Whats the most humane way to kill a chicken?

[jvls1942]

don't use a gun, too many things can go wrong and somebody could get hurt.
who are the "they" who say decapitation should not be used ?
I am a member of "they" and I say do it.
any movement of any kind after death is just nerves.
sure some of it is spooky, but get used to it.

 

[Member 482121]

I have already written on this subject, but I just came across a science article on decapitation. It appears that rats' brains are active up to 60 seconds after decapitation. The flopping around of the body of a beheaded chicken is just nervous reflexes, I agree. But if you observe the head of the chicken after decapitation you will see the beak and the eyes open and close repeatedly for several seconds before that activity ceases. Those chickens ARE suffering before the brain shuts down for lack of oxygen. That's why I maintain that to prevent any suffering it is necessary to destroy the brain instantly. A .22 hollow-point bullet will do exactly that. Remember: no brain, no pain. But if you choose to shoot the chickens, make sure that you do so safely. Once that bullet leaves the barrel there is no way you can call it back.

 

[Mary's Backyard Chickens]

The most humane way to kill a chicken is to use a kill cone and decapitate it's head. That way, the chicken feels very little pain, and it's not common that something will go wrong. If you use a gun, it may not kill the chicken, which can cause suffering for long periods of time. And, it's easier for a human to get hurt.

 

[jvls1942]

this issue has come up several times in all the
years since I have been on byc..
it never gets resolved.
If you are squeamish about killing a chicken, don't do it.
you can have someone else do it their way for you, but that doesn't lessen the pain for the chicken.
I wouldn't shoot a chicken. too many ways for a bystander to get hurt.
.......jiminwisc....

 

[Member 482121]

There are no bystanders where I live. And there is no way I could botch the shot, as the muzzle of the gun is placed against the back of the head while my wife holds the chicken by the legs and the chicken's chest is resting on the dirt of a large plastic planter. The bullet goes into the dirt. I am not squeamish about killing chickens, only about making them suffer uselessly. By the way, in some European countries it's against the law to behead a chicken or cut its throat without stunning it first with electricity.

 

[jvls1942]

OK, that is how you do it.
but many times when people are butchering, there are more than just the two people, often there are children playing in the yard and often there are more than just the two people butchering.
go ahead and shoot . I don't care,.
but shooting is not the best way, what if you are butchering more than just two or three birds. we do up to 100 on a Saturday.

I use the cone method. cut their juggler veins and they bleed out in a few seconds.

how is electrical shock not painful ?

we don't live in a foreign country, so what they do there does not apply here.

 

[Member 482121]

The reason why they do that in foreign countries is that researchers have ascertained that beheading and throat-cutting are not humane. The brain continues to function for at least 30 seconds after beheading, and probably longer after the jugular vein is severed. It is obvious that intense pain is felt for at least 30 seconds (an eternity, if you are the being that's being killed). The neck is one of the most sensitive parts of our body. Obviously everyone can choose the method he/she prefers. As to the electric shock to stun the animal, if the shock is hot enough to "fry" the brain there is no pain.
As to the time it takes to shoot the chicken, it takes pretty much the same time it takes to place it in the cone and cut its throat. But again, kill your chickens any way you prefer, as will I. It's a free country (for now).

 

[Mosey2003]

I can't shoot, so I go with cervical dislocation now. It's an AVMA-approved method, and is the best I can do as far as I can tell. Full sized birds I use a broomstick, cull chicks I use a 4 quart bucket. The bucket has a handle that matches the lip, so it's easy to hold them by the thighs, put their head on the lip, put the handle over the back of the neck, hold down and pull. Very swift.

 

[jvls1942]

I cannot bring myself to believe that there is pain felt from a severed head.
when the ax goes through, the first thing is shock.. by the time the shock wears off the bird is dead. no pain.
and if there is pain, for a second or two,
I can live with that.
I am just wondering, do you hunt with your gun ? or just shoot chickens ?
......jiminwisc......

 

[cppeace]

I mean I am in no way against killing chickens for food- it is what I am breeding for but I have no doubt they likely can feel some pain from beheading. I personally plan cervical dislocation followed by bleeding.

But coming from a long line of farmers I've heard of all sorts of stuff like Miracle Mike https://modernfarmer.com/2014/08/heres-chicken-can-live-without-head/