Delicate Question About Culling A Goose..

[redhen]

Another thread on here got me thinking...
What if i found one of my geese severly injured and they needed to be put down... (no local vets will touch them

... closest emergency vet that would is over an hour away..and it would cost me a LOT of money to just walk through the door )
I mean, we can, and have, had to put down injured/sick chickens...
But a huge goose with a thick, strong neck!?? How in gods name would you do that humanely??
We dont have a gun... and an axe wouldnt be humane enough for such a huge animal..(IMO)
Whats the best, humane way to do this at home?

 

[spish]

thats a good question, not one ive thought about before, but having geese myself i suppose i should find out.....


i think i would use a sharp axe, perhaps some little sand bags to weigh the neck down or a jacket to keep the goose from flapping while you do it?

 

[danischi24]

I got my bf at the time & my landlord to axe my sweet pet goose after my dog ripped him to bits years ago

It was the quickest & "quickest is always kindest" in my opinion. It's the people, that it's a bit gruesome for, but I care what's best for the animals when they need to be put down in an emergency. Anything to disconnect head from body quickly. It's 100% (unless you miss

)& they don't suffer.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
Yeah, thats the thing... with a chicken the axe goes through pretty clean....
but a big goose neck?? I'd be scared...

We really do need a gun... i'd think a shot to the head would be split second quick..?
But no gun here.. *sigh*

 

[The goose girl]

A sharp axe goes through a goose neck like butter.

I've tried it a couple of times, and it did make me nervous. I felt like Crazy Axe Woman from some kind of horror movie, but it turned out to be no problem at all. I did need another person to hold the goose (the body) in place.

I too worried about not being able to cut through or hitting my own hand (the one holding the head) in the process. I practiced on some logs first to make sure I'd get it right.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Good to know if we ever need to do the deed, just thinking about it makes me sad.

 

[pete55]

Im afraid I just cant do it

Pete

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Not culling a bird that is suffering is much crueler then doing the deed and sending it to a better place IMO. I've never had to cull a goose, yet, but if I ever had to I think the ax would be the best method. Quick and painless.

 

[pete55]

Sorry I gave the wrong impression. Under extreme circumstances such as severe injury then I would euthanise using a more clinical method, such as lethal injection but Im afraid breaking their necks or an axe is not for me. I'm afraid my upset and possible incompetence would lead to prolonged suffering. Just wish I could be more objective but it just aint going to happen!

Pete

 

[Oregon Blues]

We will be chopping heads here in a week or so. I'll let you all know how it goes.

It is a lot easier to use a hatchet than an ax, and you have to strike like you really mean it. Make it your intention to bury that hatchet all the way into the stump under the bird. Being tentative about it is what is going to hurt your bird.

Decapitation is very fast. In my opinion quicker is better when euthanizing. Also, there is absolutely no doubt about whether the bird is dead or not.

And Redhen, I sincerely hope that you never find any of your geese injured, let alone badly enough that you must euthanize. I agree that it is better to be prepared and to have a plan, just in case. So good for you for getting it figured out in case it is ever needed.