What to do with dead chickens
- Thread starter Anni D
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rick
Active member
Marigold addressed this question recently on a different thread but as I’m here...
Apparently it is acceptable to wrap them in 2 layers of plastic (two carrier bags?) and put them in general waste (to landfill). I wouldn’t want to do that with my pets but its only what you might do with a chicken carcass anyway (dodgy defrost of a whole chicken or the like) so its pretty reasonable.
Not supposed to bury them (DEFRA? but I'm sure there are plenty that do like cats and dogs that have a garden grave.) If I did then would bury deep so that they weren’t dug up by scavengers.
Home cremation? A bit like sky burial - don’t think its the done thing officially but depends how rural you are I suppose.
Practically, I think, it is likely that a pet is going to end their days at the vet and you would leave them to their facilities. If one of my chickens died, either out of the blue or (and this is a more uncomfortable possibility) having to dispatch one myself due to a hopeless and pressing situation, then I think I would take them to the vet and pay the disposal fee. Its silly really! The chicken isn’t going to fuss over the difference between landfill or utility cremation.
Don’t worry about it. It will pan out when it has to and I hope that isn’t for a good while yet.
Apparently it is acceptable to wrap them in 2 layers of plastic (two carrier bags?) and put them in general waste (to landfill). I wouldn’t want to do that with my pets but its only what you might do with a chicken carcass anyway (dodgy defrost of a whole chicken or the like) so its pretty reasonable.
Not supposed to bury them (DEFRA? but I'm sure there are plenty that do like cats and dogs that have a garden grave.) If I did then would bury deep so that they weren’t dug up by scavengers.
Home cremation? A bit like sky burial - don’t think its the done thing officially but depends how rural you are I suppose.
Practically, I think, it is likely that a pet is going to end their days at the vet and you would leave them to their facilities. If one of my chickens died, either out of the blue or (and this is a more uncomfortable possibility) having to dispatch one myself due to a hopeless and pressing situation, then I think I would take them to the vet and pay the disposal fee. Its silly really! The chicken isn’t going to fuss over the difference between landfill or utility cremation.
Don’t worry about it. It will pan out when it has to and I hope that isn’t for a good while yet.
valeriebutterley
New member
Camberley's rule is grey bin, 2 layers of plastic, I thought green bin was general waste. It is in Surrey CC.
When one of mine was PTS at the vet a few weeks ago, he charged £17. This was for the consultation, injection,and disposal. I could have taken her body home with me but that wouldn't have made a difference to the price. This seemed very reasonable to me, as I would have hated to have had the experience of killing her myself as my last memory after 5 happy years with her. It would be good if you could find out how to cull a hen yourself in an emergency, though, if a fox attacks for instance and a bird is in severe pain and shock, unlikely to recover, and it would take too long to get her to the vet. Or if you find a dying pheasant that's been shot, if you live in the country.
If you haven't already done so, you might like to enquire around local vets to find one that is fairly experienced with chickens, in case you need one in a hurry. I'm my experience, however, so long as chickens are kept safe from fox or dog attack, they either tend to die suddenly from unforeseeable heart attacks etc, or have more long-drawn-out illnesses which give you time to think what to do, ask the knowledgeable people on here, and try to avoid the vet as much as you can as their fees for actual treatment can be very high and some common problems do respond well to home remedies. An experienced chicken vet can be hard to find, and most vets will just tend to prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics, but you need to think carefully about going down this route, even with a much- loved pet. See thread in Chickens Health 'Is your antibiotic really necessary?'
http://poultrykeeperforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=8760
It's just my personal opinion, and I'm sure many people will shoot me down in flames if I say that hens are actually quite short-lived pets, and there's no point in trying too hard to keep them going when they reach the stage of succumbing to common age-related illnesses such as peritonitis or prolapse. The difficult bit comes in recognising when to let go, and what is the best way for you to end their life, and then your very sensible and responsible enquiry about disposal of bodies is part of your decision.
If you haven't already done so, you might like to enquire around local vets to find one that is fairly experienced with chickens, in case you need one in a hurry. I'm my experience, however, so long as chickens are kept safe from fox or dog attack, they either tend to die suddenly from unforeseeable heart attacks etc, or have more long-drawn-out illnesses which give you time to think what to do, ask the knowledgeable people on here, and try to avoid the vet as much as you can as their fees for actual treatment can be very high and some common problems do respond well to home remedies. An experienced chicken vet can be hard to find, and most vets will just tend to prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics, but you need to think carefully about going down this route, even with a much- loved pet. See thread in Chickens Health 'Is your antibiotic really necessary?'
http://poultrykeeperforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=8760
It's just my personal opinion, and I'm sure many people will shoot me down in flames if I say that hens are actually quite short-lived pets, and there's no point in trying too hard to keep them going when they reach the stage of succumbing to common age-related illnesses such as peritonitis or prolapse. The difficult bit comes in recognising when to let go, and what is the best way for you to end their life, and then your very sensible and responsible enquiry about disposal of bodies is part of your decision.
MrsBiscuit
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I totally agree with Marigold's last paragraph.
