06-30-2017, 12:14 PM
I wouldn't use an air rifle short of a PCP on chickens unless it's accurate and you can get a head shot.
Chicken organs are minuscule and nearly impossible to hit, and even a nitro break barrel doesn't have enough stopping power to kill without a heart or head shot unless you get lucky. More than likely you'll just injure the animal and it will get away. The only real way to have success is to shoot the animal from the front, which is impossible if it's trying to get away from you. If you shoot from the side or behind, the wings will absorb the pellet energy and only wound the bird. Even a standard velocity .22 round (the firearm variety) hit center mass won't necessarily kill a chicken, but a high velocity hollow point works every time.
If shooting a firearm isn't an option in your area, the most humane way to do it is to trap them, put them in a "comfort cone", and slice the jugular. I stopped hunting them with an air rifle because even with a clean head shot I was running after them and having finish the job by hand.
Chicken organs are minuscule and nearly impossible to hit, and even a nitro break barrel doesn't have enough stopping power to kill without a heart or head shot unless you get lucky. More than likely you'll just injure the animal and it will get away. The only real way to have success is to shoot the animal from the front, which is impossible if it's trying to get away from you. If you shoot from the side or behind, the wings will absorb the pellet energy and only wound the bird. Even a standard velocity .22 round (the firearm variety) hit center mass won't necessarily kill a chicken, but a high velocity hollow point works every time.
If shooting a firearm isn't an option in your area, the most humane way to do it is to trap them, put them in a "comfort cone", and slice the jugular. I stopped hunting them with an air rifle because even with a clean head shot I was running after them and having finish the job by hand.