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How do you humanely put a chicken to sleep?

Decapitation. Decapitation is an effective, humane method of dispatching a suffering animal. It is not instantaneous, but very quick, with unconsciousness usually occurring within 15-20 seconds. Unconsciousness occurs when the head is removed, and the Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF) escapes from the cut spinal cord.

What is the fastest way to kill a chicken humanely?

Take a very sharp knife. You can either have someone hold the chicken upside down, pinning her wings, or use a kill cone. Slice the knife across her throat directly under the chin on either side of her larynx. Make one cut parallel to her jaw bone on each side.

How do you kill a chicken instantly?

Place the pole over the bird’s neck, close to the skull. As soon as you are ready to pull, place a foot either side of the head to pin the bird to the ground and pull directly firmly and steadily upwards until the neck is dislocated. Again, feel for the gap between skull and end of the neck, to ensure it is broken.

How do you put a sick chicken down?

The best method is cervical dislocation, which is stretching its neck to break the spine and spinal cord. Done properly, this results in immediate death. Hold both feet tightly with one hand.

Can you give a chicken Benadryl?

Poultry-growing literature has recommended Benadryl to reduce anxiety among chickens, apparently because stressed chickens have tougher meat and grow more slowly. Tylenol and Prozac presumably serve the same purpose. Researchers found that most feather-meal samples contained caffeine.

Will baking soda kill chickens?

While the flour and baking soda particulates won’t hurt your flock, it’s still a good idea to allow the dust from your all natural coop refresher to settle (so to speak) before allowing your hens back into the coop.

Will antifreeze kill chickens?

Bleach, gasoline, oils, antifreeze should all be contained within a cupboard or placed out of reach for your hens. Livestock medicines are potentially deadly to hens if they can access an open container. They are inquisitive creatures and will investigate almost anything, so be sure to close all containers tightly.

How do you kill a bird humanely?

Place the back of the birds head in the crook between you thumb and fingers and hold firmly. Pull the neck sharply downwards, bringing the neck backwards at the same time by twisting your hand and to push your knuckles into the bird’s back. The bird may still flap a lot for some time when dead.

How do you euthanize a chicken with carbon dioxide?

To perform this: Gather a container capable of being sealed properly. Put peroxide or vinegar and baking soda mixed together in the container, and put the chicken inside. Close the lid, and in a few minutes the chicken will have passed. This produces carbon dioxide, which is important to not inhale yourself.

Do chickens feel pain when their head is cut off?

At this stage in the game it’s improbable that the bird is actually feeling any pain since its somatosensory cortex (the part of the brain responsible for sense of touch) is likely severed ”“ if you bleed it out properly and cut in all the right places, the chicken should die in a rapid and humane way.

Should I put down my chicken?

Signs of when humane euthanasia is necessary are normally when your chicken has lost interest in food, seems to be in pain, has lost weight and seems unhealthy, and when it seems to be fading away in pain. This is when you know that your biddy needs you to make the right decision.

Can a chicken have ibuprofen?

in chickens. Ibuprofen is generally recognized to be a safe drug with a wide margin of safety. The most common clinical signs of toxicity are associated with the gastrointestinal system (Scherkl & Frey. 1987: Beasley et al..

Can chicken feel pain?

Chickens have pain receptors that give them the ability to feel pain and distress. Put yourself in the shoes (or the feathers) of a battery hen—or 452 million of them, which is how many are used for their eggs each year. 7. Hens defend their young from predators.

How long does it take for a chicken to suffocate?

Within 30 to 40 minutes, the birds suffocate and die from heat stress. “It’s something we do not do lightly and we want to make sure all other options are exhausted,” said Dr. T.J.

How do you euthanize a chicken with carbon dioxide?

Why do chickens put their head under their wing?

