Killing poultry

Recommended methods for killing poultry

The methods suitable for the killing of adult poultry for the purpose of disease control are:

1. Mechanical methods
   a. Percussive stun/kill using captive-bolt 
2. Electrical stunning followed by cervical dislocation, decapitation or bleeding*
3. Electrical killing
4. Killing by exposure to lethal gas mixtures (including Nitrogen foam)
5. Drugs
   a. Anaesthetics and poison in food/water

Options for killing chicks (up to 72 hours of age) include a macerator or exposure to gas.

 *bleeding and decapitation following a stunning method may be suitable on premises which are not infected but are within a “firebreak” area. Bleeding should not be performed if animals are infected as blood poses a biohazard.

Next: Mechanical methods - non-penetrative captive-bolt