The Easiest Way To Cull A Chicken (you Need To Know!)

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The easiest way to cull a chicken (you need to know!)

If you raise chickens you've probably considered the fact that eventually you will have to put one down. I faced this problem when my first set of chicks were 3 months old and I found out first hand that culling a sick chicken is not an easy task! It can be necessary though and being prepared makes it much easier when the time comes. In case your not aware, culling is just a more polite way to say slaughter. Technically it means to remove from the flock or herd, but in this case when I say cull in this post, I'm talking about putting the sick chicken down. culling | chickens

Warning: I'm going to talk about my preferred method for culling a chicken along with methods that I have tried but not had as much success with. If this kind of conversation bothers you go ahead and click right here to visit some of my more fun chicken posts! You might want to bookmark this page for when the time comes though. If you're ready to learn how to cull a sick chicken humanely, keep reading.

Culling methods: Trial & error

There are many different culling methods for chickens and I've tried several over the years with mixed results. The method I used the first time I had to euthanize a sick young chicken, was the broomstick method. I was told it would be easy and mess free. It was neither of these things. The head ripped right off, the bird flopped everywhere, I was traumatized and my family room floor was covered in blood. The chicken was culled quickly, but I knew there had to be a better way! The next time I had to put down a chicken we used a killing cone and we tried cutting the jugular with a butcher knife. The knife was super sharp but we didn't realize it was too light, and it took multiple cuts to get the job done. Another fail. This was also the only time my husband helped. After that I was on my own again so I needed to find yet another chicken culling method to try. The next summer when we had a rooster that started chasing the kids, it was time to cull again. This time I decided to put a few nails in a tree stump, place his head between them and remove his head with a hatchet. Be forewarned, this method does not keep them still! I hesitated before chopping, he somehow got free stumbling around until 1 leg came untied and spent the next 3 days stalking me with the piece of green rope still around his other ankle. Ok that part was actually pretty funny, but clearly not effective! Disclosure

Equipment needed

After all these failures I finally came up with the method I currently use and thankfully it has never failed. For this culling method you'll only need 2 things:

a killing cone
a pair of strong, sharp tree loppers.

I use a traffic cone that my husband brought home from work. We cut the top inch or so off the cone to make the opening larger and mounted it upside down at the end of our wood pile. You can find killing cones on Amazon or farm supply sites if you would rather buy one. Some feed stores carry them. I have tree loppers that I bought specifically for this purpose. I've had them about 7 years and they've never been used for anything else. It's important to me that they stay sharp and using them on trees would dull them. If this is going to be the method you use, I strongly suggest you buy a tool just for this purpose and keep it sharpened. You can place a bucket underneath to catch the blood if you'd like. I usually do since that way I can clean up easier. I would hate for any predators to smell the blood and start hanging around my yard to see if they could find anything to snack on! (please excuse the stuffed duck in the picture. My dog chewed the stuffed chicken and I didn't want to traumatize a real chicken just for a picture! 😂) butchering | chickens | killing cone

How to cull a chicken When it's time to cull a chicken, you'll start by putting the chicken in the kill cone head first. Hold her by her feet as you lower her in. The chickens head will come out through the hole in the cone. Once you feel that she's all the way in the cone, let go of her feet. Sometimes they struggle a little and other times they just relax. The blood starts rushing to her head so she will calm down. When she relaxes, her neck will stretch out and that is what you want.Maybe I'm a wimp....but I usually position the chicken so she's facing away from me. (trust me, it's the little things that make it easier) Pick up your tree loppers and open them placing the opening around her neck completely. Make sure her neck is completely inside the open 'hook' of the loppers. Now I take a deep breath, and squeeze the handles together in one smooth motion not stopping until they are completely closed. You will feel the bone cut, but do not stop until they are closed. At this point I open my loppers and walk away. I don't watch the next few minutes. Although she is now dead, the hens muscles will make involuntary movements. Even though the chicken is still confined to the cone, it's just not something I want to see. I take this time to clean my tool and put it away. I return a few minutes later and everything is over. I prefer this method for several reasons. When a chicken is culled it really does flop and flutter around. While it's not quite as graphic as "running around like a chicken with it's head cut off" it's still something I would rather avoid. If you happen to be butchering, it could bruise the meat. Plus it's really messy because blood goes everywhere. Using the cone keeps them and the mess confined. I prefer the tree loppers because it's only one easy motion and it's done. With a butcher knife I was afraid to cut too deep and hurt the chicken unnecessarily. I was also afraid to cut too shallow because then you have to cut twice and prolong their suffering.Using a hatchet is hard because you're holding the chicken down with one hand and chopping with the other. If you had help it would be easier but then your working around a second person who you don't want to accidentally hit with the backswing of the hatchet! Besides these reasons though, when using those methods you are very 'hands on' with the chicken and I find that harder. The tree loppers allow me to stand a few steps back from the hen and it really makes a hard job just a little more bearable. Plus all the variables are gone, once the blades close all the way it's done. Sometime the head comes off, other times it stays attached by a piece of skin but as long as those handles shut I know it's done right! I know this culling method may seem a bit brutal, but the most humane way to kill a chicken is the quickest way. Using this method, it's over in a second. The most inhumane ways I've heard about are: freezing, drowning & gassing with car exhaust. These ways are less hands on for the chicken owner but much more painful for the chicken. My goal when I have to cull an animal is to get it over as quickly as possible for the chicken, even if it's harder for me to do. I believe I achieve that with this culling method. Hopefully you will never have to cull a sick hen. Just in case the time comes though, I wanted to share my experiences so you'll be be just a little more prepared. If you happen to be butchering, this site has complete instructions. Want to know more about raising backyard chickens? Click here for my most popular posts. ~L Want information on raising chickens sent right to your email weekly? Click right here to join my list and get new posts sent directly to you the day they're published! This post contains affiliate links. If you chose to purchase something through the link, I will get a small payment from Amazon. It will not affect your purchase price. Click for full disclosure.

