Last night I attended a vet-led training put on by Canadian Poultry Consultants aimed at small farmers. The session covered humane euthanasia options for backyard and small-scale flocks, why timely, humane decisions matter, and how to recognize when a bird should be euthanized to prevent suffering. The presenters demonstrated accepted, veterinary-approved methods and discussed safety, legal/ethical considerations, record-keeping, and how to access help when you’re unsure. They also covered ways to handle end-of-life on a small farm and how to dispose of carcasses responsibly.
It was practical, respectful, and focused on reducing animal suffering — exactly the sort of training I think small producers should have access to. If anyone’s looking for reputable training resources or vet guidance in Canada, I can share contact info for the organizers.
I will post a link to how the current best approved vet method of euthanasia for small flock farmers. They also taught us how to use CO2 and it is actually only about $300 a year to keep one operational here for us. We euthanized with both methods.
How do you deal with euthanasia of your flock?
by cowskeeper
21 Comments
https://www.chickenfarmers.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/CFC-Euthanasia-Guidelines.pdf
I use a kill cone, same as meat birds if my layers are hurt. We have a small ER in our barn and try to save them if we can.
That’s what I’ve always done dispatching downed birds when hunting 👍 first read about it a publication from somewhere in Australia if I recall correctly?
Edit: Sometimes the head comes off. Don’t be alarmed, this is still an effective cervical dislocation, and better than breaking the neck too low down so don’t be afraid to pull hard.
This is how my great grandma used to kill chickens for dinner. Except she would just casually grab one by the head and flick her wrist to snap its neck before it could even know what was happening
It made a big impression on me as a little kid 😭
This is what I’ve done. Honestly wonder if putting them in a cone and shooting the head point blank with a pellet gun would be even quicker.
Surprised about CO2. I would think nitrogen would be far less stressful for the bird, but maybe the danger of human suffocation in case of a leaky tank is the driver of that decision.
I’m not confident enough to use cervical dislocation. We have tried a couple of times, but I’m always unsure whether the movements afterward are the normal death response or a sign we did it improperly and the hen is suffering.
I opt for decapitation. It’s quick and there is no ambiguity.
However I recently looked into getting a bolt gun. Mostly to reduce my own apprehension, because I feel like it leads to sick birds suffering longer than they should. Does anyone have experience with those?
Homesteading ain’t easy. This or a kill cone for poultry. You can’t really shoot them.
I use ether (starter fluid) so they head into dreamland gently.
For me, there is at least a brief moment in the poster linked where the bird is experiencing a little chicken brain thought of, “why is my owner who I trust pulling on my neck — owww — oh NO!”
Which is partly why we wouldn’t euthanize pet dogs as described in the poster, were they to have fragile necks.
Ive had to put down a few chickens and this is what worked for me. Once you feel their head pop, the spinal cord is severed and they don’t feel anything. There’s still a death rattle that’ll freak you out if you aren’t prepared.
My stepdad showed me that if you picked up a chicken and put its head under its wing it would calm right down. He did that to a bunch and just lined them up. He said his uncle used to do that to calm them down before butchering but this guy was too much of a softy and just liked to mess with his babies.
I think the broomstick is easier to understand. This image is great until the last step, which is the one that matters. Broomstick on the neck, pull hard on the legs.
I don’t have two fingers where my skull meets my neck. Guys… Am I a freak of nature?
As someone who has raise hundreds of chickens the broom stick method is my go to. It is nearly impossible to mess up.
The method you showed is one you can definitely use but if you hold back even a little or hesitate you will have a scared not dead chicken freaking out. I tried it once, messed up, and I just couldn’t risk it not being clean again.
The broom stick method is commonly used with rabbits. It uses very little force so even if you are scared or have never had to do it to an animal it is very hard to mess up. You can also place a cover over their head this way so you don’t have to see and it can also make them calmer.
It’s not the pretty side of animal husbandry but good for you in learning about the best way for the end. Many folks put blinders on thinking they won’t have to deal with this.
I chop their head off. It’s messy. But I just don’t have the force of will to do this final tug to sever the spinal cord.
I’ve co2 chamber for mice and rats, but I feel that it’s not humane for larger animals and I wonder if it’s even humane for small animals. Co2 for pigs is coming under greater and greater scrutiny for welfare concerns, and has been discontinued in many places.
Yep. Had to read these instructions out loud to my husband while he did the dirty work. It’s not easy or pretty but sometimes you have to do what’s best for the animal in the moment.
Don’t forget to whisper “shhhhhhh” until the involuntary movements cease. You don’t want the chicken to alert the guards.
What did they say about carcass disposal? That’s always what I never know to do. I realize it’s scenario and location specific.
Yeah… it always sucks when you have to make the call. Well, technically the *cull*. I use a dog choke chain attached to one of the trees by the coop. It gives me one last chance to hold them close and put a hand over their eyes to calm them down (especially with rabbits) before I do the final pull. You just gotta commit. I don’t know whether I could do it with just my hands, though. The “here, put on this pretty necklace” approach is a bit easier if I fuck it up and need to pull again, which sometimes happens with older rabbits. It sucks either way.
You just grab their neck and spin. Quick and efficient.
When my family was raising turkeys and pheasants, we’d pop them in the neck with a .22 then grab their necks, and then do two or three fast full arm rotations from ground to above our heads in a big circular motion. Would crack the neck and the bullet wound would be enough to drain most of the blood while we plucked. Worked flawlessly.