Dead hen and cervical dislocation for euthanizing

[Magda12]

If you do go w the “broomstick” method, I would absolutely have a VERY sharp knife and a sharp hatchet on hand.

I personally use a cervical dislocator, I made it myself w a piece of cold rolled steel, a bench vice, a regular propane torch (just the type that screws onto the little green propane bottles), a hammer, a small piece of plywood, and a couple of 2x6 scraps.
Roughly modeled after a Hopper Popper

I’ve used it for everything from a young (~6 week) duckling that had to be euthanized, to my 40+# adult heritage Tom turkeys. Adult ducks, meat rabbits....

It is IMO the most humane way for all of them. There is no pinning them to the ground, there is nothing but scooping them up, covering their eyes if they are scared, walking them over to where it is mounted on the wall, (I always say a short prayer of thanks... obviously optional) lift the head up and into the “V”, back facing you.
You already have a hold of the hind feet, so your other hand slides under the beak, and you pull back and down, very firmly.
I usually keep a hold of the beak and pull back and down straight first, then to the (back and) left and right just to be certain the deed is done.

Then I let go of the legs, touch the inside corner of the eye to be 100% certain they are gone, and hold the beak while I stand back for any wing flapping. There is usually very little, maybe 30 seconds, with this method.

Then I take them down, hang by the legs, remove the head so they can bleed out into a bucket, and get to work on the next steps.

My setup is not fancy... But it works very well. And I’m also a woman in my 40s, and the guys don’t help me w dispatch or processing... just eating . I always feel like the “little red hen”
I hate processing days, but I love knowing that I’m able to feed my family from my small farm....

I only intended this one to be my prototype to make sure I had the “v” the way I wanted it/ it would work for the myriad of applications I use it for.... but it works great and I haven’t made time to make one that ...looks better. Oh well.

That is awesome! We have a 30x40 metal polebarn right next to the coop and it would be a great place to mount something like this. I've also seen ones that look like this:

I've seen them used on meat rabbits as well.

If I had thought through better my idea to let my broody hatch eggs, I'd have a way to process these boys right now. As it is, I do not and I do feel really wasteful just dumping them after they're killed, but my priority right now is my laying hens and it really was devastating to find one of my original girls dead the way she was. So I am trying not to think of all the things I *should* have done and just take care of these roosters for the health of the girls and my own sanity.

I do hope one day to be doing what you're doing (processing them for meat) and I will then feel better about hatching eggs because I'll know the roosters will just be extra food! I just wish I'd have gotten there BEFORE hatching those eggs. I will say, start to finish the whole egg hatching experience was an incredible learning process.

 

[HeritageFan]

That is awesome! We have a 30x40 metal polebarn right next to the coop and it would be a great place to mount something like this. I've also seen ones that look like this:

I've seen them used on meat rabbits as well.

If I had thought through better my idea to let my broody hatch eggs, I'd have a way to process these boys right now. As it is, I do not and I do feel really wasteful just dumping them after they're killed, but my priority right now is my laying hens and it really was devastating to find one of my original girls dead the way she was. So I am trying not to think of all the things I *should* have done and just take care of these roosters for the health of the girls and my own sanity.

I do hope one day to be doing what you're doing (processing them for meat) and I will then feel better about hatching eggs because I'll know the roosters will just be extra food! I just wish I'd have gotten there BEFORE hatching those eggs. I will say, start to finish the whole egg hatching experience was an incredible learning process.

It is all about learning!
Although.

I’m going to take this two ways from here. I’m sure some people will disagree, but.

DM me if you have questions...

If you live, or dispose of, the dispatched birds rurally, and well away from any structures..... there are predators that will find them, and, I don’t think you need to beat yourself up if your current situation makes it most logical to give them back to the cycle of life in that way.

Second option is to make quick work of processing.
Dispatch, don’t pluck, I might still suggest eviscerating them (removing the guts) if you haven’t had experience processing birds (or, if you have experience, and want want bone in pieces), just pull the skin (feathers attached) back, remove as much meat as you can, from the breasts and thighs, be careful to not cut through the abdominal area if you haven’t “cleaned” them, toss the meat into a covered bowl and rest it in the fridge or a cooler for a few days before freezing, and let the rest of the bird go back to nature...

