The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: egbert on September 22, 2010, 10:06:21 pm

Title: Carcass disposal?
Post by: egbert on September 22, 2010, 10:06:21 pm
OK - another question to do with my poor chook who died yesterday. What do you all do with your chicken bodies?

We have had a rather bizarre family fight this afternoon - my eccentric mother in law wanted to give it to the local fox - she was going to take it for a long walk to the end of the field behind us. I already said I didnt want this to happen - Im not too emotional about the chicken but I dont agree with feeding the local foxes. They are vermin which poo all over my lawn.

Anyway, as I drove through the gates from work I saw her running off (well, if you can describe a 80 odd year old who can hardly walk anymore running - more of a hunched over fast paddle) - she grabbed the box it was in and ducked off round the corner to hide it from me. Apparently my OH had said she could do it, so she tried to do a covert op to grab it, knowing I objected - OH hadnt known, but as she had she shouldnt have asked him behind my back.

So - now I have a sulking MIL, hungry foxes and a chicken body waiting for disposal still - a day late!

Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: knightquest on September 22, 2010, 10:14:54 pm
ooooh, mothers in law................. ooooooh. What else can you say?

Ian
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: Sandy on September 22, 2010, 10:41:19 pm
I just took mine to the tip!!! I just hate that when someone asks then dose what they want .....if that was me I would be mad toooooooo!!
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: piggy on September 22, 2010, 10:46:27 pm
I burn ours as we are always burning rubbish on top of the muck heap.
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: doganjo on September 22, 2010, 11:34:19 pm
Mine get double wrapped in poly bags and put in the wheelie. :-[
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: Fleecewife on September 23, 2010, 12:28:38 am
Before all the regulations about legal and illegal disposal came into force (of course), we used to dig a big hole and bury the hen, then plant a tree on top  :)
I used to have a MiL a bit like that, only 100 times worse - your story made me laugh I'm afraid, with her scuttling around with a corpse under her arm  ;D  Old ladies have been ducked in the village pond for less.
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: chickenfeed on September 23, 2010, 03:38:03 am
 :chook: defra have rules re disposal of fallen stock, pre these rules we used to incinerate all our birds,the odd one in the septic tank, have never heard of putting them in a wheelie bin.

we have a hunt locally that we can drop fallen stock off for propper disposal for a small fee re defra rules.
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: bloomer on September 23, 2010, 07:18:20 am
mine would have to go the wheelie bin route as theres not alot of other choices in a town.

surely letting the local fox have it just shows them chickens taste good, (not clever) how about leaving the MIL out for the foxes?
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: Cinderhills on September 23, 2010, 08:14:55 am
Mine also go in the regular bin double wrapped. I really don't want to pay to get rid of it. Although we did have a post mortem on one of them as we were worried what she died of was infectious. It wasn't.
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: rbarlo32 on September 23, 2010, 09:05:20 am
we have a nice plot for the fallen chucks. were lucky we are still allowed to bury fallen stock. i do face the problem of needing to cull out a fair few hens very soon. it would be silly to bury so i will look at the tip. i don't think teaching your local foxs that hens are yummy is such a good idea. you will end up with a que at the chicken coop.
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: Eve on September 23, 2010, 09:26:56 am
@ Sandy - I read that you took your MIL to the tip!  ;D ;D ;D (I might just do that with my outlaws one day!)

Here in Herts the tips watch everything like hawks and often ask what's in your bags. They don't accept a whole load of things, even claiming that a few pathetic kitchen cupboards are construction waste. It'd be wheelie bins for us, too, if we had to dispose of a chook.

Eve  :wave:
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: Sandy on September 23, 2010, 10:05:03 am
 ??? ???Good Idea Eve ???
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: sheardale on September 23, 2010, 03:36:48 pm
wheelie bin too.  then disguise the polybags with other rubbish. 
Cheers Helen
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: Daveravey on September 23, 2010, 04:03:07 pm
My last lot went into the veg patch around 3-4ft down
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: ellisr on September 23, 2010, 04:05:59 pm
I burn the odd one that falls, but I have had one or two that have dropped when in the pig pen and you have to be fast to get the carcass out or there is no trace within minutes
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: Sandy on September 23, 2010, 04:26:24 pm
Hang on!! We still talking about birds, ??? nofeathered ones  ???;)
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: Bright Raven on September 23, 2010, 07:42:04 pm
I always incinerate my carcasses and if the bird was ill I put the ashes in the wheelie bin rather than on the garden.
I put one bird into a wheelie bin once and then had a dreadful fit of guilt about the smell of it at the tip, and the health implications for people working there. I have never done it since.
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: doganjo on September 23, 2010, 07:59:48 pm
I always incinerate my carcasses and if the bird was ill I put the ashes in the wheelie bin rather than on the garden.
I put one bird into a wheelie bin once and then had a dreadful fit of guilt about the smell of it at the tip, and the health implications for people working there. I have never done it since.
I think there would be lot more hazardous things going to landfill than a  dead chicken!  If they are at least wrapped in two poly bags I think with the masks, overalls and gloves that are provided for the workers they would be pretty safe.
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: supplies for smallholders on September 23, 2010, 09:25:30 pm


I know there are "Rules" and also there are the ways things are actually done........but I wonder if anyone from DEFRA ever reads peoples written "Confessions" on these forums? - Or someone from some MIL protection league or something..........
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: doganjo on September 23, 2010, 09:29:13 pm


I know there are "Rules" and also there are the ways things are actually done........but I wonder if anyone from DEFRA ever reads peoples written "Confessions" on these forums? - Or someone from some MIL protection league or something..........
;D ;D
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: Anke on September 23, 2010, 09:43:58 pm
What's the (legal, environmental etc etc) difference between a (cooked) chicken carcass (left over from Sunday lunch) and an (also very dead) bird, although maybe uncooked in your wheelie bin?