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30 comments:

CrazyredheadJune 9, 2017 at 12:50 PM
I would like to say Thank you, No body wants to do it but if you have sick chickens or a Rooster gone rogue it sounds like that is a better way.We just had a sick chicken and now a crazy rooster. hes 3 yrs old and hes very aggressive to my husband it all started this spring. I have 33 new babies one I know is a rooster. anyways thank you so much.
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1. Lisa MuranoJune 10, 2017 at 2:00 PM
  You're welcome! It really is a hard thing to do isn't it? Good luck with your new babies!Lisa
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2. UnknownJuly 30, 2020 at 3:05 PM
  Thank you for this information I am new to having chickens and and I am trying to prepare my self for any thing.
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Sandrine | Sunny Simple LivingJune 20, 2017 at 8:50 AM
This is a great article. I haven't been able to get my husband to kill our extra roosters after the first 2 - and I really don't want to wait until they start to kill each other off. Since the chickens are my "babies" and I raised them from egg to full grown, I didn't feel culling them was something I could do myself... but reading your story, I think I could. And I should! Thank you for writing it. Off to buy a killing cone now :-)
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1. Lisa MuranoJuly 5, 2017 at 11:57 AM
  Thanks! I'm sure you can do it! I know how you feel, I have raised almost every chicken here from an egg so you hate to have to do it, but sometimes it's necessary. Good luck!~L
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AnonymousJune 24, 2017 at 8:36 PM
I raised chickens for meat and eggs. The easiest way to dispatch them and the kindest, is to hold them under your arm and with your dominant hand hold their neck right behind the head and with one quick twist and pull straight away from the bird, their neck is broken and that is that. No blood no gross, just gone.
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1. Lisa MuranoJuly 5, 2017 at 11:49 AM
  I've never heard of that method! I have heard of swinging then over your head and sort of flicking your wrist to snap the neck, but I haven't tried it.~L
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2. AngelAceAugust 9, 2019 at 5:02 PM
  I work in an animal pathology lab for the department of agriculture and that is how we depopulate hens when certain diseases break out. They still dance and give, but it is the most humane way according to current research.
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sharonJune 24, 2017 at 9:55 PM
Great article, I grew up on a farm and culled 100 chickens at a time, we always used the axe method, hit them on the head with the axe handle their necks would stretch then cut of their head,, I like your method much more that I'm older I have a harder time culling,,
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1. Lisa MuranoJuly 5, 2017 at 11:07 AM
  Thanks! It's definitely easier on the body then swinging an axe! ~L
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UnknownSeptember 4, 2018 at 7:18 PM
My husband and I used your cone method with tree loppers tonight, to cull a sick hen. I didn't think I could watch. It was actually a peaceful process and there was no mess. Thank you so much!
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1. Lisa MuranoSeptember 6, 2018 at 7:36 AM
  Awww Sorry about your hen. It's really sad when they get sick. I'm glad her passing was peaceful. <3 Lisa
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JillianSeptember 13, 2018 at 10:02 PM
Thank you so much for this post. I have had chickens for 3 years now but was fortunate to not have to cull. But today that streak came to an end. I had read alot of post about the broom stick method and i did not think i could do it. The way you described this method so thoroughly was perfect!
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1. Lisa MuranoSeptember 21, 2018 at 7:04 PM
  Awwww, I'm so sorry about your chicken. It's always hard to cull, but sometimes it's just the right thing to do. I'm glad that you found these instructions when you needed them though. Lisa
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Kelly-DawnApril 7, 2019 at 12:21 AM
Thanks for writing this! I've just hatched my second batch of chicks for layers. Last time I did this I lived in an area where it was easy to find people who wanted all our extra roosters, but now we live more in the bush and I think I will have to cull the extra roosters myself. I'm trying to research the best way, and your article was very helpful! Thank you :)
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1. Lisa MuranoMay 13, 2019 at 3:34 PM
  Glad I could help! Good luck with the roosters...Lisa
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HavAnticsApril 17, 2019 at 9:29 PM
