Young Cockerel with Merricks - Need Euthanasia Advice

[Ruffatoa]

We have a very young, no more than 2-3 months, hand-reared cockerel that we are sure has Merricks. He has all of the symptoms, and we have had chickens in the past with it so we know our flock is contaminated.

His health has quickly deteriorated over the past couple of days, including lethargy, spasming, and rapid weight loss. He used to be very friendly with a personality as dumb as a rock, and I absolutely love the little dude and I don't want to keep seeing him suffer. He is obviously in pain, and has been making panicked noises whenever he loses control of his balance.

For short term, we keep him separated from the flock during the day in a small rabbit hutch with water and food so that he doesn't get left behind or picked off by a red-tailed hawk. It is unlikely he will get better, however, as that has only happened once in my entire pet-chicken-raising career. It would likely be best for us to humanely put him down, but I don't have the faintest clue on how to do it. I have not had to put down poultry before, and I do not know if using a hatchet or doing the vertebrae detachment method would be feasible due to my attachment to the little fella. It would be amazing to have any advice on the best way to do it, whichever is fastest and the least painful to him. I just don't want him to suffer any more but at the same time not be scared while I do it.

 

[Ruffatoa]

It should also be mentioned that I am physically pretty weak and am unsure if I can even do some methods that require raw strength.

 

[Eggcessive]

There are a number of methods to put down a chicken. Using garden loppers to remove his head would be very fast and instant. Some us the method hanging them upside down with the the ankles tied together, and cutting the jugular veins on each side of the neck. The broomstick method of cervical separation is used by many. There are videos online of that. Sorry about your cockerel.

 

[Ruffatoa]

There are a number of methods to put down a chicken. Using garden loppers to remove his head would be very fast and instant. Some us the method hanging them upside down with the the ankles tied together, and cutting the jugular veins on each side of the neck. The broomstick method of cervical separation is used by many. There are videos online of that. Sorry about your cockerel.

Thank you for the advice, Do you know if the lopper method would require newer and sharper blades? The only ones that I have on hand at the moment are quite old and rusty but have a large amount of power to them. Would I also need to aim towards his brainstem or would anywhere work?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Thank you for the advice, Do you know if the lopper method would require newer and sharper blades? The only ones that I have on hand at the moment are quite old and rusty but have a large amount of power to them. Would I also need to aim towards his brainstem or would anywhere work?

We use a lopper. I'm not sure about your question about age, but we use one person on the loppers and one holding the bird's head (and occasionally feet depending on the individual bird). The head holder holds a finger behind the comb and one under the beak/chin to pull the head closer to the middle of the blades to try and get as much of the throat in the pathway. The closer to the skull, the better in our experience, especially with older/larger males, but yours is still young and probably won't be very tough skin and bonewise.

Honestly, as upsetting as it sounds (and it was for the lopper), our best kill was when she accidentally went too high and actually lopped through part of the skull. Never had one more instant than that.

 

[Ruffatoa]

We ended up doing it, and it went as well as it could have. It seemed painless, his eyes were closed even while he was moving after. Thank you for the advice on the situation.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss, but glad that it was instant.

 

[Rose_adamaj]

I’m sorry for your loss. I thank you for him. Ending his suffering was the most humane, heartbreaking, difficult and right decision