That tells me she’s cold (and it had just snowed, which doesn’t happen here very often). When a chicken puffed up and tucks in like that, they’re trying to stay warm. The act of ‘puffing’ their feathers out helps trap air in their feathers, which helps insulate them and keep them warmer.

how to CULL a sick chicken

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How to Humanely Euthanize a Chicken

Most of us spend a great deal of time preparing for the arrival of our first chickens, but few of us give much thought to how we would handle serious injuries, illnesses and end-of-life decisions until they are upon us, but there inevitably comes a time in every flock when a sick or injured bird will need to be euthanized. Most vets, even if they do not ordinarily treat chickens, will euthanize a sick or injured bird. Find out whether a vet nearby is willing to perform this service in advance of needing the help. If you do not have a vet who can assist you with helping your pet chicken cross over, you should know how to humanely euthanize a chicken when the need arises.

The information that follows was written by Dr. Mike Petrik, also known as Mike, The Chicken Vet, who is a doctor of veterinary medicine with a masters degree in animal welfare. There is no one more qualified to guide backyard chicken keepers through this difficult subject and I am grateful for his thoughtfulness and sensitive treatment of such a difficult topic for our benefit.

Dr. Mike Petrik, DVM, MSc

“This is a post I have been wanting to write for a long time, but hesitant to take on. I have done a lot of work with the professional poultry producers in the past couple years, teaching the best euthanasia techniques and procedures. It is possibly the biggest contribution I will make in my career to animal welfare. I believe that it is part of the responsibility of any animal owner to reduce the suffering of any animal in their care, and euthanasia is an important part of that. I have also been asked by many of you for advice, and have seen a lot of questionable things floating around on the internet.

One thing I will never do is tell an owner when it is appropriate to euthanize. You need to make that decision based on your values, ethics and experience. I have my opinion of whether it is humane to try to set a broken leg on a chicken and try to get her to recover. You have your opinion. Both of our opinions are based on how we compute pain endured versus the value of extending a life. As long as we both consider the situation and make the decision based on the welfare of the animal, we are both right. Of course, we are both wrong as well. Nobody, regardless of experience, ever euthanizes at the perfect time….we do our best and have to live with the decisions.

Euthanasia definitely does not have to be a “do it yourself” process. Veterinarians will euthanize birds in most cases….often they do not feel comfortable diagnosing or treating, but will still perform this important service. If the cost, distance or circumstances preclude you using a vet’s services, I would far rather see you do the job properly yourself than botch something as important and emotional as this.

Now, some general information about euthanasia. I consider these facts and have spent a lot of time and study convincing myself of these truths:

Euthanasia is an effective tool in improving the welfare of an individual or group of animals.

Euthanasia is more often performed too late, rather than too early. More birds suffer needlessly because their keepers aren’t willing to perform the job than suffer a needless early death.

Euthanasia is NOT about making a bird dead. The crucial part is making the bird unconscious quickly. I can soak a bird in kerosene, and light it on fire…..it will always end up dead, but this is not euthanasia. Once a bird cannot feel pain or fear, the method used to kill the body is almost irrelevant, for the bird’s welfare.The “appetizing” factor in any method of euthanasia is not relevant to the bird’s welfare. If the bird bleeds, or goes through convulsions, or the act looks violent, the method may still be very humane. The “yuck” factor is an important component of the effect on the “doer,” and this is something to take into consideration, but doesn’t necessarily affect the well-being of the bird.

end up dead, but this is euthanasia. Once a bird cannot feel pain or fear, the method used to kill the body is almost irrelevant, for the bird’s welfare.The “appetizing” factor in any method of euthanasia is not relevant to the bird’s welfare. If the bird bleeds, or goes through convulsions, or the act looks violent, the method may still be very humane. The “yuck” factor is an important component of the effect on the “doer,” and this is something to take into consideration, but doesn’t necessarily affect the well-being of the bird. Treating an animal with respect will always result in better welfare for both the animal and yourself. If you are doing the best technique you can, and making decisions based on what is best for the bird, you can feel good about what you do.

