Whats the most humane way to kill a chicken?

[Ian A]

I just looked it up and You are right. I just assumed, but it is illegal to use hormones in chickens. See, Im learning already. Antibiotics, different story.

 

[AutumnHotChick]

Last night I had to cull too of my old girls. So I believe the consensus is decapitation is most humane. We always have. But what we realize that after dark is even more humane! When putting a chicken on the chopping block, I have found panic until the deed is done... Not this way... We plucked the old girls off their perch and wam bam.. Done... It was the most peaceful ever. FYI!

 

[ChickenLegs13]

Everybody talks about using an axe; I use a hatchet, it's much easier to handle. Stick his head between the nails, hold his body with left hand and swing hatchet with right hand.

 

[MunchiesChicks]

I wrote this on my introduction post

We found that night time is the best time because they tend to be sleepy and relaxed. We separate the chickens the morning of from the rest and are given lots of water and fruit pieces and soft veggies for feed. We put a board up to keep the chickens from seeing what's happening and the coop is closed. We talk to the chicken and thank them, I know it sounds silly but for us it's a mental process. We don't cone the chicken or put them in some device. Simply we lay them on the ground my husband holds them gently and talks to the chicken while I find the artery and avoid cutting the airway as I don't want them to panic by suffication. We also found that a new razor blade receives almost little if no response to being cut compared to a knife no matter how sharp. Once the cut is made I tend to stroke with my fingertips along the comb and the are calm, it also gives me the ability to watch for when their eyes close which we then invert them... I am by no means even beyond expert in the area of chickens. I followed a post once about just cutting off the head and having it done with. I will never do that again period. First the chicken violently flapped it's wings the instant the head came off then in my surprised state I dropped the chicken. Nothing but shocked looks from those in attendance when I had to chase after my running, flying headless chicken.

I've culled 52 birds some of them my favorites and had one issue with cutting like I had described because the chicken clotted incredibly fast. He walked around pecked at the ground and was not in distress. We did use the axe method because of this and again resulted in a crazed flapping headless bird who blinked a few times before it was over. As for humane drowning and suffocation has got to be the worst way for any living creature to die plain and simple. It may be less bloody and hands on but the panic as the body resists breathing in fluids and the fact after breathing in water the body will convulse to expel the water means the chicken is completely aware of the event. Same for suffocation as the brain and body are aware that something is wrong panic sets in and the body fights for it's next breath.

 

[ChickenLegs13]

I talk to and pet my death row pen roosters from the time they are hatched so they are used to being handled and have no idea what is about to take place.
I just pick one up and carry it to the chopping block, there's no squawking, flapping, commotion or excitement, hook his head between the nails and swing the hatchet. While he's flopping about on the ground I'm walking back to the pen and getting another one.
The chopping block is in full view of the rest of the chickens but they don't get alarmed at all. Matter of fact, my yard chickens hang around and as soon as a roosters head hits the ground another chicken grabs it and runs off with it. The other chickens and the cats eat EVERYTHING while I'm processing and when I'm done all that's left is a pile of feathers and feet. There's no mess to clean up or dispose of and it was just another uneventful day.

 

[jedgell]

Interesting thread. I have not dispatched any chickens yet, but I'm thinking the hatchet is the way to go. I definitely understand the benefits of keeping it calm for the animal in question. Just a blink and it's over in their conscious mind. I am planning on meat birds in the spring and unless I chicken out (ha ha) and have someone else process them, I think I will go with the hatchet on the chopping block.

 

[Tomtommom]

We've dispatched one rooster before, trying to bleed it. It took WAY too long. Skin too tough, knife too dull and he kept pulling his head into his body. It took forever

I've got another little rooster now that I need to cull and honestly it's harder on us now, knowing how badly we failed the other bird.

We're considering the 'off with his head!' method of things, as we can likely do it quickly. Bleeding still seems the most humane, but if you just can't do it right, it's not a good choice.

We'll get over it and get better at it. I hope to raised meatbirds at some point.. so we better learn to deal with it.

 

[irmad]

I slaughter my roosters when I have to and it dont take long at all.....make sure your knife is very sharp....

 

[Tomtommom]

We decided on the broomstick method. Glad we did, it was quick and not as gruesome as chopping his head off! He was rather scrawny, but decided to clean him anyway, as practice. 3 lbs, 2.6 oz after cleaning.. enough for two adults, I'd say

Waste not, want not.

The key for us was to have my husband step on the 'broomstick' (we actually used a 1 1/2 foot long screwdriver) and I pulled. Much, MUCH better than the 30 minutes of torture we went through last time. It's one of those no-fail methods.

 

[Tomtommom]

Roasted the rooster tonight. At 17 weeks he came out as tender as could be. This confirms to me that the broomstick method is more humane, since it doesn't cause a lot of stress.