how deep do I need to bury dead chooks?

[jeannieo]

I have two deceased hens that I have to pick up at the vets. I was taking them in last March and one of them actually died on the way in (I think she was pretty old, she was given to me) and the other one was on her way out so I opted to euthanize. Anyway, the ground was frozen and they asked me if I wanted them to dispose of them or if I wanted to bury them, which I did. I couldn't stand the thought of maybe just throwing my two girls in a dumpster. Anyway, it's April and the ground is soft and I need to go pick them up for burial. My question is, how deep do I need to dig down to prevent something from digging them up? I did get the bright idea of digging the hole in the new pen but it doesn't have the wire on it yet. Any thoughts on this? thanks!

 

[mamaKate]

I'm sorry you lost your birds. Is there any danger of contagion? Personally, I'd go with cremation.

 

[ThePamperedPullet]

We use post hole diggers and go about 3 feet deep. But our ground here is all sand. But it puts them deep enough that nothing can dig them up. And with the post hole diggers you are not having to dig a great big hole in order to get it that deep.

 

[jeannieo]

Quote:
No, no danger, it was last March and everyone else (23 others) is nice and healthy.

 

[kota1369]

Six Feet, you do not want to contaminate the water supply.


The lady with 4 dogs, 4 city chickens, 2 meat rabbits and a lizard

 

[greathorse]

six feet is a long way down there. Renting a backhoe to bury a chickens seems a little extreme to me. Not sure what water supply is risked by planting them about three feet. I would use the post hole digger if I was determined to bury them. If they have not been medicated I just let the coyotes have them.

 

[Tala]

I only bury things about a foot or so, and I put a piece of fence down on the ground for a while to prevent my dogs from digging there. No issues with anything digging for them.

 

[Rin]

After losing a whole batch of eggs to humidity issues I learned that I need to bury at /least/ a foot deep (preferably 2+)and when you cover them up. Pack the dirt firmly. Even stomp it if you can. I have had to do this with several dead chicks and haven't had a single one dug up after the initial failed hatch (which was kudos to my own dog). If you have dogs, also make sure they can't see you when you bury them. They don't notice anything is there otherwise in my experience. My dog has walked right over one of the chicks graves on several occasions and didn't even realize it.

 

[nzpouter]

2 ft.

 

[bakerjw]

Put lime on them as well. Since moving to Tennessee I've had to bury some dogs over the last couple of years. The ground isn't bad for the first foot but then there is clay and slate which takes a pick axe to break up. So the deepest we've been able to get is about 2 feet. Then we put a good covering of lime on them and there hacs never been a problem with smell or them getting dug up.