What do you do when your cull attempt fails..

[2 chiks n a roo]

Ok, so the title alone is going to get some 'unwanted comments' so before you do, this is for Helping not hindering...

This has just happened today, I've got one very sick old hen and her mate won't leave her side, they've been inseparable their entire lives, so I made the decision today to gas them together.

I made a gas chamber out of a small cat crate, covered it with plastic feedbags, then put a waterproof cover over it. Made a comfy bed for the girls to go to sleep in. I had to wrap the non-sick but showing the poop signs one in a towel so she wouldn't 'kick the bucket' over..
It's a 2kg bucket and a 1.2litre container inside which I used to put the baking soda ready to pour the vinegar over.
I had a little practise outside prior to see how active it was, so I used about 200grams baking soda to 300mls vinegar... Closed it up and waited.. and waited, but 15 mins later nothing had happened. I felt crap about it not working. I had to take the one in the towel out, and mixed some more for the sick one. Closed it up and added another cover over it.
About to go back out and check, will take a 3rd solution, just in case...

I'm not going to leave her half dead, or suffering, but does anyone know how much should be used for 1-2 hens?
Asking so myself and others don't end up with the same situation in future...

I'm not about to chop her head off, and don't have engine starter etc.. is there something else someone has used that has worked fast?

Keep responses helpful please

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry. Mixing vinegar with baking soda does not produce a toxic gas. Here:

The reaction between baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and vinegar (dilute acetic acid) creates carbonic acid, which then decomposes into carbon dioxide and water. The carbon dioxide is invisible, but you can see it as bubbles in the fizzing mixture.

I use this "fizziness" to unblock my kitchen pipes from time to time, but you didn't harm your chickens at all.

 

[Themellowyellows]

I would keep the heathly one they will get over it, have you tried helping the sick bird? As the comment above me said, vinegar and baking soda wont kill anything.

 

[GlicksChicks]

If you want to cull your chicken fast, it would be best to do the broomstick method. If you don't want to dislocate the neck, then a euthanasia with a vet would be the next best thing.

And I get that the two chickens are best buds, but it would be best to keep the other one alive. Culling a healthy chicken for no reason other than them being close to the other chicken sounds pretty dang sad.

 

[MamaPoult]

Hi!

Ok so, I've actually never heard of anyone gassing their birds! Very interesting! On the other hand though, I would like to tell you how I do my birds. I've done probably at least 100 this way with no incident at all. If you don't want to hear it then that's alright I am just trying to help



I don't chop heads off. I don't like that! Instead I slit the Jugular. With a razor sharp knife you slit their throats. It's quick effective and painless. Even though it sounds rough it's really not. Some blood comes out, they nerve out and then it's over. I don't know, but it sounds easier than gassing them. I hope this helps

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I do understand that you are concerned that the healthy chicken will be sad, even grieve, over the loss of her flockmate. But for the most part, they seem to get over these losses in a day or two, especially if there are other chickens for them to bond with. I think @Shadrach may be able to give some insight into this, he is a very good student of chicken behavior.

 

[2 chiks n a roo]

Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry. Mixing vinegar with baking soda does not produce a toxic gas. Here:

The reaction between baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and vinegar (dilute acetic acid) creates carbonic acid, which then decomposes into carbon dioxide and water. The carbon dioxide is invisible, but you can see it as bubbles in the fizzing mixture.

I use this "fizziness" to unblock my kitchen pipes from time to time, but you didn't harm your chickens at all.

I was under the impression that the carbon dioxide works, I've used it on chicks, just not hens

 

[rosemarythyme]

Cervical dislocation ("broomstick method") is really the way to go. Last bird I put down was gone in about 30 seconds after I removed her from the run. I can't think of another method that's as fast for the bird as for the human.

 

[Themellowyellows]

I was under the impression that the carbon dioxide works, I've used it on chicks, just not hens

What did you do with both of them?

 

[2 chiks n a roo]

I would keep the heathly one they will get over it, have you tried helping the sick bird? As the comment above me said, vinegar and baking soda wont kill anything.

Neither are laying anymore, they're about 6yrs old, the last of 5.
I've been treating the sick one for the past week for vent fleet, but her poop changed to green and now milky yellow. She's stopped eating completely and as of last night, she stopped drinking.
She's got a bed on the floor with water and mash beside her. She's obviously in pain. I did some research between posting this and going out to check them and give them mash. According to Mr google, paracodeine won't hurt them so I've crushed a tiny bit in their feed and added oregano (antibiotic) and basil (antiinflammatory/antiseptic)
Hopefully she will eat some food before it gets dark cos I have to cover their feed to keep the rats out.