I always find that one of my hens keels over the day after the binmen have been... but holes in the ground have to be very deep, as badgers (and foxes) can smell quite well and try to dig any kind of carcass out... Seen it... large stone on top also helps.

Btw what are you supposed to do with your fallen hens????
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: supplies for smallholders on September 23, 2010, 09:52:16 pm

Quote
Btw what are you supposed to do with your fallen hens?

http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/byproducts/fallen/disposalqa.htm (http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/byproducts/fallen/disposalqa.htm)
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: doganjo on September 23, 2010, 10:19:34 pm

Quote
Btw what are you supposed to do with your fallen hens?

http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/byproducts/fallen/disposalqa.htm (http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/byproducts/fallen/disposalqa.htm)
Quote
Please note this applies only to England - If you live in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland please contact your respective national agricultural departments for advice.
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: doganjo on September 23, 2010, 10:33:12 pm
This was the information given out during the Avian flu epidemic -small bird = chicken?

Quote
Disposal (Source - Defra) :

If the dead bird is a single small garden or wild bird then you do not need to call Defra.

You should:

    * leave it alone, or
    * follow the guidelines below for disposal


By following some simple hygiene precautions people should minimise the risk of infection. It is hard for humans to catch bird flu from birds and the following steps offer simple and effective precautions.

If you have to move a dead bird:

   1. Avoid touching the bird with your bare hands.
   2. If possible, wear disposable protective gloves when picking up and handling.
   3. Place the dead bird in a suitable plastic bag, preferably a leak proof one. Take care not to contaminate the outside of the bag.
   4. Tie the bag and place it in a second plastic bag.
   5. Remove gloves by turning them inside out and then place them in the second plastic bag. Tie the bag and dispose of in the normal household refuse bin.
   6. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water.
   7. Use a plastic bag as a makeshift glove if disposable gloves are not available. When you have picked up the dead bird, turn the bag back on itself and tie it. Then, place it in a second plastic bag, tie it and dispose of in the normal household waste.
   8. Alternatively, bury the dead bird, but not in a plastic bag.
   9. Wash any clothing that has been in contact with the dead bird using ordinary washing detergent at the temperature normally used for washing the clothing.
  10. Thoroughly clean any contaminated indoor surfaces with normal household cleaner.
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: supplies for smallholders on September 24, 2010, 09:08:59 am
Quote
This was the information given out during the Avian flu epidemic -small bird = chicken?

Afraid not - thats a wild bird, not one used for food production. Nice try though  ;D

Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: DJ_Chook on September 24, 2010, 09:11:01 am
I also fess up to chucking them into the septic tank.
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: shetlandpaul on September 24, 2010, 12:35:11 pm
Quote
This was the information given out during the Avian flu epidemic -small bird = chicken?

Afraid not - thats a wild bird, not one used for food production. Nice try though  ;D


so if you take meat off your culled birds do they then become domestic waste.
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: Sharondp on September 24, 2010, 02:04:25 pm
I'm actually with the mother-in-law on this one!

I take any dead birds (pretty infrequently) up to the very top of my paddock (a good distance from the rest of the birds) where I know the fox lives nearby.

My theory is that if he has a bellyfull of dead chicken, he won't bother the live ones.
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: pikilily on September 24, 2010, 03:32:49 pm
I have occassionally put our dead chooks in the septic tank.. i remember being told that in the old days folks used to put rabbits in the tanks to activate them...the tanks not the rabbits :-)  ;D ;D
Anyway,,,,, i dejuleded that chooks should do the same thing!!!
Emma T
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: Daisys Mum on September 24, 2010, 09:42:53 pm

I just put mine in the wheelie bin too, after all they are going to be buried at the tip then  ::)
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: Sandy on September 26, 2010, 09:51:28 am
The wheelie bins also must end up with all sorts of nasties in them, bits of raw meat we cut up and throw away, often chicken bones of bits of fat and sinue... nappies, lady nappies, contraceptives with the added bits in!!! used dressings, used tissue, dog poo and sick, other dead pets, maggots etc etc...all go into bins....dont't they!!!
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: Fleecewife on September 26, 2010, 11:23:17 am
No wonder landfill sites stink so badly  ;D  I would far rather be allowed to bury small carcasses on my kown land.
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: Sandy on September 26, 2010, 08:00:37 pm
Are you not suppose to bury small animals on your land then? I had a small dog that we burried in the garden (shame he was not dead) and I know some one who lived here before burried thier Retriever somewhere in the garden too!!!!
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: rbarlo32 on September 26, 2010, 09:28:20 pm
livestock. you can plant your pets.
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: Sandy on September 26, 2010, 10:50:29 pm
 ;) ;)
Title: Re: Carcass disposal?
Post by: shrekfeet on September 27, 2010, 09:25:56 pm
I either put it on the compost heap or I throw it in the 'pit of death' where the Game Keeper snares foxes