crocodile deathroll

I can recall asking this grisly question when I was about six at the dinner table when a lot of guests called in ("will you still see if your head was chopped off?"). They were not eager to answer. But my dad piped up and said "the chicken ran around the back yard for about a minute after I chopped its head off but that was just reflexes like when you tap the dessert spoon on your knee". So after all these years I was happy to leave it at that.


Here is one answer I found to this grousome question

Undercurrent

Not terribly suprising, I think. I'd expect that a severed head would be in something like a drunken daze for a few seconds, like people who have lost a lot of blood without being decapitated often are. Then they just continue from there.

I'd also bet they'd experience some sharp, throbbing pain from around the neck area, as well.

m.

crocodile deathroll

I am sure they would have a very sore throat

Gurdur

Actually, you'ld be more likely to suffer from a massive headache than just a daze.

The difference is that when people otherwise lose a lot of blood, the body tries to keep blood to the brain constant; however, severing the neck would desanguinate the brain fairly quickly, leading tgo drop in pressure and ensuing massive headache.
Still, after 3 minutes, enough brain cells would be dead that you wouldn't feel a thing.

snoiduspoitus

And this is a 'humane' means of execution. Heck, give me the three-minute headache in lieu of the three-day torture.

MortalWombat

Since lack of blood flow to the brain causes a loss of consciousness after 10 to 15 seconds, I don't think you would feel much after that.

Megusic

Part of my sister's job is to kill the rats that she studies, with her very own little rat guillotine. ick. anyway they do it over a bucket of of some chemical (which of course i can't think of at the moment) so that as soon as the head is chopped off it falls right into the bucket and dies right away, so the rats feel very little pain. This I'm sure is based on studies (more in-depth ones than in that article i'm sure) about feelings after the chop.

Sorry I'm not very scientific, just thought I'd share

Taffsadar

The body often "commits suicide" when suffering mortal wounds (or thinks it does). In the old Sovjet they told a prisoner that he would be executed with a knife stab. The just stabbed him with a blunt object and put some water on the wound. He died anyway...

The Admiral

This calls for a scientific double blind test. Any volunteers?

The Headsman

admice

Love it! A friend who has a farm said one of her chickens ran around for over 30 minutes. Maybe (hopefully) this is unique to chickens? (Still tempted to believe what I want because it feels good)