I buried my first couple of birds and planted a rose bush to remember them. They need to be buried deep and many people put a slab over over them to stop a fox digging in. From a practical perspective, however, its just not feasible to do this if you have a number of birds, so I now double bag and put them in the bin after culling/natural causes death. The original rose bushes serve as a commemorative reminder to all the birds over the years.
I buried my first couple of birds and planted a rose bush to remember them. They need to be buried deep and many people put a slab over over them to stop a fox digging in. From a practical perspective, however, its just not feasible to do this if you have a number of birds, so I now double bag and put them in the bin after culling/natural causes death. The original rose bushes serve as a commemorative reminder to all the birds over the years.
valeriebutterley
New member
Both Marigold and Mrs. B gave me food for thought with their sensible comments.
Last night when I went to lock up my Pekins, I was horrified to find Blanche covered in blood on her front, not just a smear but covered, her entire breast.
She seemed OK, in fact quite chirpy, and apart from a great lump of blood stained feathers on her breast could not discover an injury at all.
I decided to leave her overnight as she seemed comfortable, and go and see to her before light this morning, then wondering overnight if I had done the right thing in leaving her, as one of my hybrid bantam girls does have a bit of a blood lust, killed two chicks she hatched last year.
I suddenly realised how the years had rolled by, and that Blanche must be at least 4 or 5 now. She is a stunning girl, you've guessed it, brilliant white, and totally bouffant. My lavender and lavender cuckoo girls are also of a similar age, but are showing signs of it in their faces, beautiful Blanche does not.
This morning I took her out of the cage and examined her, wiped her with medicated wipes and she seems bright and OK, just very red on the front!!
She rushed around with the others, and they had a great time loose in the garden whilst I was cleaning their house and run.
Brings me back to the point, if she deteriorates she will go to the vet to be PTS, I just could not bring myself, like Marigold, to do the deed on a little hen that is so dignified and ladylike and has given me so much pleasure.
Last night when I went to lock up my Pekins, I was horrified to find Blanche covered in blood on her front, not just a smear but covered, her entire breast.
She seemed OK, in fact quite chirpy, and apart from a great lump of blood stained feathers on her breast could not discover an injury at all.
I decided to leave her overnight as she seemed comfortable, and go and see to her before light this morning, then wondering overnight if I had done the right thing in leaving her, as one of my hybrid bantam girls does have a bit of a blood lust, killed two chicks she hatched last year.
I suddenly realised how the years had rolled by, and that Blanche must be at least 4 or 5 now. She is a stunning girl, you've guessed it, brilliant white, and totally bouffant. My lavender and lavender cuckoo girls are also of a similar age, but are showing signs of it in their faces, beautiful Blanche does not.
This morning I took her out of the cage and examined her, wiped her with medicated wipes and she seems bright and OK, just very red on the front!!
She rushed around with the others, and they had a great time loose in the garden whilst I was cleaning their house and run.
Brings me back to the point, if she deteriorates she will go to the vet to be PTS, I just could not bring myself, like Marigold, to do the deed on a little hen that is so dignified and ladylike and has given me so much pleasure.
What a lovely story, Val. I do hope Blanche will be OK. Some chickens are really tough birds and just keep on surviving against what would seem to be really heavy odds. Do you think she had somehow damaged her wattles or comb? That sort of injury causes lots of blood but usually isn't too serious in itself if th blood doesn't cause bullying from the others.
valeriebutterley
New member
The injury and blood is well below her head, not wattles or comb.
I'll let you know later how she is, and yes, she is a tough one always has been. She came second hand and of unknown age from a dealer in Horndean who wanted rid of his hens to restart afresh a few years ago. The lavander cuckoo, Yoko, I bought at the same time, younger apparently, is certainly showing her age; someone who came to collect a cockerel from me said of her "what a lovely old lady"!
Blanche continues beautiful. Wish us luck.
I'll let you know later how she is, and yes, she is a tough one always has been. She came second hand and of unknown age from a dealer in Horndean who wanted rid of his hens to restart afresh a few years ago. The lavander cuckoo, Yoko, I bought at the same time, younger apparently, is certainly showing her age; someone who came to collect a cockerel from me said of her "what a lovely old lady"!
Blanche continues beautiful. Wish us luck.
valeriebutterley
New member
Further to do with the previous - you were spot on Marigold.
It is comb and wattles, not Blanche but Yoko. Saw her injury this morning, she had been got at. I suppose I was so shocked at the sight of Blanche yesterday that I failed to notice poor old Yoko who obviously bled profusely over her best mate.
Yoko is the one who is ageing and I suspect her attacker is Angel, who is a bantam hybrid, Silkie/Oxford Pyle game bird. She is the one who murders her offspring, apart from that she is lovely!!!!!!
B...dy chickens!
It is comb and wattles, not Blanche but Yoko. Saw her injury this morning, she had been got at. I suppose I was so shocked at the sight of Blanche yesterday that I failed to notice poor old Yoko who obviously bled profusely over her best mate.
Yoko is the one who is ageing and I suspect her attacker is Angel, who is a bantam hybrid, Silkie/Oxford Pyle game bird. She is the one who murders her offspring, apart from that she is lovely!!!!!!
B...dy chickens!
Poor Yoko! No wonder Blanche was quite perky yesterday! Getting all the TLC instead of her friend!