Or eviscerate them and quickly cut them into pieces- skinless chicken is better than having fed and raised them and getting no return IMO.

You might also consider eviscerating at least one, still removing most of the meat, but learning from the process and using the carcass to make bone broth or soup.
It just takes a couple of bay leaves, some peppercorns (10ish) or pepper, a bit of salt, onion, garlic, 3 carrots, 3 pcs celery w leaves if possible, spices to taste, the thigh bones w whatever is left on them, I usually leave the drumsticks attached to the thighs and remove the thigh from the hip joint.
I also usually cut through the sides of the rib cage to make it fit in the pot, and sometimes break the spine below the rib cage/ separate there for the same reason.... but that’s usually a turkey / due to size.
I also use the neck after cutting off any bruised parts - the wings can go, esp the “tips”.
Cut the tail off of the carcass so you don’t have to wonder if there is an oil gland there, and you don’t have to deal w trying to get the tail feathers removed. Cut off the feet of course.

Cover w water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer until all the meat is cooked, and any remaining joints are loose.

Strain the broth into another pot, and freeze, or use as a soup base w fresh ingredients.
I usually cook rice or pasta separate and combine when eating/ re heating, otherwise it will turn into a sweet mess (literally, because the starches break down when stored together)
Pick off any cooked meat from the carcass and use for the soup- or freeze to use later.

I’ve gotten pretty quick hand plucking, and usually pluck as the bird is hanging to drain. Pull against the grain of the feathers and they usually release easily.

Blanching in water helps w the bigger feathers, but I’m ok w just cutting off the tail and from the last joint of the wing if I’m planning to roast the bird. And I don’t want to spend $600 on an auto plucker

Whatever you decide is what you need to do. There is no “wrong” answer- no one else is in your shoes

 

[K0k0shka]

I wouldn't practice on a dead bird if I wanted to find how much force it takes. That's because rigor mortis sets in pretty quickly, and the bird will be stiffer than a living bird, hence it will feel different and probably take a different amount, or type, of force. You're better off practicing on live birds that you aren't very attached to, like said roosters.

My preferred method is cutting the spine at the neck with heavy duty metal cutters (while in the slaughter cone), but last night I tried the broomstick method for the first time. And I messed it up because of two things I did not take into account - 1) the movement of my own body while doing it. The force of the pull sent my head forward as I was leaning over the rooster, and I just happened to be standing close to a shelf, so I banged my head on the shelf, disrupting the process. And 2) I have small feet.... This is important, because the broomstick slid forward and out from under my feet as I pulled the rooster up. I'm preeeeeeetty sure he was gone after the first (doubly botched) pull, but I'm not 100% certain. To be sure, I placed the broom back on his neck quickly, adjusted my position and did it again, and the second time I could hear/feel the pop and his head dangled freely after that - which is how you know it worked. I have a few more birds to process for meat that I'm not attached to, which I'll use for practice, but so far I'm liking the method and think it has a lot of potential, if you learn to do it right. It's definitely faster and more straightforward than cutting the spine or slicing the throat. However, I'd still be hesitant to use it as an euthanasia method for birds I do care about, and that is because one specific element of it - when you put the bird down and place the broomstick over its neck, in order to be able to step on the pole with both feet, you have to press the pole down pretty hard on the neck. This compresses the throat and stops the bird's airflow. If you're very quick about it, it's only a moment and hopefully not too traumatic. But with this practice rooster, I wasn't quick enough and I definitely saw him gasping for air before I pulled him up Even if you're quick and efficient though, there's still that brief moment of compressing their throat and cutting their air, which I'm not comfortable with for a pet bird that I care about. I have euthanized a sick pet bird using my usual method - upside down in the killing cone and cutting the spine at the neck with the shears - and that, I think, is more humane. There's still a brief moment of discomfort, because I have to pull the head down to extend the neck and put the shears in position, but at least that part isn't painful or overly uncomfortable, just potentially scary because they don't know what's going on and somebody is pulling their head. Still less bad than being choked though, even if briefly.

 

[Magda12]

It is all about learning!
Although.

I’m going to take this two ways from here. I’m sure some people will disagree, but.

