When butchering chickens, how do you dispose of the unused bits?

[perchead]

Use some feathers for fly tying, burn the rest, and feed the dogs whatever is edible

 

[DreamsInPink]

Taking the remains and dumping them off somewhere sounds easy but I don't know if I'd feel comfortable doing that. For one thing, I don't know of a place I could do it... and to me it seems like advertising to area predators. I don't know.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Unless it is on your own land or you have the landowner’s permission, it is almost certainly illegal. In certain jurisdictions, like urban or suburban, it is almost certainly illegal. It will attract predators. But in the country where you have room, it is a standard way of disposing of carcasses. Burying is also.

 

[DreamsInPink]

Hmmm, yes, I don't have the property to do it on... as for getting neighbors permission, that's a possibility. I just really don't like the idea of drawing predators. To anyone's vicinity... I'll most likely burn and/or bury.

Thank you all for the input.

 

[QueenMisha]

Taking the remains and dumping them off somewhere sounds easy but I don't know if I'd feel comfortable doing that.  For one thing, I don't know of a place I could do it... and to me it seems like advertising to area predators.  I don't know.

It's definitely the easier but it only really works if you're out in the country or willing to drive to it. And it's DEFINITELY advertising to predators - that's why I won't dump anywhere near my place or anyone else's place if they have livestock. I'm happy to feed the predators if it'll draw them away from my birds.

Unless it is on your own land or you have the landowner’s permission, it is almost certainly illegal. In certain jurisdictions, like urban or suburban, it is almost certainly illegal. It will attract predators. But in the country where you have room, it is a standard way of disposing of carcasses. Burying is also.

Yeah, should have mentioned we're way out in the boonies. Got five neighbors right next to us and know 'em all, and there's no one else for about a 20 miles walk, so I can be sure I'm not dumping on anybody's property, or any place where someone's gonna stumble across em before they get eaten.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I've butchered when living in town and here in the country.

Town butchering was always done the day before or morning of trash day. That's a must or your trash can is filled with maggots and stick. Awful.

Ya gotta love the country. I carry the bucket to the tree line or other direction by old stone wall and dump it. Feathers, heads, necks and all get dumped. It's all but gone excepting feathers by next morning. No smell and no worry.

 

[DreamsInPink]

Well those options definitely have given me something to think about. Thanks guys!!!!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I should have added that we've predators abundant here. Dumping butcher scraps is not drawing more in. If that was the case the scraps would not be gone by morning. It's fed on by the coyote, raccoon, fisher cat and ravens that are present every day.

Heck I was casting some lead boolits last week with garage door open and standing just out side having a smoke. Half dazed from already doing a hundred casts and absently watching a flock of 30 or so turkeys scratching on wooded hillside 80 yards away when out of nowhere a coyote ran through the flock scattering them to the trees. Ya know, another day in nature. And me being the stubborn type will try to fend off the bear and start up some more bee hives this year again. Was wiped out last year over the span of three days and bear hanging out under the apple tree 20 feet from front door. Would crack window and shoo them to no avail. They'd watch me rebuild the hives and come knock them down within 1/2 hour. Going to be a big wire box with electric wire this year for apiary. Hopefully I get them trained to leave the hives alone before the apiary outgrows the cage. Will only use electric when large.

 

[DreamsInPink]

We have lots of predators here too... I don't know how close they are to our home, but I know they are everywhere. We hear coyotes fairly close in the evenings.. but I raised miniature horses for years and never lost any. And we've also had goats off and on in the past and never had any trouble with them either. I guess I'll just have to wait and see once the time comes, what I prefer to do.

Wow, sounds like quite an adventure. Good luck with your bees and bears!!!

 

[Mini Meat]

The feathers compost GREAT and don't fall into the meat category in my mind. My family doesn't do organ meat so that goes the dogs. Feet go for soup and I will be adding the combs and wattles to the soup from now on. The rest of the head goes to the cats. That really only leaves the intestines... I just flush em if I have only done one or two. I have also thought about cutting the bottom off a 5 gallon bucket and burying it and putting a rock over the lid, so i don't have to dig a new hole each time. Should break down fairly quickly.