Errol

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podstable

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--- I have just had to dispatch my lovely (favourite) mature cockerel Errol as clearly very unwell and suffering with no obvious cause . The thing I have always dreaded happened - I found it too physically difficult to get done quickly and efficiently - his neck was too tough for me to do the the deed in one quick go . Is this just that I have never had to dispatch a fairly chunky/strong cockerel before? Are they a lot harder? I have already ordered myself a pair of dispatchers as I am not having that happen again. Ros :cry:
 
Oh Ros,I am so sorry :cry: .
I haven't used a humane dispatcher,in other posts,Tim I think, has mentioned that they are not as good as breaking a birds neck yourself.I think they crush rather than break.But,it may very well be quicker if dispatching a bird with a strong neck,that you physically can't dispatch quickly enough.
I suspect it was a mixture of two things,Errol haing a stronger neck and you not really wanting to dispatch him.
Personally,rather than use a humane dispatcher,I would use a broom handle.Same as if dispatching a duck/goose.Put the handle accross their neck,hold it in place with your feet either side of the neck,and pull the bird upwards sharply,breaking the neck vertabrae.
This is a case though as do what I say-not what I do.I'd get someone else to dispatch mine for me,I know I couldn't do it effectively.I could to someone elses birds,but not mine.
 
Thanks Lydia it was horrid , I used the broomstick (in my case garden hoe ) but just didnt manage the job 1st go.Having only done frail , ill or old smallish hens/youngsters before I probably should have thought about it more and worked out that it was likely to be physically a lot harder . Its just the one thing I never wanted to do -mess it up. I have now lost confidence about it and will have to take myself off to the chicken farm and see if the lovely old boy there will stand by me while I do a few to get it back!Ros
 
Thanks GR--i think its one of those things we all have to learn to cope with-doesnt make it any easier! Ros
 
So sorry to hear about Errol.
I completely agree with Lydia. Think you're so brave to try. It's always so much more difficult when it's a favourite.
X Hippie Chick
 
Sorry to hear about Errol :cry:

It must've been an awful thing to do. My Rambant is a little swine of a cockeral but I'd be lost without him

Osric
 
At the end of the day Ros,it upset you,but I really don't believe that Errol suffered a lot.Sometimes,when an animal dies,there is twitching of their nervous system,which in our horror we think they are struggling and suffering,when they are not.
I'm basing this on seeing my 1st ex-batt(favourite)die.I can only describe it as reminding me of a fit,convulsions.I rushed to her and picked her up.
She died from being 'worn out',and maybe I can't describe it as peacefull,but the seconds it lasts, I honestly don't believe it stresses the birds.
I suspect you're playing it over and over in your mind,and making it seem more horrific to you than it really was.Take comfort from the fact you gave Errol a longer and happier life than a lot of cockerels get.Errol is at Rainbow Bridge,happy,scratching around with other chooks.He knows you always did the best for him,right up to the end.
I've dispatched rabbits,I can break a rabbits neck quickly,although it upsets me.I would wimp out dispatching one of my chooks,although taking it anywhere else for the final deed,i.e. a vets would be more stressfull for it.
You're being positive,treating this as a learning curve,and,your experience will help the rest of us.
 
Hi Ros
I am sorry its horrible when you have to kill one of your favourites. I find the larger the bird the harder they are to get rid of. I use a round piece of wood for the larger birds, but I still shake after the deed has been done even now.
We are all thinking of you. Take care
Sue
 
Oh poor you Ros, At least you were doing your best- you could have left him as he was to suffer which would have been far worse so don't feel too bad. I get my dearest OH to dispatch any birds which are poorly or not thriving at the moment- I like to think I'll be able to do it when I have to though!
 
Hi Ros,

... it doesn't become much easier for me, just a necessity sometimes and slightly less upsetting the more you do.

As Lydia mentioned, I really dislike the 'humane' dispatchers - I did alot of research on them last year and found they crush the neck, rather than stretch and break. If setup to the wrong size, they can cause alot of pain. I contacted the humane slaughter association and the chap I spoke to didn't like them at all because of this.

I did a blog on this last year - The Correct Method for Dispatching a Chicken

I find cockerels are really hard to 'pull' and get right once they are fully grown. The broom handle method I find is far far easier - this is now what I use for all cockerels. You just have to get a feel for how much to pull, otherwise the head comes off - but better this than not being able to pull enough.

Anyway, hope this helps a little. Anyone reading this and about to do this for the first time, remember they will always kick and flap afterwards, that's the nerves - nobody told me this and I was most distressed when I did my first one...
 
Thanks Tim that's very useful. I would be ok with small hens still but at the moment would not take on a tougH cockerel again. I will need an experienced bystander for anything big and tough and I really will be seeing the chicken farm men for a big bird refresher and confidence rebuilding course.Ros
 
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