I’ve only helped butcher a few full grown chickens, but for a chick I would have to go with the beheading by shears or loppers. Carbon monoxide death might be painless, but not easy to organize without inflicting some panic. Not sure that is more humane. I cannot imagine choosing a toxic inhalant; that has to be a painful death.
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Am I only the only one who would just call my local vet and ask that they do it for me just like if I brought in an injured bird?
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Yes.
It’s a chick. Do you think they would euthanize it differently than decapitation. I hardly think trying to inject it with something would be any more humane?
Have you actually brought an injured bird to your vet before? I would be surprised if they would accept one for euthanasia…but i suppose they might if you paid them. Id be curious how they would do it.
Most vets around here will euthanize and dispose of, at least for a wild animal, for free. I have brought a duck that was injured beyond help, and a full grown rabbit that my darn cat degloved and then left to suffer in shock to our local emergency vet and both times they just took the animal for me and euth’d it immediately and disposed of it for free.
If you know what you are doing and do not have that option of course go for it, I am too soft hearted and couldn’t do it myself so I take any animal I have or find that needs to be put down to any vet that is open so they can do it painlessly and quick.
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I once euthanized a pet chicken for an owner. Same euthanasia solution as for other species. Metatarsal vein is pretty easily accessed if the bird is restrained. The alar vein is also accessible,but tends to blow.
What about something as small as a robin or a chick? I can’t imagine there is any other way to euthanize but decapitation, unless there is a gas option. I know when I worked at the psychology lab in college they euthanized the mice or rats with CO2 but I assume they had a setup that made it easier than putting each one in a plastic bag.
I used to breed pet fancy mice, and my vet euthanized several at the end of their lives. He placed them in isoflurane environment then delivered a bolus of euthanasia solution injected into the heart.
Imagine a chick could be handled in much the same way.
I would never advocate any sort of gassing done at home.
What I do for chicks that age is use a bucket. You know, the 4qt Fortiflex ones? Those have a handle that lines up with the lip of the bucket perfectly. Hold the chick by the legs, lay the neck over the lip of the bucket (back facing up/belly down), bring the handle down over the back of the head. Gently pull back until the head is right against the handle, and then pull straight UP while holding the handle down firmly, one swift motion. You’ll either feel the neck dislocate or (most likely the first time), you’ll pull the head clean off. Either is fine, and instantaneous.
For very small chicks, I typically use a pair of sharp scissors just behind the head, fast snip and done.
Larger birds, I typically use a broomstick.
To me, cervical dislocation is the most humane option for home. The firm appliance behind the head makes it a lot more foolproof than trying to wring by hand. I have tried to do it by hand, and really anything over 8 weeks it’s far too difficult for me to be happy doing.
OMG!!! There has to be a better way than all this.
When I was a kid my sisters horse took a bite of hay that baby chick was napping in. The chick didn’t come out ok so family decided to euthanize. They just went to the barn and injected the chick with some dorm. I don’t know how much, but I remember the instructions were “just put the needle under it’s skin.” I don’t know if it was problematic but at the time it seemed like a humane enough method.
Better for who? Removing the head is a foolproof way of ensuring a very quick, painless death. The same cannot be said for other methods that might be “prettier” for the person.
I had to euthanize a day old chick just yesterday that was born with a facial deformity. Was it hard? Yes. Yes, it was. Would I make it easier on me for a slower, more painful death of that chick? No, no I would not. A peaceful passing for THEM is more important than MY discomfort.
(I used a sharp pair of kitchen shears, btw.)
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What exactly would you suggest?
Most vets won’t euthanize poultry. Cervical dislocation is the best it gets, it’s an AVMA approved method of euthanization for poultry.
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