CO2 Euthanasia

[Flocking Eggs]

Awhile back we had a girl that got fly strike pretty bad. Decided we needed to euthanize her. Did some research and went with the cervical dislocation method and it was an awful experience. There is a learning curve to the method and I didn't do it right at first. Ideally I wanted to go a less violent and hands on route in the future. I discovered that CO2 is a USDA approved method for chicken euthanasia. Though I found some conflicting info on the ways to do it and if it caused suffering. Eventually though, I came across the Alabama Extension Office which seemed to be a credible resource as they're also peer reviewed. They had easy instructions on how to setup a CO2 euthanasia device and how to use it. Their method introduced the CO2 at timed intervals which should limit or eliminate and suffering. Below are some links to their website and a video I made of the one I made if anyone is interested in watching. Hope this might help some people here.

Alabama Extension Office

How To Assemble a CO2 Chicken Euthanasia Device (Youtube Video)

 

[Sussex19]

Welcome to BYC!
If done correctly, cervical dislocation should not be violent apart from the flapping afterwards. (which isn't pleasant, but they are dead at that point)
Also, if one uses a broomstick or similar stick it isn't really very hands on.
Not saying that you shouldn't do it another way, and I know that there's a lot of people that would probably like know how to do it, so thanks very much for the info!
And sorry about your hen, I know how hard it is to put down a favorite hen.

Sorry if that sounded a bit cold, that wasn't how I meant it

 

[Jhs51684]

Welcome to BYC!
If done correctly, cervical dislocation should not be violent apart from the flapping afterwards. (which isn't pleasant, but they are dead at that point)
Also, if one uses a broomstick or similar stick it isn't really very hands on.
Not saying that you shouldn't do it another way, and I know that there's a lot of people that would probably like know how to do it, so thanks very much for the info!
And sorry about your hen, I know how hard it is to put down a favorite hen.

Sorry if that sounded a bit cold, that wasn't how I meant it

Hi Sussex,
Could you answer my question about cervical dislocation? I did my first today, and wanted to make sure I did it correctly. After I performed the dislocation, the bird's eyes were still open and the torso was moving very slightly up and down. The hen was very ill (I believe it suffered from egg yolk peritonitis). The bird was very, very lethargic. So it was hard for me to judge whether I did it correctly. It hardly flapped after my attempt, but as stated before, the eyes were open and it looked to be still moving. I wanted to be assured she was out of misery, so I finished with an axe. But any input and opinion on whether I did it correctly would be appreciated. I guess I'd mainly need to know specifically what happens in the immediate aftermath of the dislocation.

 

[Sussex19]

Hi Sussex,
Could you answer my question about cervical dislocation? I did my first today, and wanted to make sure I did it correctly. After I performed the dislocation, the bird's eyes were still open and the torso was moving very slightly up and down. The hen was very ill (I believe it suffered from egg yolk peritonitis). The bird was very, very lethargic. So it was hard for me to judge whether I did it correctly. It hardly flapped after my attempt, but as stated before, the eyes were open and it looked to be still moving. I wanted to be assured she was out of misery, so I finished with an axe. But any input and opinion on whether I did it correctly would be appreciated. I guess I'd mainly need to know specifically what happens in the immediate aftermath of the dislocation.

Well done for doing what needed to be done.
When I've done it on strong healthy cockerels that I was processing for meat, there tends to be a lot of flapping, so much so that it can be hard to hold on to them. Also, the eyes will open and shut which can be disconcerting, but all this is just nerves and stuff reacting, it doesn't mean that the chicken is alive.
However, when I've culled birds that were sick, there was a lot less of a reaction, I don't really know why, but presume that its because they are already weak and dying.
If you can feel the birds neck afterwards, there should be a good gap in it, which feels like there's nothing but skin. If you can feel the gap, then there's very little doubt that its been done correctly.

 

[Nyhillbillies]

I would think most beings wouldn’t want to die…for a meal.

 

[Jhs51684]

Well done for doing what needed to be done.
When I've done it on strong healthy cockerels that I was processing for meat, there tends to be a lot of flapping, so much so that it can be hard to hold on to them. Also, the eyes will open and shut which can be disconcerting, but all this is just nerves and stuff reacting, it doesn't mean that the chicken is alive.
However, when I've culled birds that were sick, there was a lot less of a reaction, I don't really know why, but presume that its because they are already weak and dying.
If you can feel the birds neck afterwards, there should be a good gap in it, which feels like there's nothing but skin. If you can feel the gap, then there's very little doubt that its been done correctly.

Thank You!!!

 

[Sussex19]

Thank You!!!

You're welcome!

 

[Coops Dad]

Hi Sussex,
Could you answer my question about cervical dislocation? I did my first today, and wanted to make sure I did it correctly. After I performed the dislocation, the bird's eyes were still open and the torso was moving very slightly up and down. The hen was very ill (I believe it suffered from egg yolk peritonitis). The bird was very, very lethargic. So it was hard for me to judge whether I did it correctly. It hardly flapped after my attempt, but as stated before, the eyes were open and it looked to be still moving. I wanted to be assured she was out of misery, so I finished with an axe. But any input and opinion on whether I did it correctly would be appreciated. I guess I'd mainly need to know specifically what happens in the immediate aftermath of the dislocation.

An axe is the most certain method of cervical dislocation. The broomstick method is certainly effective but the flapping and commotion can cause you to doubt yourself. When the head is on one side of the log and the body is on the other, there's very little room for doubt.

I raise somewhere around 50 Cornish X meatbirds a year, plus a half dozen Broad Breasted White turkeys and whatever excess cockerels we have from our layers. My go-to method is a pellet to the back of the brainpan from a .177 caliber pellet pistol, removing the head with a hatchet then processing the bird per usual.