Dog kill, not road kill

[Theo]

I had three roosters running around the yard, having become too aggressive to coexist inside the covered run with the rest of the flock. They were on the short list for butchering. My tenant's brother's dog escaped from the house, and before you can say chicken and dumplings, all three roosters are dead. I let the dog eat the one he had in his mouth--I didn't trust him not to bite me. But, after chasing the dog all over the yard, I picked up the other two birds and bled them. Then I put them on ice and drove back to my house, a thirty minute drive.

Once home I skinned them and cut them up. Time from dog to refrigerator, about 2 hours. OK, same question as the person with the raccoon kill: safe to eat? The dog had his shots. No rabies; besides, I already did the cutting up before I even began to ponder the safety aspects of eating dog killed chickens.

Would you eat these roosters?

By the way, these are the 2nd and 3rd chickens I've butchered. It's getting easier. Fewer "ick" issues. If I have to toss the meat out, I still had the experience of cutting them up. One thing I've noticed about the 3 birds I've butchered: they are surprisingly clean. They don't smell good, but their feathers are clean, not crusty or pooped on, and their skin is free from bugs and filth. Even their feet were pretty clean. I would definitely put them in soup.

 

[JulieNKC]

No expert, but since you found them right after the deed I would think they would be ok, especially cooked for awhile like in soup.

 

[Tracydr]

Since you cleaned them promptly, I think they'll be fine. I've seen some young hunting dogs maul birds pretty badly and hunters generally consider the bird safe to eat. Those dogs, on the other hand, are a bear to break of the crunching and mauling.

 

[riane'smimi]

I would think them safe to eat. It is different when a known pet kills them .Wild animals you know nothing about and I would never chance that.
A pet dog that has had his rabies shot is a safe bet. It would be no different in my opinion than if you killed it with a hatchet.Except of course the bite marks

Like was said uptop ,people have used dogs to hunt for hundreds of years and have eaten animals that they have killed or injuried.As long as you bled it out it should be fine.

 

[Theo]

Thanks for the replies. I've got roosters in my crock pot as we speak. These will be the first home butchered birds we have eaten.

 

[Oregon Blues]

I'd give the tenant a written notice that his brother's dog is not allowed on the property. You'll got a serious liability issue with knowingly allowing a dog that kills livestock and that you are afraid will bite a human. The dog bites a child and the landlord is going to get sued for allowing a dangerous dog. The tenant is unlikely to have any money, so the lawyer will go after the landlord.

 

[WillieBoy]

That is some good advice Oregon Blues.A few yrs ago some dude from a distant land claimed my dog jump up, knocked him off his bike and crippled him for life, he tried to sue me for a million smackers.It turned out it wasn't even my dog or near my home address, case dropped.My point, your chicken was killed by a dog,that your afraid to take it away from because it may bite you. Oregon Blues is 100% right.That dog can be a liability in more ways than one,it may bite someone else on your property, then your on the hook for a possible lawsuit..!!! Please be careful, i know what it feels like when someone is trying to sue you for all you have...!!!

 

[Theo]

Yes, I worry about the dog. The rental is out in the country--no children for miles around but there are sheep in the fields seasonally. I've asked the tenant, a friend, not to let her brother bring his dog when sheep are around, and so far she has respected that request.

 

[schmism]

that would be a dead dog on my property. Ive done it before and ill do it again to protect my livestock.