With these truths in mind, I am going to describe two methods of euthanasia for backyard poultry keepers to consider. They should be appropriate for the vast majority of people who raise chickens on a small scale. I will describe them in gory detail, and will tell you how they work and why they are humane. There are other methods that are humane….I have chosen the most accessible methods that I think will be most useful for small flock owners. If you are squeamish, you may want to stop reading now.

CERVICAL DISLOCATION

Cervical dislocation is humane, if done properly. The benefits of this method are that it can be done immediately after identifying that a bird should be euthanized and needs no tools. It causes unconsciousness in around 40 seconds after being applied and is very repeatable …that is, it works every time it is done properly. The way cervical dislocation causes unconsciousness is by stretching the neck, dislocating the joint at the base of the skull. This causes the spinal cord (which is very elastic) to snap and the resulting recoil causes brain damage and unconsciousness through concussion. It causes death by breaking the blood vessels (carotid arteries and jugular veins) so that the brain runs out of oxygen.

Cervical dislocation is not effective if the dislocation occurs far down the neck, if the neck isn’t stretched lengthwise (“breaking the neck” doesn’t make the bird unconscious….it will die, after several minutes), or if bones are crushed in the process. Spinning the bird (referred to sometimes as the “helicopter” method) is unacceptable, and the “broomstick” method is questionable, depending on technique….if you put too much weight on the broomstick, or stand on it too long, you are causing unnecessary pain and discomfort.

The technique that works best, and is recommended by veterinarians and welfare associations is as follows:

Hold the bird by the legs, tight to your body.

Grasp the bird by the head, either between the two fingers of the dominant hand, or by the thumb and first finger around the neck.

Tilt the bird’s head well back, so it points towards the tail of the bird (this position aligns the joints so that it is much easier to dislocate the head from the neck).

Firmly push the head away from your body until you feel the head separate (you will definitely feel the joint let go). Pinch just behind the head to ensure that the head has separated from the neck. You will feel a definite gap, and it will feel like there are 2 layers of skin between your fingers. The bird will convulse and go into spasms….this is normal, and results from the loss of central control over the muscles. The movements do NOT mean the bird is conscious or suffering. Always ensure that the euthanasia has been effective by monitoring the bird until after convulsions stop and you can observe lack of breathing and that you cannot hear a heartbeat, either by listening to the chest with a stethoscope (if you have one), or by placing your ear against the birds chest.

Decapitation

Decapitation is an effective, humane method of dispatching a suffering animal. It is not instantaneous, but very quick, with unconsciousness usually occurring within 15-20 seconds. Unconsciousness occurs when the head is removed, and the Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF) escapes from the cut spinal cord. CSF is a fluid that acts to keep the brain and spinal cord “floating” inside the skull and spine…..by letting this escape, the brain will come in contact with the skull, causing concussion and unconsciousness.

Obviously, death will follow because of loss of blood flow to the brain. An important factor in this method is that the head must be completely removed. Cutting the major vessels and bleeding the bird out is not humane. Yes….the backyard slaughter method used by many small flock owners is NOT acceptable. If you cut all the blood vessels in the neck, the bird will stay conscious until the oxygen in the brain runs out…..3-4 minutes later. It is called exsanguination (or “bleeding”), and is identified as an unacceptable method of killing a bird by the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association). If you want to bleed a bird, (ie: for slaughter) you must make it unconscious first.

Other things to consider when euthanizing via decapitation are that the blades used must be sharp and the head must be removed in one cut. The blade, or the scissors must be large enough that one motion completely removes the head. Scissors are helpful as they improve human safety. Axes and knives work very well, but you must be careful! A stump with 2 nails driven in about an inch apart is a good way to hold the head safely, and cutting cones are very helpful to hold the bird still and keep your fingers away from the blade.

There are other humane methods that can be used, but for various reasons, I don’t think are valuable to describe here. Blunt force trauma is very difficult to do properly, and emotionally disturbing for the person delivering the blow…..the odds of mis-hitting among people who rarely do it are too high for me to recommend it to you. But, in the hands of an experienced, effective operator, this method is extremely humane, despite the violence of the act. Carbon Dioxide gas, captive bolt devices, Low Atmospheric stunning, and electrocution are all humane, and you may hear of them, but need far too much equipment, are often too dangerous and need a lot of training to be done right. Any of these methods, done incorrectly, are inhumane.

Remember….euthanasia is not about making the bird die….it is about how they get there. I’ve heard of backyard poultry people drowning birds, poisoning them, freezing them and other methods that are not humane. I choose to believe that they didn’t know of better methods, and hope this article helps.

One last point. Consider what your bird is going through as you are deciding when to euthanize. Remember that chickens hide pain, even severe pain, very well. It’s important to realize that it takes a lot of discomfort for a bird to stop eating and act sick….hunched up in a corner of a coop. Very often, I feel that more suffering is caused by waiting too long to euthanize than even by people who euthanize incorrectly. It is part of your responsibility as an owner to care for your birds, and if her situation is painful and seems hopeless, it is time to start seriously considering euthanasia.”

~Mike, The Chicken Vet

Dr. Petrik graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1998 and began working as a mixed large animal veterinarian until 2000 when he began working as a laying hen veterinarian, a position he has held ever since. In 2013, he graduated from the University of Guelph with his Master of Science degree in Animal Welfare. Dr. Petrik has worked on the scientific committee for both the Canadian meat bird and Canadian laying hens Codes of Practice.Dr. Petrik grew up on a professional poultry farm with laying hens, broiler chickens, turkeys and layer pullets where he gained an appreciation of the day-to-day care of the birds and an understanding of how things work, or don’t, in the real world. His family also raised pigs, beef cattle, and standard-bred race horses. In addition to his full time work as a poultry veterinarian, he plays hockey, teaches SCUBA diving, plays guitar, runs in obstacle races and has “2 awesome kids” that take up the rest of his spare time.

Follow Dr. Petrik on his blog, Mike, The Chicken Vet!

How to Humanely Euthanize a Chicken

Most of us spend a great deal of time preparing for the arrival of our first chickens, but few of us give much thought to how we would handle serious injuries, illnesses and end-of-life decisions until they are upon us, but there inevitably comes a time in every flock when a sick or injured bird will need to be euthanized. Most vets, even if they do not ordinarily treat chickens, will euthanize a sick or injured bird. Find out whether a vet nearby is willing to perform this service in advance of needing the help. If you do not have a vet who can assist you with helping your pet chicken cross over, you should know how to humanely euthanize a chicken when the need arises.

The information that follows was written by Dr. Mike Petrik, also known as Mike, The Chicken Vet, who is a doctor of veterinary medicine with a masters degree in animal welfare. There is no one more qualified to guide backyard chicken keepers through this difficult subject and I am grateful for his thoughtfulness and sensitive treatment of such a difficult topic for our benefit.

Dr. Mike Petrik, DVM, MSc

“This is a post I have been wanting to write for a long time, but hesitant to take on. I have done a lot of work with the professional poultry producers in the past couple years, teaching the best euthanasia techniques and procedures. It is possibly the biggest contribution I will make in my career to animal welfare. I believe that it is part of the responsibility of any animal owner to reduce the suffering of any animal in their care, and euthanasia is an important part of that. I have also been asked by many of you for advice, and have seen a lot of questionable things floating around on the internet.

One thing I will never do is tell an owner when it is appropriate to euthanize. You need to make that decision based on your values, ethics and experience. I have my opinion of whether it is humane to try to set a broken leg on a chicken and try to get her to recover. You have your opinion. Both of our opinions are based on how we compute pain endured versus the value of extending a life. As long as we both consider the situation and make the decision based on the welfare of the animal, we are both right. Of course, we are both wrong as well. Nobody, regardless of experience, ever euthanizes at the perfect time….we do our best and have to live with the decisions.

Euthanasia definitely does not have to be a “do it yourself” process. Veterinarians will euthanize birds in most cases….often they do not feel comfortable diagnosing or treating, but will still perform this important service. If the cost, distance or circumstances preclude you using a vet’s services, I would far rather see you do the job properly yourself than botch something as important and emotional as this.

Now, some general information about euthanasia. I consider these facts and have spent a lot of time and study convincing myself of these truths:

Euthanasia is an effective tool in improving the welfare of an individual or group of animals.

Euthanasia is more often performed too late, rather than too early. More birds suffer needlessly because their keepers aren’t willing to perform the job than suffer a needless early death.

Euthanasia is NOT about making a bird dead. The crucial part is making the bird unconscious quickly. I can soak a bird in kerosene, and light it on fire…..it will always end up dead, but this is not euthanasia. Once a bird cannot feel pain or fear, the method used to kill the body is almost irrelevant, for the bird’s welfare.The “appetizing” factor in any method of euthanasia is not relevant to the bird’s welfare. If the bird bleeds, or goes through convulsions, or the act looks violent, the method may still be very humane. The “yuck” factor is an important component of the effect on the “doer,” and this is something to take into consideration, but doesn’t necessarily affect the well-being of the bird.

end up dead, but this is euthanasia. Once a bird cannot feel pain or fear, the method used to kill the body is almost irrelevant, for the bird’s welfare.The “appetizing” factor in any method of euthanasia is not relevant to the bird’s welfare. If the bird bleeds, or goes through convulsions, or the act looks violent, the method may still be very humane. The “yuck” factor is an important component of the effect on the “doer,” and this is something to take into consideration, but doesn’t necessarily affect the well-being of the bird. Treating an animal with respect will always result in better welfare for both the animal and yourself. If you are doing the best technique you can, and making decisions based on what is best for the bird, you can feel good about what you do.

With these truths in mind, I am going to describe two methods of euthanasia for backyard poultry keepers to consider. They should be appropriate for the vast majority of people who raise chickens on a small scale. I will describe them in gory detail, and will tell you how they work and why they are humane. There are other methods that are humane….I have chosen the most accessible methods that I think will be most useful for small flock owners. If you are squeamish, you may want to stop reading now.

CERVICAL DISLOCATION

Cervical dislocation is humane, if done properly. The benefits of this method are that it can be done immediately after identifying that a bird should be euthanized and needs no tools. It causes unconsciousness in around 40 seconds after being applied and is very repeatable …that is, it works every time it is done properly. The way cervical dislocation causes unconsciousness is by stretching the neck, dislocating the joint at the base of the skull. This causes the spinal cord (which is very elastic) to snap and the resulting recoil causes brain damage and unconsciousness through concussion. It causes death by breaking the blood vessels (carotid arteries and jugular veins) so that the brain runs out of oxygen.

Cervical dislocation is not effective if the dislocation occurs far down the neck, if the neck isn’t stretched lengthwise (“breaking the neck” doesn’t make the bird unconscious….it will die, after several minutes), or if bones are crushed in the process. Spinning the bird (referred to sometimes as the “helicopter” method) is unacceptable, and the “broomstick” method is questionable, depending on technique….if you put too much weight on the broomstick, or stand on it too long, you are causing unnecessary pain and discomfort.

The technique that works best, and is recommended by veterinarians and welfare associations is as follows:

Hold the bird by the legs, tight to your body.

Grasp the bird by the head, either between the two fingers of the dominant hand, or by the thumb and first finger around the neck.

Tilt the bird’s head well back, so it points towards the tail of the bird (this position aligns the joints so that it is much easier to dislocate the head from the neck).

Firmly push the head away from your body until you feel the head separate (you will definitely feel the joint let go). Pinch just behind the head to ensure that the head has separated from the neck. You will feel a definite gap, and it will feel like there are 2 layers of skin between your fingers. The bird will convulse and go into spasms….this is normal, and results from the loss of central control over the muscles. The movements do NOT mean the bird is conscious or suffering. Always ensure that the euthanasia has been effective by monitoring the bird until after convulsions stop and you can observe lack of breathing and that you cannot hear a heartbeat, either by listening to the chest with a stethoscope (if you have one), or by placing your ear against the birds chest.

Decapitation

Decapitation is an effective, humane method of dispatching a suffering animal. It is not instantaneous, but very quick, with unconsciousness usually occurring within 15-20 seconds. Unconsciousness occurs when the head is removed, and the Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF) escapes from the cut spinal cord. CSF is a fluid that acts to keep the brain and spinal cord “floating” inside the skull and spine…..by letting this escape, the brain will come in contact with the skull, causing concussion and unconsciousness.

Obviously, death will follow because of loss of blood flow to the brain. An important factor in this method is that the head must be completely removed. Cutting the major vessels and bleeding the bird out is not humane. Yes….the backyard slaughter method used by many small flock owners is NOT acceptable. If you cut all the blood vessels in the neck, the bird will stay conscious until the oxygen in the brain runs out…..3-4 minutes later. It is called exsanguination (or “bleeding”), and is identified as an unacceptable method of killing a bird by the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association). If you want to bleed a bird, (ie: for slaughter) you must make it unconscious first.

Other things to consider when euthanizing via decapitation are that the blades used must be sharp and the head must be removed in one cut. The blade, or the scissors must be large enough that one motion completely removes the head. Scissors are helpful as they improve human safety. Axes and knives work very well, but you must be careful! A stump with 2 nails driven in about an inch apart is a good way to hold the head safely, and cutting cones are very helpful to hold the bird still and keep your fingers away from the blade.

There are other humane methods that can be used, but for various reasons, I don’t think are valuable to describe here. Blunt force trauma is very difficult to do properly, and emotionally disturbing for the person delivering the blow…..the odds of mis-hitting among people who rarely do it are too high for me to recommend it to you. But, in the hands of an experienced, effective operator, this method is extremely humane, despite the violence of the act. Carbon Dioxide gas, captive bolt devices, Low Atmospheric stunning, and electrocution are all humane, and you may hear of them, but need far too much equipment, are often too dangerous and need a lot of training to be done right. Any of these methods, done incorrectly, are inhumane.

Remember….euthanasia is not about making the bird die….it is about how they get there. I’ve heard of backyard poultry people drowning birds, poisoning them, freezing them and other methods that are not humane. I choose to believe that they didn’t know of better methods, and hope this article helps.

One last point. Consider what your bird is going through as you are deciding when to euthanize. Remember that chickens hide pain, even severe pain, very well. It’s important to realize that it takes a lot of discomfort for a bird to stop eating and act sick….hunched up in a corner of a coop. Very often, I feel that more suffering is caused by waiting too long to euthanize than even by people who euthanize incorrectly. It is part of your responsibility as an owner to care for your birds, and if her situation is painful and seems hopeless, it is time to start seriously considering euthanasia.”

~Mike, The Chicken Vet

Dr. Petrik graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1998 and began working as a mixed large animal veterinarian until 2000 when he began working as a laying hen veterinarian, a position he has held ever since. In 2013, he graduated from the University of Guelph with his Master of Science degree in Animal Welfare. Dr. Petrik has worked on the scientific committee for both the Canadian meat bird and Canadian laying hens Codes of Practice.Dr. Petrik grew up on a professional poultry farm with laying hens, broiler chickens, turkeys and layer pullets where he gained an appreciation of the day-to-day care of the birds and an understanding of how things work, or don’t, in the real world. His family also raised pigs, beef cattle, and standard-bred race horses. In addition to his full time work as a poultry veterinarian, he plays hockey, teaches SCUBA diving, plays guitar, runs in obstacle races and has “2 awesome kids” that take up the rest of his spare time.

Follow Dr. Petrik on his blog, Mike, The Chicken Vet!

How To Humanely Kill A Chicken • Insteading

People learn to kill chickens for many reasons. As interest in local and ethical food increases, many meat-eaters have challenged themselves to raise and slaughter their own meat.

People who keep backyard chickens for eggs often kill older chickens when they have passed their prime laying age. Even people who keep chickens as pets may find themselves needing to kill a sick or injured chicken as a humane measure.

Related Post: How Long Do Chickens Live?

Regardless of your reasons, you may come to a time when they need to slaughter one or more of your chickens.

It can be overwhelming and emotional to be faced with killing an animal for the first time. Here is a straight-forward guide that will explain how to slaughter a chicken humanely and eviscerate it cleanly.

⚠️Content warning: This article contains frank and graphic discussion of killing and gutting chickens. Video links, which are clearly marked, also contain graphic images of killing chickens. Read responsibly.

Slaughter Methods

Killing a chicken is straightforward compared to other animals. There are three common methods that don’t involve special equipment: the slice, the chop, and the twist.

The Slice

The slice is my personal preference.

Take a very sharp knife. You can either have someone hold the chicken upside down, pinning her wings, or use a kill cone.

Slice the knife across her throat directly under the chin on either side of her larynx. Make one cut parallel to her jaw bone on each side. This slices the arteries rather than the trachea.

If you cut straight across the center of the throat, you have to go deeper with the knife, which will kill her more slowly and cause more pain.

How Sharp Is A Sharp Knife?

Very sharp. The sharpest knife you’ve ever handled. When you are killing an animal, the sharper the blade, the more painless and humane the death. A knife sharp enough to kill with should have an edge that drags at your skin like raw silk when you put the ball of your thumb against the edge.

If your finger slides easily, without cutting you, it is too dull. The knife blade should be trying to slice your flesh with the barest pressure, and it will feel rough or “sticky” like the very fine spikes on a burr. Always sharpen your knife between every couple of kills.

The Chop

The chop is possibly the easiest for beginners, but not the cleanest.

Take a sharp ax or hatchet—sharp! Not as sharp as the knife, but don’t cut your firewood with it before using it on a chicken.

Have someone else hold the chicken upside down to calm it, and then quickly lay its head on a chopping block and swing. Don’t wimp out on this. The stronger the swing, the more humane. Blood is going to go everywhere, but that’s the name of the game.

The Twist

My dad describes killing chickens on his grandparents’ farm by grabbing the chicken by the head and swing it around in circles, as big as you can, until you hear a crack, or until the head disconnects from the body.

That is a variation on the twist, using the hands, or some kind of leverage, to snap the chicken’s neck. Some people would argue that the twist is a humane option if done correctly, but it requires precision, skill and follow through.

***We do not recommend this method, especially for first timers.***

You can hurt the animal unless you can make the twist with strength and without hesitation. I have never tried it and I doubt I ever will. I am too scared that I would get halfway through and, ahem, chicken out.

Death And Clean-Up

No matter how you kill a chicken, it will twitch and convulse strongly, and continue for thirty seconds to a minute. This can be scary and unexpected, but know that it is normal.

I watch a chicken’s eyes for a sense of when it is dead—the lids go limp, even if they spasm open again later, and the pupils stop moving. When in doubt, cut again, deeper and harder. The faster you can do it, the more humane.

If you are raising chickens for meat, or killing laying hens, troublesome roosters, or other healthy birds, you can choose to gut and eat them. See the next section for instructions. However, if you have killed a chicken because it is sick, or if you have reason to believe the chicken is infected in any way, do not eat that chicken. Bury or compost it, and clean your slaughter equipment.

Processing For Food

Once a chicken is dead, you have a second task—processing the chicken so it can be cooked.

Removing The Feathers

First, you scald the chicken to make the feathers easier to pluck. Use a pot of water at 140 degrees F. Too hot and the chicken will start to cook. Too cool, and the feathers won’t become loose.Dunk the chicken for about 15 to 20 seconds and remove. The feathers should come off easily in handfuls.

You can pluck a scalded chicken by hand or in a mechanized chicken plucker, like the one shown in this video.

Eviscerating The Body

Have two buckets ready—an offal bucket for waste and a clean bucket for edible organs. Of the organs, you can save the heart, liver, gizzard, and testicles of an adult rooster. Male birds killed at the usual age of meat birds have not developed testicles yet, but if you are killing an older rooster you will find sizable testicles that have a mild flavor and spongy texture.

Once the chicken is defeathered, use your knife to remove the chicken’s head, if your slaughter method didn’t do that already. Then start the evisceration at the cloaca, with another sharp knife.

Cut in a circle around the opening of the cloaca and tie the end of the intestines to prevent feces coming out as you pull. Gently pull the guts out, using your fingers or a knife to carefully separate the membranes attaching them to the body cavity.

After the guts, you take out the other organs. Most come out easily, although sometimes you have to scrape the deflated lungs off the rib cage.

The next two steps are important, but easy to forget. First, you must remove the oil gland or sac at the base of the tail, which produces a smelly, sticky grease. It is an unpleasant surprise to accidentally puncture that sac on a cooked chicken, so cut it out with your knife while gutting.

The second thing to remember, and what I find to be the most technically challenging part of gutting a chicken, is to remove the crop. The crop is a small, nubby part of the esophagus above the gizzard which stores food. It is the last thing you pull out of a chicken.

This doesn’t require any technical skill, you just have to get a grip on the esophagus, which is slippery, and pull hard. Some people remove it from the top of the neck. I was taught to remove it from the bottom, after the other organs have been removed.

The final step is to remove the chicken’s feet, which cut off easily at the knee muscle. The scaly skin peels off the feet, leaving them clean and ready to cook.

Chicken Slaughtering Laws

Many cities have regulations on how many chickens you can keep in how much space, and whether you can have roosters, but most cities have no laws at all on slaughter. There is a growing recognition that urban centers need to address some of the complex issues of all kinds related to urban agriculture, including slaughter. Laws have not caught up to the reality of urban homesteading, so you are not in violation of the law killing backyard chickens.

Related Post: Best Chicken Breeds For City Living

If you live in a rural area, your zoning may expressly prohibit or expressly allow the building of a slaughterhouse, but almost certainly allows killing household chickens as an “agricultural use” either primarily or conditionally. Don’t be worried if your zoning prohibits slaughterhouses—there is a clear distinction.

In some US states it is legal to sell home-butchered chickens fresh off the farm on day of slaughter, but nowhere is it legal to butcher chickens at home for resale elsewhere. That requires further licensing that varies state by state. Check with your local extension office before selling any home-raised meat.

Getting Support

Killing an animal for the first time is an intense and sometimes scary experience. Learn from an experienced mentor, or find a good educational resource.

Ask around in your farm and homestead community to see if anyone has experience, or call your local extension office. Some extension offices also offer chicken slaughter equipment, like cones and a plucker, for daily rental. Farms or community groups sometimes offer workshops on chicken killing that give you hands-on experience and a chance to meet other chicken raisers.

Videos can walk you through every step of the process. This video demonstrates slaughter using the chop and has a helpful step-by-step on evisceration. Here is a video that demonstrates the slice with the cone.

The bottom line is this: Take steps to make yourself feel safe and comfortable with the process, whether that means learning from an expert or marathoning YouTube videos. Being calm and confident will make a cleaner, more humane slaughter, and an easier evisceration.

I personally find killing chickens to be an unpleasant but profoundly important experience which reminds me to be grateful for everything I eat, and meat especially.

However, slaughtering animals is not for everyone. Be honest with yourself about your boundaries and ask for help when you need it.

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