Best / kindest / easiest way to put badly injured bird to death?

[SWnewstart]

Just found an adult male thrush crouched in a corner of the garden. It's alert and healthy looking, apart from large stomach wound (intestines and other bits hanging out). We're a long drive from vet and, to be honest, I really can't see recovery would be possible. I'm not too squeamish and just want to do what's best.

It unlikely to live very long. Small animals like that go into shock very fast.
Breaking the neck would be the fastest but you’d have to catch it and hold it still.

It let me pick it up very easily - which is how I discovered the wound. Like I said, it's very alert and warm but I understand about the shock generally killing small creatures. Keeps looking at me, which is not a nice place to be.

Put some rubber gloves on and break its neck. Twist hard and bend the neck over at the same time. It will carry on moving for a few minutes. It’s not a nice thing to have to do but it will put the poor thing out of its misery. I had to do this for a pigeon that the cat got a couple of months ago.

I grew up on a chicken farm, so I knew how to do it - another way is to find a thin edge like the top of a fence and bend the neck over that.

I sound deranged, don’t I?

You don't sound deranged to me @TooExtraImmatureCheddar, I was going to suggest bashing it's head in with a brick which would be horrible, but quick and I thought the shock might prevent any pain.

Sorry you've got to do this OP, it would really, really upset me, but it's better than the poor thing suffering

I've had to put them in a box and they pass very quickly. I cannot break their necks. I've tried but I'm a hypocrite (as I'm a meat eater). I just can't kill live animals.

When I lived on a farm, one of our cats discovered a nest of little pinkies (mice or voles) and was just throwing one at a time around without killing it. I had to take each one off her when she brought another and I threw it to our working dog who dispatched them instantly. It was the best I could do for them. I think that dog would have been handy these days whenever I find a horrifically injured bird

For larger birds, you hold them by the head and spin them vigorously - it breaks their necks. It’s not a nice thing to have to do, but it is quick and ends their suffering. You can do it to smaller birds as well but be prepared to decapitate them.

Sorry if that description is upsetting to anyone. It sounds awful but it is quick. Well done for thinking of the best thing for this little bird op.

I just take their heads off with a sharp spade. Grim, i know and DH has to hide inside but we have a cat who is a master hunter (no amount of bells have helped) and so I have to deal with a few birds.

I've had to do a quick neck break before. Horrible for me, but far preferable to the poor thing suffering in agony for hours/longer. I can't imagine a vet would do anything other than euthanise it and attempting to travel there would increase its stress and suffering, imo.

Spade or just your boot.

Sorry you have to - it’s grim but kindest.

I don't think this is necessarily the kindest or most efficient, but when I phoned my dad in a panic over a bird the cat had tormented, he suggested drowning it in a bucket of warmish water - so it wouldn't have the shock of cold water but you'd definitely know it was dead and out of its misery.

My only worry with doing this myself, is, what if I didn't do it properly and caused the animal further pain?

Oh OP, I don't know the best way of doing it, but you have my utmost respect for your willingness to put this poor little bird out of its misery. I'm not sure that I could do it, but it's definitely the kindest thing you can do.

Poor thing hopefully solved by now, but I dispatched an injured pigeon by holding the body in one hand, head/neck in the other and giving a sharp yank. It was very quick.

I think drowning in a bucket of warm water is the kindest thing. Funnily enough I took a pigeon to our local wildlife hospital the other day as I found it with a broken wing, and was wondering if I should drown it. It’s pretty grim though, but worse to leave it suffering.
Sending you hugs xx

It's done (neck break). Horrible doing it, but I said I was sorry and hoped he understood (how soft is that). Buried well down amongst the primroses. Thanks everyone for suggestions.

I found an injured sparrow and took it to the local vet who said they would kill it humanely as possible. That was a few years ago though.

Well done for doing it, it’s a horrid thing to have to do but the kindest thing for the bird

Well I've just discovered I'm squeamish. Reading this thread has knocked me sick, I could never. Well done though- I think!

Well done. It’s horrible to do, but it’s kinder than leaving them to suffer.

I found a collared dove which had a broken wing and a body wound with maggots in it. DH wrung its neck too, I couldn't do it. Its kindest but hard to do.

Well done for putting the poor thing out of it's misery :-(

You have done the right thing. It's so difficult. I've had to deal with the same situation about an hour ago, I was very apologetic to it.

Local kids knocked on my door to tell me that the cat had left it on my doorstep. It was clear to me that it wasn't going to make it so it's "currently resting in a box in my bathroom" for the local kids and then tomorrow I can tell them it passed away. It's easier to hear as a child.