Offal Disposal

[LilyD]

Thank you all for the feedback. Second question: We will be doing a lot of fishing, can we give the guts to the chickens? I can throw the bony inedible parts in the pressure cooker to soften them for the birds but I'd think the guts should fine raw.

Opinions?

I have issues with feeding guts from chickens to chickens. Call me silly but it's just like making them be cannibals. I know they would do it on their own and will eat their babies but with all the issues with things like mad cow disease in cows and trichinosis in pigs I just wonder if it may cause issues after a while for the flock.

Fish guts on the other hand I give to them all the time they love them. and will gobble them up. I will bury the heads in my compost heap since fish meal is actually an additive that you can guy but the rest goes to the critters either dog or chicken who ever gets to it first.

 

[woodmort]

I have issues with feeding guts from chickens to chickens. Call me silly but it's just like making them be cannibals.

They are cannibals.

 

[LilyD]

They are cannibals.

Oh I know they are but it's one of those things i have problems getting past lol.

 

[NewBoots]

Oh I know they are but it's one of those things i have problems getting past lol.

I understand, it does seem creepy. And I hear you about the cannibal diseases. DP just pointed out the disease that was supposed to be spread by humans eating humans.

 

[Kris5902]

Honestly I just dumped it all about 50 feet away from my chicken area, I process in early morning and not many birds when I DIY it, and by mid afternoon the Ravens and Vultures have cleaned most of it up. With larger numbers of birds, like 30, the plant I take them to charges extra to dispose of guts/feet/heads/feathers so I take them home in a garbage can and dump them in our Abbatoir disposal pit, again the eagles, vultures and ravens (in that order for numbers) quickly dispose of most of it.

Without a well trained avian cleanup crew, access to plenty of land, or a giant compost heap, I would probably bury it at least a foot or two deep.

 

[Compost King]

I put my excess chicken parts in a feed bag and throw in the garbage... Garbage gets picked up Monday morning so I process my chickens on the weekend. a few times I processed early in the week and the garbage can really stunk. If using the garbage was not an option I would bury it.

I tried feeding organs to my cat but she informed me never to do that again. The male cat before he died liked the liver.

I can't see a problem with composting chicken parts or even a whole bird, if you can handle the consequences of doing that... it attracts predators and scavengers you might not want being attracted to your property. If I lived in the woods I would throw it in the woods as far away from my coop/house/Gardens as I could. Plenty of animals in the woods who would gladly take it off your hands.

If its fall and after your last garden harvest burying it in your garden might be a good option. Burying old eggs makes for great fertilizer too.

 

[Chef JimmyJ]

Here is the Facts on Food Pathogens including Human and Animal Infection. Use your judgement. There really is more of a YUCK Factor than a risk of getting Sick...

Fresh water fish carry, Salmonella, Listeria, Vibrio, Yersinia and Clostridium Botulinum, the source of Botulism, in their Intestinal Tract, just like Chicken and other land animals. There is no issue feeding Fish or Chicken guts to Chickens, cause they already have the same Pathogens in their gut.
Intestinal Bacteria does Not Infect Healthy Meat Muscle, unless YOU CAUSE IT TO. Infection happens by Sloppily removing the guts, getting Fecal Matter on the meat and everywhere else, and then not washing the carcasses well. Once well washed, It is important that you then Chill the birds, get temp below 70°F in 2 hours and Ice or Refrigerate, get temp below 40°F in the following 2-4 hours. This is not hard with plenty Ice Water on hand during processing.
Mad Cow Disease can only Infect Chickens, and Humans if they eat the Infected Brain or Nervous System, Spinal Cord, etc, and some feel Lungs. Currently there is only One Documented Case of Human infection in the USA and that guy got infected in ENGLAND. Just Don't feed English Cow Brains to your Chickens and there will be nothing to worry about.

TRICHINOSIS, Was once common because Hogs were fed Raw Rotting Garbage. Since the 40's that practice was Banned and although Hogs still are often fed Food Waste, in MUST be cooked to kill Trichinella and other Pathogens. With a few exceptions on small farms, according to the CDC, there has not been a documented case of Pork Trichinosis post WWII from eating undercooked Pork. There are a few cases from folks eating Rare Cooked Wild Bear Meat and in Alaska, several cases of from natives eating traditionally fermented Stink Heads. Raw Salmon Head fermented buried in beach sand for a year, until thoroughly Rotten and STINKY!!!
Studies have not shown Trichinella in Chicken meat, even if they eat infected Rats, Mice, Cats, three most susceptible animals, or Rotting Garbage. NO WORRIES HERE EITHER!

Cook PORK to an Internal Temp (IT) of 145°F, just a Blush of Pink, and Chicken to an IT of 165°F, Well Done but Juicy. Use a tested good, Leave in the Meat or Instant Read Thermometer. You can test for Boiling Water to be 212°F at Sea Level, adjust for Elevation.

Hope this helps. BTW...I am a Retired Certified Food Safety Instructor and have taught hundreds of Students this stuff....JJ

 

[LilyD]

Honestly I just dumped it all about 50 feet away from my chicken area, I process in early morning and not many birds when I DIY it, and by mid afternoon the Ravens and Vultures have cleaned most of it up. With larger numbers of birds, like 30, the plant I take them to charges extra to dispose of guts/feet/heads/feathers so I take them home in a garbage can and dump them in our Abbatoir disposal pit, again the eagles, vultures and ravens (in that order for numbers) quickly dispose of most of it.

Without a well trained avian cleanup crew, access to plenty of land, or a giant compost heap, I would probably bury it at least a foot or two deep.

Feet I feed to my dogs plus all bones if I piece and part them out. If I'm making it into a grind for the dogs I can add the organs other than intestines and gallbladder and the heads to it as well and it grinds up fine. Usually I grind necks, heads, backs and some thighs or breasts for them (usually older roosters or extras) and then mix with veg and fruits and make them into patties and freeze the dogs eat them raw so they don't smell at all.

So all I really toss out is the intestines, crop, and gall bladder which makes the meat taste nasty so even the dogs won't eat it, the feathers and the blood from bleeding them out. I usually use my tractor and dig a hole about a tractor bucket deep and leave the tractor there. Then dump it in and just dump the bucket when done. It helps enrich the pasture and or gardens and nothing will dig that deep for it.

 

[Chef JimmyJ]

@LilyD I have thought about raw poultry feeding. While I figured there would be little issue with home raised birds. I would be afraid of commercial Raw Chicken. The bacterial load can be too much for even Cast Iron Dog Stomach's. Thanks for restoring my Faith in a healthy alterative...JJ

 

[LilyD]

@LilyD I have thought about raw poultry feeding. While I figured there would be little issue with home raised birds. I would be afraid of commercial Raw Chicken. The bacterial load can be too much for even Cast Iron Dog Stomach's. Thanks for restoring my Faith in a healthy alterative...JJ

I have 5 pups I own and one foster pup and they all eat RAW haven't had any issues we are going on 4 years for these kids. I think anything whole foods is much safer than kibble and commercial foods are for sure but I feel much better knowing that the birds are raised by me and safe for them to eat.