I've killed sick birds with a hand axe before, and it's not great.

I've done the cone + neck cut before, and I … was left wondering if I did it "cleanly".

With last year's flock, I did a .22 to the head for the (Complete Asshole prime rooster) and the extra boys, and that's what I'll do in the future. Simple and effective.

But, yes, you need to accept the responsibility of dispatching birds at the appropriate point, and in a quick and "humane" way.