Burying Diseased Chickens

[Joshuwawalker]

I have searched about the risks of burying diseased chickens and have found nothing. I buried some diseased chicks in my backyard a year ago and since have lost about 6 older birds. I'm pretty positive that 3 of those deaths were not disease related, but my concern is that the pathogen is still around and those buried chicks bodies are causing harm to my flock. I buried the chicks approximately 2-3 feet deep and my flock does free range my whole yard including on the ground above these chicks. Im sure my girls do peck and scratch in that area. Is this bad? Do I dig them up? Any thoughts, suggestions, experience, or advice would be much obliged. Thank you all in advance.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I don't know about the scientific side of it, but my gut feeling is that you shouldn't dig them up.

There are many diseases that can be brought in by wild birds. I'd make sure you keep your bird feeders away from your chicken coops (make sure they aren't going in the coops etc.).

I would think that if your new chickens caught the same disease as the old ones, it is probably not from the burial site. There is at least one disease that just stays on the land- I think I read Mareks is the one I am thinking of.

Respiratory ailments can come from an asymptomatic carrier bird.

I hope this helps.

 

[Joshuwawalker]

I have always had a problem with pigeons, sparrows, and finches getting into my chicken coop and eating their food. Most of my chickens were vaccinated for Mareks disease prior to shipping from the hatchery. After your comments, I feel the problem is probably that diseases are being brought in from the wild birds that are constantly in my coop. I scare them away several times a day. I have a 30lb feeder that hangs in my coop. Any ideas or help on keeping them out?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I have always had a problem with pigeons, sparrows, and finches getting into my chicken coop and eating their food. Most of my chickens were vaccinated for Mareks disease prior to shipping from the hatchery. After your comments, I feel the problem is probably that diseases are being brought in from the wild birds that are constantly in my coop. I scare them away several times a day. I have a 30lb feeder that hangs in my coop. Any ideas or help on keeping them out?

Some people use a treadle feeder so the birds cannot feed.

I have seen vinyl strips (like from a heavy duty clear shower curtain liner) used across the pop door - you can train the chickens to go through it but discourages the songbirds.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/gallo-del-cielos-chicken-coop
Gallo del Cielo's coop (midway down the page) has an example.