[Justin]

Having recently taken on 6 geese, of which one or two will be turned into christmas dinner in a couple of months, I'm pondering how best to despatch them. In the books I've read, it describes putting a broom handle across their necks and pulling on their body/legs till the neck goes. However, this week I was talking to someone who used to keep geese and who reckoned that wasn't very reliable or easy and they suggested holding the head down and shooting it with an air pistol. Just wondering what the consensus here is.

[lord flynn]

I am just a mere woman and I use the broomstick method for cockerels-I'd not want to use it for anything bigger than say a 5 month old LF cockerel. I certainly wouldn't have ever tried it on the muscovies and would be looking (for someone) to shoot them.


Am not sure if the broomstick method counts as manual dislocation but the rules have very recently changed on the maximum weights that can be humanely dispatched by neck dislocation so might be worth looking it up (sorry for not having exact figures).

[Creagan]

I read up a bit about this and concluded that I would use the air rifle, seeing as I already have one.
Fortunately, though, I've found somebody local to me with a poultry slaughter licence so I shall be giving the birds to her!

[devonlady]

I use an electric stunner and cut the arteries in the neck. If you haven't got or don't know someone with a stunner then, I would use an air pistol. I suppose if there were no other way you could lop the head off with a sharp, heavy cleaver.

[Me]

Don't use an air pistol unless you are going to hit them with it! Not powerful enough, it will just cause injury/discomfort to the goose and a lifetime of guilty feeling to you. Air rifle is ok if you hit the brain.

I am going with a .410 at 10 yards

[Cosmore]

Isolate the goose out of sight of the rest of the flock or other livestock so as not to cause them distress (animal welfare guidance). I use a 9mm shotgun at 3/4 yards - low noise, instant dispatch. Air rifle ok if you are an excellent shot - misses will cause distress to the bird.

[devonlady]

Don't use an air pistol unless you are going to hit them with it! Not powerful enough, it will just cause injury/discomfort to the goose and a lifetime of guilty feeling to you. Air rifle is ok if you hit the brain.

I am going with a .410 at 10 yards

Sorry, I meant an air rifle!

[vfr400boy]

An air rifle at point blank is fine and you can't miss ,

[devonlady]

Isolate the goose out of sight of the rest of the flock or other livestock so as not to cause them distress (animal welfare guidance). I use a 9mm shotgun at 3/4 yards - low noise, instant dispatch. Air rifle ok if you are an excellent shot - misses will cause distress to the bird.

I always do mine in a "dimpsy" light, i.e. a candle in a jam jar light either first thing in the morning or at night out of sight or sound of each other. Pick them up gently but firmly and hold them upside down which seems to calm them. Have ready a hook and a piece of baler twine, twisted in a figure of eight to put around their legs, then hang them upside down to dispatch. (I find myself singing quietly to mine, though whether that's for their sake or mine I don't know!)

[Bramham Wiltshire Horns]

so a .177 rifle from point blank range will do the trick on muscovies and geese?

[Clansman]

Yes, although I prefer a .22 as sometimes a .177 will go straight through.

An air rifle is more than sufficient to legally humanely despatch trapped mink so unless its and ancient and worn rifle it will do fine.

[Justin]

Thanks for all the great replies. I also have .22 lr and shotgun available so perhaps  .22 round at point blank would be more than enough and, when they're held down it would be accurate and quick.

[benkt]

I did twenty in one year with the broomstick method - not again! It can be done, I'm moderately young and moderately strong, but even so there were a couple of big ones I didn't feel confident with. Now its an air rifle through the brain at point blank range - once you get the hang of lining it up, its a single shot, instant kill every time.

[Me]

Thanks for all the great replies. I also have .22 lr and shotgun available so perhaps  .22 round at point blank would be more than enough and, when they're held down it would be accurate and quick.

Be careful what is under the goose if you are firing at point blank!

[PetiteGalette]

We use a bolt gun to the back of the head.
We adapted a square wooden 'stepping stone' with a channel to lay the goose's neck in with a toggle to keep the head still. Hubby lays the bird so that the neck is in the channel; I turn the toggle to hold the head firm and the use the bolt gun to the back of the head. Instantaneous', humane, and quick. It is then transported to the house upside down to bleed out (which is does freely).
We have tried every which way to do the deed humanely and have hated most of them; I don't raise my birds/animals to cause them stress at the end..............
We bought our bolt gun from Belgium, if anyone is interested.