[clairerey]

Our chicken was attacked 2 months ago by a fox and she was getting better but we've had no good progression at all now for three weeks and she seems to have been attacked by one of the other chickens, which i hate to say i missed completely (i feel terrible for not noticing)
The decision has been made to dispatch her obv in the most humane way possible.
My partner will do this and has read the 'killing a chicken' section on here but i am unsure how easy this is to do, it sounds too easy. i am so worried that he will do it wrong and she will be in pain.
the vet has offered to put her down ut it will cost £80.... so help please
I know some on here have done this before, could you let me know please what would be best.
thanks claire

[orchardlady]

Claireray and welcome.
As you are a new member you haven't put where you are. If you are reasonably close to me I'm happy to help.

It is always sad when a chicken needs to be dispatched. You are fortunate that your partner is prepared to do the dreaded deed.

The best piece of advice I can offer is for him to resolve his mind to do the job as well and as swiftly as possible. If he gets it wrong he must also have the resolve to finish the job. He can put any mistakes down to inexperience but will have learn from it to so that if the occasion occurs again (which it will) he will be a step forward in experience.

Good luck.

Orchardlady.

PS
Try to do the job at dusk when the other hens have gone to bed. Make sure you do it out of sight and out of sound (although it is a quiet death) of the other birds. There will most probably be a great deal of flapping once it is done. This is just the nerve endings closing down. I view it as the soul leaving the body but that's just me. I tend to hold the bird tightly to my body to reduce the flapping.

[Carolf]

 I view it as the soul leaving the body but that's just me.

That made me smile and cry at the same time.

Claireray, you could not find a better place for help and advice. 

[NormandyMary]

My thoughts are with you as Im sure you must be going through hell at the moment. I agree that you are so lucky to have a partner that will do the deed for you, never in a million years would my husband put an animal to sleep, it would be down to me and Im as soft as butter. I dont even have my neighbour to do it anymore as he's moved!
I think though that your vet is a rip off merchant if he wants to charge you £80 just to put a chook down.
Anyway, as I said, I am thinking of you, and I wish you the very best of luck.
Big hugs to you and your OH from France.

Mary.

[Laraine]

If you decide you can't do it, ring another vet. We had a poorly chook and couldn't do the deed, our vet charged us £15.

[dinosaw]

So sorry to hear about your chicken. I carried out the deed on a very poorly hen earlier this summer following muntjacs advice in the killing a chicken article, she didn't struggle at all as she was so ill and died very quickly, three flaps of the wings after doing it and she was gone. Im not sure that moving the bird to a strange place to have stranger inject her wouldnt be a more stressful experience for the bird than your partner carrying it out. In short, to answer your question, it is physically very easy to do if you follow the advice in the article. Hope this helps

[clairerey]

Thanks all for your advice. At the moment i have totally chickened out (excuse the pun). It has to be done as she now has a hole in her back with a huge scab sticking out of it Although she seems totally well, except that she can't walk without flapping lots and hasnt layed since the attack. this is whats  is whats putting me off doing it  i think.
Even though it isnt me doing it i can't quite get the nerve up to tell him to go out and do it...
I live in Bristol or i'd have loved you forever Orchardlady
Will let you all know when i stop being such a soppy coward. Thanks all its good to know you are all here
claire xx

[storme37]

try overdosing it i met a woman that gets cat traquelizers from the vet fills up a syringe squirts it down hens neck they go to sleep never wake up, this is how i will do it

[clairerey]

Thanks but i can see me totally doing that wrong, not giving enough and having my poor chicken writhing in pain.My partner wants use his very sharp axe, as he doesnt trust himself to not get the dislocation thing wrong. I am currently looking online for the most humane ways of doing things.
xx

[Charlie's Chickens]

Have you looked at the website chickenvet.co.uk it shows linked chicken vets in bristol. I am lucky enough to live near their main office and they only charge £20 to put my chooks to sleep. Thing of you x

[clairerey]

excellent. thankyou

[Foghorn-Leghorn]

Hi, not an easy topic I know but I found the broom handle technique worked for us initially - I help my other half with the deed as I don't think it's fair he does it by himself.

We have ended up buying some humane dispatchers now as I feel more confident we're doing it right and not letting them suffer (we hatch egss and unfortunately the resultant boys do have to be dealt with).

I hope I don't come across as cold as I know just how hard it is to have to do this, especially when you come to regard them as pets, and members of the family in some cases but be proud of yourself in that you're doing the right thing and that's putting her welfare first.

Good luck with whichever option you go with.

[storme37]

how can u go wrong with the overdose if u get that wrong worst that happens is chook gets stoned and comes round after a sleep but from what i gather this works great.

[chickee]

A sad moment - if you live in the country you may have a farmer experienced in humane killing.

The other thought is the PDSA - they may be able to help or lastly, the British Hen Welfare Trust (www.bhwt.org.uk) may be able to give you advice of local vets specialising in poultry.

Good luck.

[orchardlady]

Hello again.

The axe method id fine but does come with some problems. Here are a few tips.

Use a small hand held axe that is used for making kindling wood (think American indian Tomahawk).

Ensure it is very sharp.

Make sure you have a suitable chopping block. Not onto concrete etc.

It is quite hard for a lone person to hold a hen on a chopping block, do the deed and ensure it's neck is exposed and still. To overcome this put a small noose of kitchen string around the birds neck, not so tight that it hurts the bird but not so loose that it can pull it's head through. Tie this to an old brick that is next to the block. Hold the bird with your free hand and then in one swift, sure and firm movement chop the head off. You will then be left with a flapping body. Either move away and don't look or quickly put the body in a bin bag that you have arranged open on the ground next to you before you started as there will be blood. Close the bag up quickly and walk away until all is still.

I hope this is not too graphic.

Orchardlady.