Whats the most humane way to kill a chicken?

[Olive Oil]

I would agree that most roosters will never end up finding their dream home, but some do. I for example keep my roo's for the rest of their life, not 30 days just to breed. True, I only keep one or 2, but those 1 or 2 have a great life here. I want to breed them more than once and breed specific breeds which can be tough to come by, so when find the right roo, he is very valuable to me. His sons however are not so lucky... I have had some luck with my more rare breeds at livestock auctions.

 

[CrazyTalk]

I would agree that most roosters will never end up finding their dream home, but some do. I for example keep my roo's for the rest of their life, not 30 days just to breed. True, I only keep one or 2, but those 1 or 2 have a great life here. I want to breed them more than once and breed specific breeds which can be tough to come by, so when find the right roo, he is very valuable to me. His sons however are not so lucky... I have had some luck with my more rare breeds at livestock auctions.

Are these roosters you rehomed, or are they roosters you grew up yourself?


Because if they're roosters you grew yourself, or acquired because they're special/show specimens, you're making his point - that the average barnyard mix rooster is about as rehomable as a dog that bites people.

The people who want roosters either have their own, or are looking for very specific things.

 

[Olive Oil]

I would agree that most roosters will never end up finding their dream home, but some do. I for example keep my roo's for the rest of their life, not 30 days just to breed. True, I only keep one or 2, but those 1 or 2 have a great life here. I want to breed them more than once and breed specific breeds which can be tough to come by, so when find the right roo, he is very valuable to me. His sons however are not so lucky... I have had some luck with my more rare breeds at livestock auctions.

Are these roosters you rehomed, or are they roosters you grew up yourself?


Because if they're roosters you grew yourself, or acquired because they're special/show specimens, you're making his point - that the average barnyard mix rooster is about as rehomable as a dog that bites people.

The people who want roosters either have their own, or are looking for very specific things.

I am looking for very specific things. I guess I missed the mutt rooster part... I just thought it was about roosters in general. I have however rehomed mutt roos to a couple of people who are very happy with them, but literally "a couple." If the roos are nice, there are some people who love chickens as pets. Not many, I know, but some. The mean ones go in my stew pot for sure. I definitely agree that if you hatch many eggs, from mutt roos, that there is no way you are going to rehome all of the roos to someone who wants them for life.

 

[blklangshandude]

the average barnyard mix rooster is about as rehomable as a dog that bites people.

Purebred roosters aren't very likely to be adopted either.

 

[Sizzle709]

Hey! We have a frizzle silkie that is about 12 weeks old. It crowed for the first time this morning. We live in a downtown area so we can't keep roosters. We need to get rid of it today or tomorrow so our nebours don't get mad. What's the best way to kill a small rooster??

 

[blklangshandude]

Hey! We have a frizzle silkie that is about 12 weeks old. It crowed for the first time this morning. We live in a downtown area so we can't keep roosters. We need to get rid of it today or tomorrow so our nebours don't get mad. What's the best way to kill a small rooster??

Hold him upside down for about thirty seconds then slice his throat. I'm sorry you can't keep him. :-( but don't pass troubles on to someone else. There is more emotional work to it than anything else.

 

[LindaB220]

That would be magical. Nobody wants a rooster unless they have a desire to breed chickens. Even then they only want a rooster for about 30 days. Go ahead. Try to give away a rooster. It's like trying to give away an ill behaved dog who is a mutt. You can find a rooster another home but you are just passing your problems off to someone else. Personally I find it rude. It's your rooster and/or ill behaved mutt. You should deal with it. Don't pass your responsibilities off on someone else. The new owner will be killing the rooster that you give to the person. Save some time and heartache for that person and kill the rooster yourself. Grow up and learn to think. You aren't doing anybody any favors by being an irresponsible child that lives in la la land.

I'm older and was not set up for culling. Yesterday I gave away 10 roosters to a fellow who was thrilled to get the meat for his family. Win-win. I will process a couple at a time but I had to get rid of all of them at once.

 

[pdirt]

Finally, I've found the most humane method...at least for me.

I've tried the artery neck cut, seems a slow, calm death. Not a bad way to go since I don't think it's overly painful for the bird, it's like a really bad papercut.

Head chop or neck breaking...seemed to caused the most amount of flapping and I just didn't like it. Some controversy if the brain is dead right away or not. Eyes still look like they have "presence".

Single .22 from an airgun to the back of the head, aimed at the level of the eyes to target the brain...instant "lights out" appearance in the eyes. Still more wing flapping than the neck cut, but less than head chop/neck break/broomstick.

The .22 wins our vote for now.

For an interesting read on an anecdotal story on whether or not people are still conscious under the guillotine, read about the decapitation of Henri Languille:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillotine#Living_heads

That's the feeling (from the Wikipedia story) I have gotten when I chop the head off a bird...they still look like "someone's home" in their eyes for perhaps 10 seconds. I don't think it's simply reflexes, but of course I can't prove that. Just my opinion. With the .22, it was instant "lights out". Then a chop with a sharp hatchet to cut off the head and finish the bleed out.

 

[pgrenna81]

I agree, I've done the pellet rifle myself and it is lights out with minimal flapping, I've also done decapitation which works fine but there is definitely more commotion

 

[hennible]

a block of wood and an old fashioned axe.  Just make sure your first strike counts. The bird will only suffer for a very short fraction of a second.  All other movement if just nerves.

 

X2
Blood flow and spinal cord done in an instant.