Euthanize a Chicken Humanely - step by step

[Katanahamon]

When you come to the hard decision to euthanize one or more members of your flock there are many ways to do so. If you aren't able or willing to eat the bird then your options increase. If you are like us, you read as many posts as possible and decided that cutting or shooting and the subsequent bloody mess are not in your skill set; consider using engine starting fluid (diethyl ether) as a humane way to do it.
Though we read many posts that described the steps - sort of. Last night we had to do it for the first time ourselves and we documented as much of the process as a way to help others with this and understand that it's possible. Below is the list of supplies, steps and we explain the variables that may change for your specific circumstances.
Plan for this to take 30 minutes at minimum.

What happens:
The ether and C02 will put the bird to sleep within 30 sec. to a minute (we heard a soft thump as she passed out) and then within a few minutes (5 minutes in our case) the bird will die from the fumes. There will be convulsions for 15 to 30 seconds as they pass, its normal and they cannot feel it as they are asleep. That is it. I did it mostly on my own, it was my turn since my partner had another chicken die in his arms while I was away at a conference.

Location/safety:
- Do this OUTSIDE, a must and away from family and other animals - diethyl ether is toxic and very flammable - stay away from flames, sparks, etc.
- Know how you are going to dispose of the body (bury, burn, necropsy examination first) and have that prepped before starting.

Timing: night so your birds are roosting and more docile, including the unfortunate subject

Supplies: required
1 can engine starting fluid (available at Walmart or any auto supply store): Amount will vary depending on size of bird (for a 4.5 lb pullet we used about 1/3 of an 11oz can)
Air filtering mask - 1 for each person involved (we used paint masks from a home improvement store - they were ok but I got a headache from the gasses)
1 5-gallon plastic bucket with solid lid (clean - because, come on, its the last place they will remember)
1 garbage bag big enough to cover the bucket
4 to 5 paper towels - or old wash cloth - plan on throwing out after use
headlamp or flashlight
old towel (tea towel size or as large needed to hold the chicken)
chair, bench, someplace to sit
Optional:
line the bottom of the bucket with some bedding material or an old towel
rubber gloves - thin surgical style gloves
Brick

Steps: after dark
Bring all supplies outside and set within reach of the chair
Turn on flashlight or headlamp
Set up the bucket (with towel or bedding if wanted)
Practice sealing the bucket - Lay the unopened bag over the bucket and cover the bucket making sure the bag isn't preventing a good seal - Set aside so you can reach it easily
Put on mask(s) and gloves making sure the mask fits tight
Hold towel(s) inside the bucket - spray towel(s) with enough fluid to wet the towel(s) really well.
Leave in bucket and close lid very tightly (place brick on top to help seal)
Wait 1-2 minutes before fetching the chicken (allows fumes to saturate bucket)
Get chicken from coop (make sure to close the coop if she wasn't isolated already)
If you want to wrap her tightly in a towel (we did not)
Open lid, place her in quickly, reclose lid with plastic sealing lid. Check lid to make sure its sealed, weigh with the brick.

Have a seat, this is where patience is important
Listen quietly for a light thump.
Wait for the convulsions to occur, it will sound like nothing inside until the body starts thumping inside the container for 30 secs to 1 minute after a 5 minute wait. (we picked up supplies while waiting, but was done within 3 minutes) It also got us away from the fumes.
We waited another 2 minutes to ensure it was over.
Check your masks to ensure the seal is good, still be careful of breathing too deeply.
Take off lid and check the bird, its likely to look quite disheveled, probably with fluid around mouth and if its eaten expect droppings.

I used the garbage bag to hold our bird while taking the contents of our 5-gallon bucket to the trash dumpster. Don't leave the fluid soaked towels, etc. around dangerous and flammable stuff, seal in a ziplock if throwing away inside but I do not recommend it.

Other considerations
I've read that older birds can take longer to succumb. Research this please.
Check the weight of your bird, ours was a 6 month old pullet 4.5lb (1st egg killed her), we probably overdosed a bit but at $4 a can it was reasonable to use 1/3 to 1/2 the can.
Practice safety, please do not breathe the fluid directly.

I performed a necropsy (not covered here) then buried the body in the back yard that evening in the hole I prepped earlier that day. The takeaway was she had ripped her oviduct and had an egg floating in her abdomen, a death penalty that would have been painful for her.

No matter what you believe, know this; it's better to end pain for an injured or sick bird soon and humanely.

Umm..it’d be better to list the ingredient in engine starting fluid that you need like ether..that sounds terrible..seems like CO2 should be enough, it was for my poor chick, but she was very weak. Ether and engine fluid are quite flammable. CO2 is safe to use, even indoors as it is common in brewing to flood containers with it to remove oxygen from the brewing process.