I have a pullet that got caught up in a tarp and injured neck, looks like wry neck, it breaks my heart. Two days now and no improvement with anything I have tried (wont even try to eat or drink unless I syringe her) so I know I have to let her go but I failed twice today trying to cull her, paring knife- no, never again, just hurt her worse, and Vinegar and baking soda and left her closed up in a box- not a fan of suffocation- failed again. So gave her a bath, vitamin water, and will see how she is in the morning. I have to do it right or I will never try again. So, thank you for this advice, I cant let her keep being miserable.
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1. Lisa MuranoMay 13, 2019 at 2:47 PM
  Awwww, the poor thing. It sound like she may have broken her neck. Oh gosh...I had a knife episode and it was horrible! I hope my instructions helped you...and I'm so sorry that you and your hen are going through this!Lisa
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AimeeAugust 3, 2019 at 1:12 PM
How do you dispose of the blood and body afterwards to not attract other animals?
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1. Lisa MuranoJanuary 30, 2020 at 4:54 PM
  If they are not sick we butcher for meat, disposing of feathers and parts we cannot use in a garbage bag. If they are sick we double bag in feed bags or garbage bags and dispose in the garbage can. If you do not have trash pick up, you can bury the remains...though I'd bury a few feet deep if the chicken had been ill.Lisa
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Fry FarmAugust 5, 2019 at 9:03 AM
We have yet to be able to cull our extra roosters. We sell them for nothing and then go to the store and buy chicken meat that I know is not as healthy as ours. Maybe I could get my husband to do this....Question: I always see information about scalding and plucking during the butchering process. Can a person not just skin the chicken out which would take all the feathers and skin at once? We don't eat the skin anyway...what is the drawback to this?Thanks for all your info- I've used so much of it.
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1. Lisa MuranoJanuary 30, 2020 at 4:56 PM
  You absolutely can! I know many people that do it that way. If it's an older chickens it can dry out a little when cooking without that bit of fat in and under the skin. There are no other drawbacks that I know of.Lisa
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TaraAugust 7, 2019 at 1:51 PM
We just culled our first sick hen. My husband did the honors, as I never could, with our daughter's pellet gun.....quick, fast, and as humane a method we could think of. Wondering why no one has mentioned this method. Seemed like a no brainer to us.Tara
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swtchgrSeptember 27, 2019 at 1:48 AM
I recently had to cull sone roosters and tried the broomstick method. It was awful. Like your attempt, the head cane off and there was blood everywhere. There was no way I was doing that again. I have more roosters to cull (straight run purchases). I am going to try this method.
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1. Lisa MuranoOctober 10, 2020 at 11:06 AM
  I just don't get why so many people like that method. It was horrible! Hope this works out much better for you!Lisa
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Dusti November 9, 2019 at 10:22 AM
Thank you so much for this. One of my young hens developed Merek's this week and I knew we had to cull her. Both her legs were paralyzed as of this morning. We went out and bought new limb loppers, wrapped her firmly in a towel, turned her upside down and did the deed. It wasn't as bad as I feared and your post gave me the confidence and information I needed for the task.It's unpleasant work made a bit easier knowing that it is the most humane thing to do by far.A million thanks.
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1. Lisa MuranoJanuary 30, 2020 at 4:59 PM
  I'm sorry to hear about your hen! Glad I could help make the moment just a tad easier. Have any of your other hens shown symptoms of Merek's? It can be devastating to flocks. :-(Lisa
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marthafearsmeFebruary 11, 2023 at 4:54 PM
Thank you for this, it is never easy, mine are pets. Sometimes it has to be done and the best way for everyone involved.... Much love. Thank you.
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1. Lisa MuranoFebruary 16, 2023 at 9:29 PM
  You're welcome! Always glad to help with the difficult stuff!Lisa
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Merle AnnApril 10, 2024 at 4:34 PM
Thank you for this post and All the great information that you provide. We, so far, have only lost a hen due to being "egg bound". However, should we need to cull for the reasons stated, I feel confident in useing the method that you have suggested. I would also thank the hen for her eggs and say a little prayer, too, before "sending her off" 😪Merle Ann
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