What do you do with the bodies?

[Ibicella]

This is probably going to be a weird question, but I'm spending the year learning how to sustainable farm and keep chickens before I invest in the property and the birds (city girl trying to follow her country calling, here).

I was wondering for you folks who shoot predators...what do you do with their bodies?

And do you ever just go on and process an unfortunate chicken they've managed to catch?

 

[millebantam]

They make good compost. It's kinda wierd when a coon skull gets turned up with the roto-tiller in the spring, but in a strange way it feels like you're killin' him twice.

 

[Tala]

I started a predator graveyard behind my new chicken coop. Seemed like an appropriate place.

 

[MaggieRae]

Quote:

I like that.

 

[Marlinchaser]

It is best to burn the evidence/preditor, along with the killed birds, I would not process a victem, never know if the pred had any deseases. Another reason to burn is a dead animal will often attract other preditors to the area, even if they are burried, if you are tilling them up the next season you are not burrying them deep enough.

 

[halo]

I throw them in the back of my property. They don't go to waste.

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
Ditto. In my case the crows feed on them and mob any hawks or eagles that show up--Makes it a double win for me.

ETA: Anything that looks like it was unhealthy before it met the .270 gets burned.

 

[badnfluinz]

I lost my little pig last week and she is still laying out by the barn. The coyotes are taking care of her but the reason I left her there is because she will attract the coyotes and I can dispose of them too. They killed the pig to begin with. But its funny, they killed her last week, did not eat her, then just started coming back Friday night and eating a little at a time. Actually on leg at a time. But I can sit out there for hours waiting for them and as soon as I give up and go inside they show uup and I dont get a shot at them. Tonight I am ready. Move the pig closer to the house so I can hear when they show up!

 

[matthewschickens]

I would not eat the hens.
We throw the predators in the woods after skinning them (if it is worth it) and they are gone within the week.

Matthew

 

[ChickenToes]

We throw them in the woods and let the critters eat them. In the winter we'll let the body freeze for a day, then douse it in gas and throw it on a bonfire. Sounds morbid and weird, but it works well.