 

[LaFleche]

Umm..it’d be better to list the ingredient in engine starting fluid that you need like ether..that sounds terrible..seems like CO2 should be enough, it was for my poor chick, but she was very weak. Ether and engine fluid are quite flammable. CO2 is safe to use, even indoors as it is common in brewing to flood containers with it to remove oxygen from the brewing process.

Asphyxiation is excruciating for chickens and take quite a while, as they not only breathe with their lungs, but also through 9 airsacs! I would not consider this a "humane" method.

Instead I would recommend to hold the chicken in question under one arm, the head pointing forward. Then hitting on the head right behind the crown with a metal or wood stick, so it will lose conciousness. And then just chop the head off using an axe or meat chopper.

This is the most humane for the chicken, as it will not feel anxiety of asphyxiation or any pain. But it might be harder on the owner.

 

[Katanahamon]

Asphyxiation is excruciating for chickens and take quite a while, as they not only breathe with their lungs, but also through 9 airsacs! I would not consider this a "humane" method.

Instead I would recommend to hold the chicken in question under one arm, the head pointing forward. Then hitting on the head right behind the crown with a metal or wood stick, so it will lose conciousness. And then just chop the head off using an axe or meat chopper.

This is the most humane for the chicken, as it will not feel anxiety of asphyxiation or any pain. But it might be harder on the owner.

Well, seems like scholars don’t agree with you..
https://res.mdpi.com/d_attachment/animals/animals-11-01802/article_deploy/animals-11-01802.pdf

Abstract: Newly hatched male layer chicks are considered as “by-products” in the egg industry and must be humanely euthanized at the hatchery. Instantaneous mechanical destruction (maceration) is the predominant euthanasia method applied in poultry hatcheries and is approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). However, maceration is not perceived by the public to be a humane means of euthanasia. The effects of alternative euthanasia methods, including carbon dioxide (CO2) or nitrogen (N2) inhalation, and a commercial negative pressure stunning system on behavioral and physiological responses of day-of-hatch male layer chicks, were evaluated in a field trial. Chick behaviors, including ataxia, loss of posture, convulsions, cessation of vocalization, and cessation of movement, were monitored. Serum hormones were assessed at the end of each of the alternative euthanasia treatments, including a control group allowed to breathe normal atmospheric air. The N2 method induced unconsciousness and death later than the CO2 and negative pressure methods, and increased serum corticosterone concentrations of neonatal chicks. Carbon dioxide inhalation increased serotonin concentrations as compared to controls, as well as the N2 and the negative pressure methods. The behavioral and physical responses observed in this study suggest that both CO2 inhalation and negative pressure stunning can be employed to humanely euthanize neonatal male layer chicks.

 

[LaFleche]

Well, seems like scholars don’t agree with you..
https://res.mdpi.com/d_attachment/animals/animals-11-01802/article_deploy/animals-11-01802.pdf

Abstract: Newly hatched male layer chicks are considered as “by-products” in the egg industry and must be humanely euthanized at the hatchery. Instantaneous mechanical destruction (maceration) is the predominant euthanasia method applied in poultry hatcheries and is approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). However, maceration is not perceived by the public to be a humane means of euthanasia. The effects of alternative euthanasia methods, including carbon dioxide (CO2) or nitrogen (N2) inhalation, and a commercial negative pressure stunning system on behavioral and physiological responses of day-of-hatch male layer chicks, were evaluated in a field trial. Chick behaviors, including ataxia, loss of posture, convulsions, cessation of vocalization, and cessation of movement, were monitored. Serum hormones were assessed at the end of each of the alternative euthanasia treatments, including a control group allowed to breathe normal atmospheric air. The N2 method induced unconsciousness and death later than the CO2 and negative pressure methods, and increased serum corticosterone concentrations of neonatal chicks. Carbon dioxide inhalation increased serotonin concentrations as compared to controls, as well as the N2 and the negative pressure methods. The behavioral and physical responses observed in this study suggest that both CO2 inhalation and negative pressure stunning can be employed to humanely euthanize neonatal male layer chicks.

Well, to each their own.

But I doubt that a private chicken owner has the amenities that were used for this study.

 

[Katanahamon]

Well, to each their own.

But I doubt that a private chicken owner has the amenities that were used for this study.

Filling a container with CO2 and putting a chick or chicken in while still supplying the gas should not be difficult at all, provided you had access to a tank of CO2.