DM me if you have questions...

If you live, or dispose of, the dispatched birds rurally, and well away from any structures..... there are predators that will find them, and, I don’t think you need to beat yourself up if your current situation makes it most logical to give them back to the cycle of life in that way.

Second option is to make quick work of processing.
Dispatch, don’t pluck, I might still suggest eviscerating them (removing the guts) if you haven’t had experience processing birds (or, if you have experience, and want want bone in pieces), just pull the skin (feathers attached) back, remove as much meat as you can, from the breasts and thighs, be careful to not cut through the abdominal area if you haven’t “cleaned” them, toss the meat into a covered bowl and rest it in the fridge or a cooler for a few days before freezing, and let the rest of the bird go back to nature...

Or eviscerate them and quickly cut them into pieces- skinless chicken is better than having fed and raised them and getting no return IMO.

You might also consider eviscerating at least one, still removing most of the meat, but learning from the process and using the carcass to make bone broth or soup.
It just takes a couple of bay leaves, some peppercorns (10ish) or pepper, a bit of salt, onion, garlic, 3 carrots, 3 pcs celery w leaves if possible, spices to taste, the thigh bones w whatever is left on them, I usually leave the drumsticks attached to the thighs and remove the thigh from the hip joint.
I also usually cut through the sides of the rib cage to make it fit in the pot, and sometimes break the spine below the rib cage/ separate there for the same reason.... but that’s usually a turkey / due to size.
I also use the neck after cutting off any bruised parts - the wings can go, esp the “tips”.
Cut the tail off of the carcass so you don’t have to wonder if there is an oil gland there, and you don’t have to deal w trying to get the tail feathers removed. Cut off the feet of course.

Cover w water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer until all the meat is cooked, and any remaining joints are loose.

Strain the broth into another pot, and freeze, or use as a soup base w fresh ingredients.
I usually cook rice or pasta separate and combine when eating/ re heating, otherwise it will turn into a sweet mess (literally, because the starches break down when stored together)
Pick off any cooked meat from the carcass and use for the soup- or freeze to use later.

I’ve gotten pretty quick hand plucking, and usually pluck as the bird is hanging to drain. Pull against the grain of the feathers and they usually release easily.

Blanching in water helps w the bigger feathers, but I’m ok w just cutting off the tail and from the last joint of the wing if I’m planning to roast the bird. And I don’t want to spend $600 on an auto plucker

Whatever you decide is what you need to do. There is no “wrong” answer- no one else is in your shoes

Yeah I just don't think I am ready for any of this yet. My husband is also a bit of a germaphobe, especially with raw meat type stuff. I'm not super rural, or I would dispose of them as you said. I think, unfortunately, they're going in a bag in the trash. The weather isn't great here right now, even if I did want to try to process, I have no idea what I am doing and I really do need to get rid of these guys ASAP (we're doing it tomorrow because it's supposed to be a little warmer, it was 25 degrees yesterday )

I really do want to learn though. My friend at church, the one who gave me the eggs to hatch, has a whole set up at her place and is going to teach us this spring. I was honestly hoping I could hang on to these roosters until then, but I should have known better.

 

[Magda12]

I wouldn't practice on a dead bird if I wanted to find how much force it takes. That's because rigor mortis sets in pretty quickly, and the bird will be stiffer than a living bird, hence it will feel different and probably take a different amount, or type, of force. You're better off practicing on live birds that you aren't very attached to, like said roosters.

