Whats the most humane way to kill a chicken?

[Member 482121]

Many years ago, in Montana, a friend asked me to kill her old laying hens that were not laying any longer. I used the chopping block with two nails to keep the neck stretched out and a sharp ax. I must have killed about thirty birds, and I noticed that it wasn't just the body that convulsed. The head showed signs of suffering: the beak opened and closed and the eyes blinked several times. In the times of the guillotine it was proved that humans could still remain conscious for several seconds before the lack of oxygen to the brain made the brain die. I surmise that to the victim those seconds must have felt like an eternity of hell. Under the assumption that pain is felt in the brain and that decapitation must, therefore, be very painful albeit for a very short time, I prefer to destroy the brain itself by shooting the chicken in the back of the head with a .22 pistol and a hollow-point high-velocity bullet. The bullet itself and the violent exit of combustion gases (I place the muzzle against the head) make the head explode and the brain is immediately and completely destroyed. No brain, no pain. Naturally one must be careful of ricochets and conscious that the bullet will keep on going after exiting the chicken's head. My wife holds the chicken down with a hand on its back in a large plastic tub filled with loose soil. The exiting bullet is safely stopped by the soil after penetrating it. Naturally the body convulses and the heart keeps on beating for some time. Holding the chicken upside down after shooting it will effectively bleed it out, as the disintegration of the head will also open the main blood vessels that oxygenate the brain. Upon butchering chickens killed in this manner I have never found any blood in the body. I know this method sounds gross, violent, and loud. By I could not force myself to kill animals that I have raised, nurtured, and even given names to in a manner that would cause any suffering. These are animals that know and trust you, that eat from your hand and even (some of them) jump in your lap. Making them suffer even for the five or ten seconds (the time it takes for the severed head to stop giving signs of life) is unthinkable. As I wrote in another post, I am a hunter. I always try to kill my prey as humanely as possible. Should I then make my own pets suffer? If it weren't for the fact that I kill chickens to consume their meat I would even consider a lethal injection--but that would render them inedible.

 

[BBQJOE]

One of the best ways to avoid what you are facing, is not to name, and fall in love with your chickens.
Something else to face; everything you eat, had to die or be killed in order for you to eat it.
Think about it.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

As a child I learned this method: hold them upside down till they pass out grab their neck firmly and spin hard and fast, the neck breaks but the head can come off in your hand, the body will run around or jerk, so if the head comes off messy... but that happens only if you keep spinning the bird. This is fast and quick, requires no tools.

I have tried the axe and block, also fast and messy, disliked that, but quick.

I think quick and effective are the most humane, so any method that falls in the fast and effective category is humane... I have read several methods here that qualify, air pellets, cone method, & various neck breaking techniques.

Some folks have religious concerns and need the bird to be bled out... I think you can break it's neck and then bleed it out upside down if you want, based on the times my great grandma spun the heads off trust me they bleed out after the neck is snapped. If this is a concern snap neck place in cone and cut throats or clip head off with clippers, have a bucket under to limit your mess (you can use a traffic cone attached to a wall or post or table to hold the body).

I prefer less mess so I try and dispatch with that in mind. My current animals are pets, but yes I have had to kill the family chicken dinner as a child many times.

One rule I absolutely believe in is to never ever kill an animal in front of other animals. It stresses the other animals out even if it is a mercy killing, I know people who have done so... and animals do react depending on species and how the killing was done things people I know or I have observed sometimes the nonkilled ones freak out try to escape and hurt themselves (example animals in stalls, pens or cages near by) they develop depression and waste away, develop trust issues with keepers/owners, or develop other stress related issues (feathers fall out, fur pulling, other negative behaviors)... so I never ever stress my critters out by dispatching an animal for any reason in front of the other animals... I assume my critters are cognitive enough to realize what is going on.

Peace

 

[Syperdad]

Ok, I have had chickens for about 6 years. Never had to put one down.
I just purchased 6 chicks, 8 weeks ago, and one has what looks like a tumor on her chest. She is weak and not growing.
Recently a wound opened up around the lump. I need to put her down.
I don't own a gun and I don't know if I can kill an animal. Especially since my wife and kids named them all.

Any suggestions. I need to be strong and I know that the bird can infect the rest of them.

I would like for nature to take its course.

Thank you

 

[BantyChooks]

Ok, I have had chickens for about 6 years. Never had to put one down.
I just purchased 6 chicks, 8 weeks ago, and one has what looks like a tumor on her chest. She is weak and not growing.
Recently a wound opened up around the lump. I need to put her down.
I don't own a gun and I don't know if I can kill an animal. Especially since my wife and kids named them all.

Any suggestions. I need to be strong and I know that the bird can infect the rest of them.

I would like for nature to take its course.

Thank you

I personally like cervical dislocation for euthanasia.... It isn't messy, and it works especially well on young birds.
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2017/02/how-to-humanely-euthanize-chicken-by-dr.html

 

[Member 482121]

Do you know anyone who could put her out of her misery? Even if the disease is not contagious, letting nature take its course would cause the biddy undue prolonged suffering.

 

[BantyChooks]

Do you know anyone who could put her out of her misery? Even if the disease is not contagious, letting nature take its course would cause the biddy undue prolonged suffering.

Agreed. I have my neighbour take care of any birds I'm overly attached to.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

Do you know anyone who could put her out of her misery? Even if the disease is not contagious, letting nature take its course would cause the biddy undue prolonged suffering.

You can snap her neck, you could call your local vet as well to have them do it.

 

[xcalibor67]

Humans are "Visual" beings. Maybe putting the bird in a bag/clothe to kill it, so you dont have to "See" helps with some. Some people can just grab a chicken and snap its neck with no thought process. Even being an avid hunter in my younger yrs, i now find it mentally harder to kill an animal. I dont feel animosity to those who can kill with ease, as it doesn't mean they are cruel. I feel your pain m8, and wished i could give you that "Magic" answer.

 

[BBQJOE]

If you are unable to dispatch a chicken, you shouldn't be raising them.
You should take up knitting or scrapbooking or something.
Go play on Facebook.
There are very few farm animals raised that aren't dispatched at some point in their lives.

Here's an idea. Put a sock over it's head before you chop it off.
That way you won't have to deal with him staring at you, and you can just throw the sock in the trash, or tie it closed and give it to your cat.