 

[Michigan Chicken]

I am mentioning the following in the interest of continuing educational info on this topic. I am not judging anyone as this is a very personal and difficult decision for each of us and everyone must decide their own way. Suffice it to say, as a clinician, I do not consider this method humane.
You know how your throat catches when you are near those fumes, and your eyes burn if it wafts toward your eyes? Now imagine being immersed in there. Unfortunately, ether is an irritant and all sensitive mucus membranes (eyes, nostrils, throat, lungs) will burn on exposure to a concentrated amount of this substance. It isn't like giving an anesthetic in there. Anesthetics are given with oxygen and in a controlled manner; the patient is not immersed in a chamber of concentrated noxious gas.
Are there worse ways to go, absolutely...but this is not as quick and painless as people may think. It takes a lot of thrashing around in a confined space, long minutes before induction of unconsciousness (compared to other anesthetics, the ethers are relatively slow), fear and pain for the bird in the interim before succumbing to hypoxia...it just doesn't seem like an easy death. In one study, several methods were compared for the euthanasia of chickens, and ether was ruled out as suitable because it takes so long and causes airway irritation. They discontinued the study when the birds were still conscious past 60 seconds. The fact that the bird thrashed around, had fluid coming from the mouth and evacuated her bowels indicate distress prior to collapse. It should also be noted that ether is extremely dangerous. It is highly flammable and a cloud of it will stay concentrated rather than easily disburse, so the risk is prolonged.
I hope this doesn't upset anyone; it is important that we are armed with all the knowledge possible when considering matters as sensitive as this. Again, no judgment; I applaud OP for wanting to do the very best for their poor hen. RIP sweet spirit. You were right to put her down btw and saved her so much pain and suffering due to her ruptured oviduct!

Euthanizing is a problem for those of us never taught to behead them or cut an artery. In the one case of a chicken years ago who had been cannibalized and was in severe pain, and I couldn't letvher suffer anymore, I drowned her. It was quick, and not nearly as bad as what she was suffering.

 

[Degalisto]

Oh waa waa waa.. Ether as irritant..I was knocked out with ether as a kid when I had my tonsils removed. Ok I did vomit after surgery but I don't remember anything wrong with my mucus membranes or eyes...just a sore throat!
We tried the ether method...well sort of. (we'll be eating this young rooster. )
It didn't work so well. I covered his nostrils with a rag soaked in ether. He just wasn't loosing consciousness. Even after a few minutes..he'd start to close his eyes then they'd pop open again.
Resorted to hanging him upside down and slitting his throat. Will try the broomstick or cervical separation method tomorrow morning when we dispatch another rooster. (4 is too many for our poor hens) Or maybe just decapitation?
I hate having them suffer so wasn't happy about this. Always an unpleasant chore. Was hoping I could at least put them to sleep before death!! Wish it could just be achieved magically!! LOL

 

[Snoopy11]

I truly hate to ping an old thread... but I tried the "starter fluid method" today on one of my girls who broke a leg.

After 30 minutes in the bucket... with lid... she was still alive... although virtually unconscious.

I will never use this method again.

Don

 

[rpape1]

Please take your pets to the vet and have them euthanised humanely with pentobarbital and anasthesia.

It absolutely shocks and disgusts me how many people are prepared to maim their hens with brooms, gas, knives and cervical dislocations (and the amount of failed attempts I see in this forum on a regular basis) just to save a few hundred bucks and likely less depending.

If you cannot afford to care for your animals and provide them with a humane exit, do not own them. I urge people to take responsibility and make sensible decisions, for themselves and their peace of mind, their family, as well as the poor hens in question.

Money comes and goes, but the trauma of a failed euthanasia, and the raw heart shattering experience of seeing your animal suffer at your hands will remain with you for a lifetime. It is worth the payment, I promise.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Please take your pets to the vet and have them euthanised humanely with pentobarbital and anasthesia.

It absolutely shocks and disgusts me how many people are prepared to maim their hens with brooms, gas, knives and cervical dislocations (and the amount of failed attempts I see in this forum on a regular basis) just to save a few hundred bucks and likely less depending.

If you cannot afford to care for your animals and provide them with a humane exit, do not own them. I urge people to take responsibility and make sensible decisions, for themselves and their peace of mind, their family, as well as the poor hens in question.

Money comes and goes, but the trauma of a failed euthanasia, and the raw heart shattering experience of seeing your animal suffer at your hands will remain with you for a lifetime. It is worth the payment, I promise.

A lot of times a Vet is not an option - period.

Just for **giggles** a couple of years ago, I called the vet clinics in my area, totalling to around 45 Licensed vets between the clinics. I asked if they could run a fecal float or if they treated poultry. I got laughed at, I got hung up on. Not ONE (1!) vet clinic would see poultry, this included *Avian* vets too.

So, it may shock and disgust you, but sometimes you have to pull up your Big Boy Britches or Big Girl Panties and get on with the task at hand.

For me, my face is usually the first human face that my hens and roosters see. My face is the last human face they will see too. They are used to me, they know me. Why on earth would I want to box them up, drive them to a stranger and put them through a terror they never have experienced before when I can, with love and compassion take care of them myself? It's not about money. Perhaps you're o.k. with strangers putting your much loved animals through that, but I'm not.