My preferred method is cutting the spine at the neck with heavy duty metal cutters (while in the slaughter cone), but last night I tried the broomstick method for the first time. And I messed it up because of two things I did not take into account - 1) the movement of my own body while doing it. The force of the pull sent my head forward as I was leaning over the rooster, and I just happened to be standing close to a shelf, so I banged my head on the shelf, disrupting the process. And 2) I have small feet.... This is important, because the broomstick slid forward and out from under my feet as I pulled the rooster up. I'm preeeeeeetty sure he was gone after the first (doubly botched) pull, but I'm not 100% certain. To be sure, I placed the broom back on his neck quickly, adjusted my position and did it again, and the second time I could hear/feel the pop and his head dangled freely after that - which is how you know it worked. I have a few more birds to process for meat that I'm not attached to, which I'll use for practice, but so far I'm liking the method and think it has a lot of potential, if you learn to do it right. It's definitely faster and more straightforward than cutting the spine or slicing the throat. However, I'd still be hesitant to use it as an euthanasia method for birds I do care about, and that is because one specific element of it - when you put the bird down and place the broomstick over its neck, in order to be able to step on the pole with both feet, you have to press the pole down pretty hard on the neck. This compresses the throat and stops the bird's airflow. If you're very quick about it, it's only a moment and hopefully not too traumatic. But with this practice rooster, I wasn't quick enough and I definitely saw him gasping for air before I pulled him up Even if you're quick and efficient though, there's still that brief moment of compressing their throat and cutting their air, which I'm not comfortable with for a pet bird that I care about. I have euthanized a sick pet bird using my usual method - upside down in the killing cone and cutting the spine at the neck with the shears - and that, I think, is more humane. There's still a brief moment of discomfort, because I have to pull the head down to extend the neck and put the shears in position, but at least that part isn't painful or overly uncomfortable, just potentially scary because they don't know what's going on and somebody is pulling their head. Still less bad than being choked though, even if briefly.

After doing a lot of research on the subject, CD is the only home method I'd use on a bird I care about, because according to all the vets and other literature I have read, it's the most humane: https://the-chicken-chick.com/how-to-humanely-euthanize-chicken-by-dr/

I will say though, my chickens aren't my pets. We named the first batch we got because they were our first and my son was only 9 years old. I do have some attachment to them, but not enough to keep feeding them after they have stopped laying eggs. So I may not have the same emotional reaction to this stuff as other chicken owners. I am all about what is the most humane, least painful and fastest, also least messy! Especially with these roosters. Like I said, I wont lose any sleep if I botch it and I am going to guess the more you do it, the less likely you are to botch it, so this is practice.

 

[Sally PB]

I wouldn't practice on a dead bird if I wanted to find how much force it takes. That's because rigor mortis sets in pretty quickly, and the bird will be stiffer than a living bird, hence it will feel different and probably take a different amount, or type, of force.

Ah. Thank you. I hadn't thought of this.

 

[Magda12]

Well we did it. I did mess up the first one, didn't get it right away, but redid it and he was gone, pretty quick. I also ripped a head off, not as messy as I thought it would be thank God. A lot of adrenaline made me a little shaky and trying to catch them was NOT fun, but we got it done pretty fast, our neighbor was able to dig a hole for us with his machine. I don't feel great about it, not something I ever look forward to having to do again, but I feel better for my remaining hens and roosters that they get to have a more peaceful existence. I still wish I knew how to do it by hand because I am going to have a really hard time doing this to my original flock. Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[Sally PB]

Glad you were able to get it done.

 

[Magda12]

Glad you were able to get it done.

Thanks, I am working on getting past my initial emotion and getting to "relieved." I don't know that I am cut out for this kind of thing and I definitely won't be able to do it to my original girls - my husband will have to. I'm just too much of an animal lover to kill anything. I wish I'd grown up on a farm but I didn't and trying to rewire the brain in middle age is probably fruitless

 

[HeritageFan]

Thanks, I am working on getting past my initial emotion and getting to "relieved." I don't know that I am cut out for this kind of thing and I definitely won't be able to do it to my original girls - my husband will have to. I'm just too much of an animal lover to kill anything. I wish I'd grown up on a farm but I didn't and trying to rewire the brain in middle age is probably fruitless

Culling in as much of a stress free situation as possible is what makes it possible for me, personally. I hate to do it, but I appreciate knowing it’s the most stress free way for my birds to “go” as I could possibly offer them when I need to ...go that route.....
It’s still hard, but, knowing that they don’t stress or suffer, don’t have to take an hour long ride in the car to the closest processor to us (and then deal with being there and waiting to be processed... )
I know that - at least in our situation - processing them myself is the best option for them.

Maybe-
Thinking about it that way will help. Maybe not. There is no judgement here. It sucks. But it needs to happen sometimes. And having a roasted bird, soup, broth, or whatever else on your table, knowing that you’ve raised it and knowing that you have a healthy meal(s) for yourself/ your family also is a good feeling -