What do you do with your chickens when they die?

[Missys Chicken Ranch]

Hello ya'll

Since I recently lost 2 of my favorite chickens for unrelated issues. It got me to thinking...what do you do with your chickens when they die? Do you bury them? Throw them in the trash? Eat them? I am curious. I have started a chicken cemetery it seems. That is definitely not my future plan. I was just curious to know what everyone does with their chickens when they die.

Thanks!

 

[HappyClucker7]

Mine are pets, so I bury them.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I feed mine to the coyotes.

 

[gtaus]

My backyard chickens are not pets. If one got injured and died, I might butcher it for food. If a chicken dies from an unknown disease, then it gets buried into a compost pile.

I would not leave my dead chicken out to feed predators. I think that might encourage them to come back for the live ones in the chicken run/coop.

IIRC, I saw a YouTube where Joel Salatin feeds his old chickens that he culls to his hogs. He does not take the time, or effort, to process old laying hens. Makes more sense on his commercial farm to feed the hogs all those old, culled chickens.

If your chickens are pets, then I suppose a proper burial would not be out of the question. I like the idea of burying it in the garden where it's body can bring new life to plants and food in the future. But whatever brings you comfort at the passing of a pet is OK with me. Sorry for your loss.

 

[MTKitty]

We bury ours very deep in our garden area.

I like this idea. I’ll have to consider it as my soil is so rocky that I use extreme raised beds (3 ft +).

I feed mine to the coyotes.

This was my first inclination, but I’m not sure I want ‘yotes to associate my or my chickens’ smell with a free and easy meal.

A great deal depends on the cause of death. If the bird is healthy and I’m the cause if death, it’s food. If they die of old age, probably a trip to the dump, unless the smell will get too bad before my trash run. Then, it’s likely to be burial. If disease causes the death, I’d have to consider communicability before deciding among trash, burial, or burning.

 

[Isadora]

Hello ya'll

Since I recently lost 2 of my favorite chickens for unrelated issues. It got me to thinking...what do you do with your chickens when they die? Do you bury them? Throw them in the trash? Eat them? I am curious. I have started a chicken cemetery it seems. That is definitely not my future plan. I was just curious to know what everyone does with their chickens when they die.

Thanks!

We bury ours very deep in our garden area.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

I bury them in my garden, they are pets.
Basil got a nice secluded spot, next to the frog pond, and lots of pretty vines. Somewhere where my other chickens don't dig.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

It's unwise to eat birds that were showing symptoms of illness or died due to something other than being processed.

Most of ours go in the garbage, but certain ones that pass on get buried.

 

[Missys Chicken Ranch]

Mine are pets, so I bury them.

Mine are too. I ugly cry every time one dies. I hope I don't have to ugly cry again for a long time.

 

[Saaniya]

I am sorry to hear that. I am trying to make my rooster my friend. Its going okay so far.

Yes pls they are the best pals trust me and they love unconditionally my teetee was a 4.5 years old leghorn shy type rooster very gentle I wish someday I meet him and raise him again