What do you do with your chickens when they die?

[BlindLemonChicken]

I say the same when one of my dogs gets a guinea. I'd rather a hungry predator get them than a dog who gets fed regularly. Predators....it's sad, but part of nature. My dumb dogs....that just makes me mad, especially when they're supposed to be GUARDING the livestock. But the dogs have a poultry problem, so we have them in paddocks surrounding the house and the chicken/guinea area. I've lost some chickens to coyotes when the chickens left the fenced area before dark, but the remaining hens seem to understand that dark=danger. Same with guineas, although guineas are far more "survival challenged". We started with 26 guineas and now have only 3. We started with 23 RIR hens and now have 16...all the hens that died were taken by coyotes... all when they pushed the limits of free ranging too far. No predators have entered the fenced area because of our LGDs. Guinea deaths were mostly coyotes, but some got eaten by the dogs. Now we have 16 teenager pullets/cockerells and I hope they'll learn from the hens' cues to avoid the other side of the fence where either dogs or coyotes could get them. But I am adamant about having them remain free range, so I know we're going to lose some from time to time.

Yeah it's a risk but sometimes you can keep them in a run then lose half your flock cause you forget to lock the coop one night. Quality of life matters. Most of my chickens retire to Montana and if a bear gets them I know they retired in style and went out under the stars instead of in a pot lol. That rarely happens of course but you know what I mean

 

[jus10inla]

Toss them in woods for coyote bait. Or in our deer carcas gut pile since it’s hunting season now

 

[ro ro]

you can consider burying in compost pile

 

[Clucktown]

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, and I have custom headstones made. They can be ordered through Amazon, and I have found one company that allows you to add a photo. Link below. Very reasonably priced and they do a decent job. Our chickens are pets and have been with us for over 8 years now.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B08XK2Q3JY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Sammster]

We have an area up at our camp, where so far, we have only buried my pet canaries. I imagine that we will do that with my chickens. If they die in the winter, they will be stored in the freezer until they can be buried

 

[desp4him]

I normally Bury then I my chicken pen

 

[BeckyOB]

I bury mine. I've only had 2 die so far, but they're my pets and they deserve better than being thrown out like garbage or fed to wild animals like road kill.