[Sudanpan]

I think, if i have an unwell bird that I can get to the vet I will pay the bill.

To be honest I think you would cause the bird more suffering actually getting it to the vet to be despatched than you would just despatching it yourself at home. I know that when I had to despatch my first hen (ex batt who was just slowly keeling over in front of me) I went through all the 'must take to the vet' thoughts when in reality I was just running from the inevitable responsibility of putting her out of her misery asap. In the end I did the deed (broomstick) and although felt fairly rubbish, I did feel better that I had stepped up to the mark as it were.
Its not easy, but is part and parcel of respecting the animal IMHO
All the best
Tish

[yankieGirl]

  Its not easy, but is part and parcel of respecting the animal Amen to that!

Birth...life...death. 

[Rosemary]

Sorry, Womble. I didn't mean to make you feel stupid.  My excuse is that I was feeling unattractively smug after things went well this morning. Not a good thing in smallholding, because tomorrow is another day and Mother Nature may decide to get me back

The only time we've had hate mail via TAS was when we recounted in the Diary our first "kill" of meat chickens and the subsequent processing of the carcase. We were indeed totally inept - armed with a cleaver, a pair of garden secateurs and a blunt knife, a copy of Seymour's instructions (it was windy and the pages kept blowing shut), by the time we'd got the carcase plucked and cleaned, rigor mortis had set in. The bird of course had "set" straight out and we couldn't get it in to the shape of a supermarket bird so we roasted it on its side. We were accused of all sorts of things including being disrepectful to the animal. Which we weren't  - we were doing what you did - letting folk have a cringe at our situation but hopefully helping them manage better than us.

On the airgun, it's not intended to kill (although I think it probably will), it will render the bird unconscious - it is the blood letting that kills. Done against a wooden backstop, I think it's pretty safe for the humans. On that we shall have to agree to differ. I couldn't use the pliers, although we did have some once.

I did enquire about a concussion stunner but it was mega expensive - way out of the price range for a smallholder, plus it needed to be maintained.

Anyway, pax all. Please.

[Hermit]

We have the wall mounted one but fixed to a frame under the cone so it is on its side, we stun the birds before we put them in the cone.

[yankieGirl]

Today I discovered another method of dispatch which has not been covered in this thread.

That story was wonderfully told.