughts?