Poultry Talk Ontario (pto.ca)

Never used the broom handle method.
watched a few videos but interested in any tips.

YES I know there are other methods, & have tried a few.
I Need to learn how to "Humanely" use the broom.
We normally use the Axe method, I hold while he chops.
I need something that "I" personally can do when needed.

Thanx for any useful tips (*o*)

I used this method.
Usually for 12 week chicks and younger.
I can close my eyes as I do the deed.
This is the only way I can cull a bird. And I hate doing it!

You have to use a sharp blow to the back of the head, at the point where the head joins the neck, while holding the feet. The object is a clean dislocation of the head and neck and break of the spinal cord. Be prepared to knock the head off by accident. I have because I was so nervous to get it right. The bird will flap but this is the nerves all firing at once.You need a heavy wood piece of broom handle and need to find the right length of handle for you to give a comfortable clean blow. I hate doing this too but we had to use this method for Gamebirds like partridge and pheasant when I worked at the Game Conservancy. DO NOT under any circumstances use this on a turkey, the neck tendons are extremely strong and the skull is far too thick if you miss the clean dislocate.

like KB said, the aim is to sharply and quickly cervically dislocate the spine from the skull....i only use this for birds under the age of 12 weeks. it works very well if you have a failing to thrive chick too, any wooden dowel will work, for youngest chicks i use a carpentry pencil-one of the square ones. but you MUST do it quickly and not tentatively.

There are 2 ways-the blow method that KB is describing, and the other is to lay the bar across the back of the neck at the skull while the animal is on its front with the head down (laying on the floor etc). You simultaneously sharply push the dowel forward (away from the body) while giving a very sharp tug on the legs in the exactly opposite direction. You should be able to feel the dislocation happen. all the nerves will burst fire at once, but the animal will be euthanized extremely quickly. and yes, it is VERY possible to actually remove the head this way....

it is possible with extremely young turkey poults-up to about a week old, but after that you are better off using a different method for sure! and even adult chickens i would not use this method. I had to once with a girl that was gravely injured after an attack, and it takes a LOT of force to do properly.

Can't do the blow to the head. My eye will be closed.
I lay the chicken on the ground. Place broom handle correctly at base of head.
Step on both sides of the handle. Reach and grab the chickens feet and firmly pull up on feet. ( I do this very quickly)
( this is where I close my eyes)
The first few times I had pulled off the head completely. ( didn't have to pull quite as high as I did).

Larger birds.....I get my husband to chop.

THANX everyone, I read your posts before I was able to "JUST DO IT" this morning.
Waited for DH to leave for work & looked in the workshop for something suitable.
( on the web some folks showed using a long screw driver, pipe etc )

I found this solid metal pipe about 18 inches long.( girth of a baby finger )
A hole was drilled thru 1 end & a large spike nail had been hammered into it.
I "practiced" on a few things til I was comfortable with the method.
DH's tool allowed me to step on the spike end to lift the opposite end slightly.

I cooed to the bird, held it upside down til she was calm.
Laid her chest down on the pavement & placed the bar over her neck.
With the bar slightly raised I was able to position her head correctly.
She was calm, & I Quickly did the deed.
I felt the dislocation but didn't want to chance injury so I kept pulling.
A bit messy but it was a quick end for her.

<< when I mentioned to DH she "might" have to be put down, he said >>
" did you try this/ can you buy meds/ give her watermelon/ maybe she's being picked on etc"
She had been in my sew room for almost 2 wks, another wk in a cage with her mates,
til she finally wouldn't get up...& yesterday she wouldn't eat.
It was time, no more excuses, no more attempts, "JUST DO IT"!!!!

My stomach was in knots before I did it, now I am Calm.
Guess I've moved on to the next chapter...being able to kill a bird when "I" think it's time.
BIG BIG Thanx for your tips ~ it really helped

You did the right thing. I have a DH like that. I make him leave before anything is done because it upsets me more too.

PP.... we all have the same feelings for our birds and doing the deed is something none of us look forward to but having our birds suffer is not something we can tolerate either. i also get the sick feeling in the gut and the nervousness of doing it wrong but i know we all share your feeling of "CALM" after the fact knowing we did the right thing.. Very proud of you
Sue

It's a very hard thing to do especially first time, you did the right thing and you did great. My husband is like that also, I've had gimpy birds in the house for weeks and months at a time while he hand-fed, built prosthetics, whatever. Now I have a firm 4 day rule--no improvement in 4 days, I wait until Richard is gone and take the bird to the happy bug hunting grounds. I have a rooster in the house right now that's hurt his back and is on day 3. He cannot get up for more than a second, and Richard was talking last night about building him a sling on wheels...*sigh*