Chicken passed, what to do

[scjcb37]

I have had my girls for about 2 years now. I have had my one girl to the vet off and on several times. Diagnosis, reproductive issues. (She has never laid an egg). Vet says there is nothing more they can do for her at this point . She is getting worse, all hunched up in a ball, won't get up on the roost and tonight had to be placed in bed as she was hiding in the corner of the run . I am taking her first thing tomorrow morning to have her humanely put down. They are my girls first and foremost. I am grateful for the eggs they provide but to me that is a bonus. Yes, I'm a crazy chicken lady, I love my girls! lol. My question to this group is, what do you do with your girls/boys when they pass? (Note: we live in the North and the ground is currently frozen. We also have an have an abundance of wild life). I am having a hard time with this , but I know it's what she needs. I'll stop sob story here, sorry. What do you all do after they pass?
-Chrissy
Apologies if this is not the correct place to post this. I looked at forum topics and wasn't sure.

 

[sourland]

Special animals/birds are buried. I have been known to keep some frozen until spring allows digging. Sorry for your pending loss.

 

[featheredplanets]

sorry you have to go through this. I bury them or compost them (if they’re small).

 

[Ebony Rose]

I have used a post hole digger to open a four foot deep by about one foot wide hole to bury birds in. At this depth, my dogs don't realize there's anything down there, so they don't dig them back up.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I give them back to nature when they die naturally. I take them out to the woods, & let the other animals have a meal.

 

[ChickNanny13]

 

[mullys]

We live on a farm so have room to bury them. We love our girls too! We have kept them frozen, double bagged in our freezer until spring. You can also bury them in compost. Leaving them to nature is also okay with me. We have had animals dug up after burial. I'm not too upset. We love all animals.

 

[Painted Calls]

I typically bury them as well. However, (I know this is probably weird/bad taste to some if not most - I don't blame you if you feel this way!) I am getting ready to send my old guinea hen to the taxidermist. I had her for 10 years and she was my husband's favorite. Lost my husband 5 years ago so I want to keep her around.

Hope I don't regret having it done.

 

[micstrachan]

I have only lost three adults and a chick. First hen was buried. The next two were sent to UC Davis for necropsy. If I already knew what the problem (illness) was before euthanizing, I’d probably bury again. We have also had animals (bunnies) dug up by wildlife when the grave was too shallow.

 

[mullys]

I typically bury them as well. However, (I know this is probably weird/bad taste to some if not most - I don't blame you if you feel this way!) I am getting ready to send my old guinea hen to the taxidermist. I had her for 10 years and she was my husband's favorite. Lost my husband 5 years ago so I want to keep her around.

Hope I don't regret having it done.

No judgement at all. Sounds like a lovely rememberance.