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[Stella14]

My lovely Barnavelder Charlotte developed what was apparantly kidney disease. I had her PTS by the vet yesterday. I didn't stay because the vet advised that maybe I shouldn't because for chickens, it had to be an injection directly into the heart and that, although there was no pain, the end was not as peaceful as for a cat or dog. This has me thinking today, is this really the best death, or is the 'traditional' method as good an end? I genuinely don't know and would appreciate the views of more experienced chicken keepers. All I know is that having to make the decision for Charlotte was hard and very upsetting. She is the first one we have lost and she was my favourite. I have a heavy heart today

[Space Chick]

I have had chickens put down at the vet and have dispatched myself.

 

I have stayed with my chickens in the vet, and they do let out a noise, but I think that's just last air but I agree it wasn't as peaceful as when I had my darling dog put to sleep

 

If you are going to dispatch yourself, I would strongly recommend you going on a course, or getting someone experienced to show you.

 

I went on a course, and I'm glad I did.

 

I use the broomstick method, and done correctly it is extremely quick. However, if you were to mess it up you would cause no end of pain and suffering to your hen.

 

However, a lot of us here do successfully dispatch, quickly, effectively and maintaining respect for our birds ourselves. Many of us have also done meat birds too.

 

Hope this has helped, and so sorry about the loss of you girl

[Redwing]

I agree about getting someone to show you how to do it properly

 

I have to cull at home for various reasons and I tend to do it when the bird is sleepy at bedtime so it doesnt even know whats happening, its very quick and much more peaceful than a journey to a vet

[Tweety]

My vet does it differently. She told me that they give the hen a whiff of anaesthetic, so that it is unconscious, before the fatal injection.

[Lydia]

Sorry about your hen. We too have taken hens to the vets to be PTS and dispatched them ourselves. Neither of us have been on a course but watched a very useful video showing the broomstick method on Youtube several times. We've always been successful but I agree a hen could suffer if it's not done properly.

 

I have always stayed with my hens at the vets to the end and I have to say that the end has never been more traumatic than having a mammal put to sleep. Maybe my vet does it differently I don't know.

 

It's not for everyone but dispatching ourselves was one of the best things we've learnt to do. If done properly it is quick and simple and the hen doesn't suffer the stress of being loaded into the cat carrier and the car trip, waiting room etc. Our hens are pets and we only dispatch as a last resort when it is clear the hens is not going to get better (and always out of sight of the other hens). We also try to seek veterinary help if we think it will help a hen recover and have further quality of life.

 

Whatever you decide it is great that you take action rather than let a sick and dying hen linger and suffer needlessly.

[LunaKiw1]

Our vet also used a little anaesthetic gas first and then an injection. It was quick and peaceful. I just don't think personally i could do dispatching myself and i'd be terrified of not getting it right. So I really admire those of you who are able to do this last service for your chooks.

[Stella14]

Thank you for the replies. We weren't considering dispatching ourselves. I don't think I'm cut out for it and my partner definately isn't (he is ridiculously soft, can't even give our dogs a tablet ). I would be worried about not getting it right. However many times I was shown correctly, I'd still have to do it the first time and it would be a long time before I could become experienced enough (we only have a little flock) to feel competent. I do agree though that, done by someone who knows their stuff at home, is probably less stressful as takes away the stress of travelling, waiting in a strange environment etc. I work in the NHS and a doctor in a team I worked in once gave an account of a friend of his (also a doctor) who decided to kill a sick rabbit himself rather than take it to the vet. He tried various methods, each one failing as much as the last. Half the team thought the account hilarious, half were appalled (I was appalled and angry). The story haunted me a bit and I couldn't risk causing more suffering by trying to dispatch myself. I was really just wondering which method produced the quickest, more peaceful death (taking out the other issues of going to the vet). When the time comes that another of mine needs to be PTS, there is a Guy locally who is very experienced and could do it me, but the bird would still need to be travelled etc. I guess I'll stick with my Vets.

[Chucky Mama]

I can totally understand where you are coming from. To dispatch a bird yourself you have to be confident and you have to commit. If you are in any doubt I think that you are better off sticking with a vet. The advantage to being able to dispatch a bird yourself is when you faced with an emergency and the ability to cull quickly is required e.g finding a badly injured bird following a fox attack or similar. I can dispatch a bird but would avoid doing so at all costs In my head I am brave enough but in reality I just can't face it

[squiffs]

You're all very brave! it actually disheartens me that I feel like I couldn't bring myself to do it for fear of doing it wrong

[Daphne]

I agree with everything that has been said. I keep very large fowl and having watched one having to have 2 injections to be PTS at the vets which certainly wasn't peaceful, I decided to despatch my own. I mostly use the broomstick method. I would say learning to despatch is the ideal so you know how to do it properly and can take action quickly for an injured bird, culling for meat, or save the upset and expense of a vet to PTS a bird with an illness you know isn't going to get better. However, it isn't easy to take a life and you do need to be confident that you are doing it correctly. On balance, I would say there is no best way, but I think we do have a moral duty to stop suffering when we see it, so as long as we take the hard decisions and act in the best interests of our chooks, then we are doing the right thing, whichever way you choose.

[Stella14]

Thanks everyone.

[WitchHazel]

As well as having our pet girls, we also raise chickens for our table which we dispatch ourselves. Over the last few yuears my DH has also dispatched 2 if our garden girls when they have been too ill to recover, and we were pleased that they could go calmly and quietly at home wiithout additional stress of transporting to the vet etc.

 

We went on a course to learn how to do it. if you do it properly (which does not mean using the completely appalling and cruel so called "humane" dispatcher) the death is quick and painless. However, the birds flap a lot after death and this is very distressing. On the course we learned to put the bird under our arm to contain the wings flapping, and this helped - but it is still not pleasant to experience.

 

If you aren't confident in doing it, then you are better off taking your girls to the vet to be put to sleep. However they do it, it will be quick for the bird and you won't have to see the involuntary spasms that occur.