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Author Topic: disposing of dead chickens  (Read 3682 times)

islaSkye

  • Joined Sep 2016
disposing of dead chickens
« on: July 15, 2020, 06:00:58 pm »
Hi guys, We have quite a few hens here, around 200 birds and mainly ex-batts. About a quarter are reaching a ripe old age (some are 6 years +)  and inevitably starting to die. We were taking they one by one as and when to the knackers yard, some 15 miles away, but its a tedious and excessive task, especially when we turn up with one measly hen. The government guidelines state:
"Category 2 material must be disposed of by:
direct incineration or
rendering or other authorised treatment process - followed by incineration, landfill, composting or biogas treatment"
But what exactly is 'rendering'? Im thinking if we made a specific compost area for the birds (probably a darlik style garden composter or wooden compost unit) away from crops, veggies and other animals it would save a lot of time and energy. Of course, if we suspected a hen dying of sickness we'd still take this to the incinerator unit.
What do others do and have you ever come across composting them?

Eve

  • Joined Jul 2010
Re: disposing of dead chickens
« Reply #1 on: July 15, 2020, 09:25:59 pm »
Double bagged in summer or in a single bag in winter, in a supermarket ‘bag for life’ (the irony, I know) and then in the refuse wheelie bin.  :innocent:
« Last Edit: July 15, 2020, 09:28:09 pm by Eve »

bj_cardiff

  • Joined Feb 2017
  • Carmarthenshire
Re: disposing of dead chickens
« Reply #2 on: July 16, 2020, 07:02:57 am »
I bury mine on the muck heap, sometimes the fox will dig them up and take them away.

Cheviot

  • Joined Sep 2012
  • Scottish Borders, north of Moffat
    • Hawkshaw Sheep yarn
Re: disposing of dead chickens
« Reply #3 on: July 16, 2020, 08:27:03 am »
Bokashi composting would work, if it’s just a hen every few days, this process pickles them, rather than them decomposing, the finished product can then be added to a compost bin without the risk of attracting vermin.
Cheviot, Shetland and Hebridean sheep.

harmony

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: disposing of dead chickens
« Reply #4 on: July 16, 2020, 02:58:44 pm »
Just saying - If you have 200 birds and are registered as keeping 50 plus birds then I would think you should dispose of them by one of the accepted methods and be able to prove it if asked. Which is what you have to do if you have 2 sheep, 20 or 200.

Goatherd

  • Joined Dec 2014
Re: disposing of dead chickens
« Reply #5 on: July 16, 2020, 04:20:40 pm »
 
    What Harmony has writen is what we have to do here registered as over 50 birds (250) if one dies put it in a bag
    into a old working yard freezer at some point fallen stock collect..
    Animal health lady very happy   remember freezer has to have a lock .

bj_cardiff

  • Joined Feb 2017
  • Carmarthenshire
Re: disposing of dead chickens
« Reply #6 on: July 16, 2020, 08:21:19 pm »
 
    What Harmony has writen is what we have to do here registered as over 50 birds (250) if one dies put it in a bag
    into a old working yard freezer at some point fallen stock collect..
    Animal health lady very happy   remember freezer has to have a lock .

That's a really good idea :)

Steph Hen

  • Joined Jul 2013
  • Angus Scotland.
Re: disposing of dead chickens
« Reply #7 on: July 17, 2020, 12:46:06 pm »
When I was doing more chicks and breeding and had spare cockerels I took them to a falconer. He would freeze them for his birds and ferrets to eat.

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: disposing of dead chickens
« Reply #8 on: July 20, 2020, 06:25:09 pm »
Last time I dropped a goat at the knackeryard, local farmer who runs a free-range egg set up delivered a few red bins in his trailer... so I think these are collected dead birds and delivered to incinerator when full. Surely such a set-up would be possible for you?


As for the odd one keeling over when you have less than 50 - they do make a really good slow-release fertilizer for newly planted trees or bushes... failing that, double wrapped in normal bin.

harmony

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: disposing of dead chickens
« Reply #9 on: July 20, 2020, 06:42:11 pm »
Last time I dropped a goat at the knackeryard, local farmer who runs a free-range egg set up delivered a few red bins in his trailer... so I think these are collected dead birds and delivered to incinerator when full. Surely such a set-up would be possible for you?


As for the odd one keeling over when you have less than 50 - they do make a really good slow-release fertilizer for newly planted trees or bushes... failing that, double wrapped in normal bin.


Under 50 or over 50 birds they still should be taken away by animal disposal but over 50 more likely to get asked how you dispose of deadstock but you could get asked if animal health visit for another animal inspection and they see your chickens pecking about. And I know that in practise all sorts of disposal goes on....just pointing out it is illegal.

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: disposing of dead chickens
« Reply #10 on: July 20, 2020, 09:30:28 pm »
Last time I dropped a goat at the knackeryard, local farmer who runs a free-range egg set up delivered a few red bins in his trailer... so I think these are collected dead birds and delivered to incinerator when full. Surely such a set-up would be possible for you?


As for the odd one keeling over when you have less than 50 - they do make a really good slow-release fertilizer for newly planted trees or bushes... failing that, double wrapped in normal bin.


Actually the official advcie for hobby keepers during bird flu was to double-wrap in plastic and dispose in your council waste bin.... and even though my local knacker yard is only 5miles down the road, I would definitely NOT turn up with a single dead chicken...


Under 50 or over 50 birds they still should be taken away by animal disposal but over 50 more likely to get asked how you dispose of deadstock but you could get asked if animal health visit for another animal inspection and they see your chickens pecking about. And I know that in practise all sorts of disposal goes on....just pointing out it is illegal.

harmony

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: disposing of dead chickens
« Reply #11 on: July 20, 2020, 11:08:32 pm »
Last time I dropped a goat at the knackeryard, local farmer who runs a free-range egg set up delivered a few red bins in his trailer... so I think these are collected dead birds and delivered to incinerator when full. Surely such a set-up would be possible for you?


As for the odd one keeling over when you have less than 50 - they do make a really good slow-release fertilizer for newly planted trees or bushes... failing that, double wrapped in normal bin.


Actually the official advcie for hobby keepers during bird flu was to double-wrap in plastic and dispose in your council waste bin.... and even though my local knacker yard is only 5miles down the road, I would definitely NOT turn up with a single dead chicken...


Under 50 or over 50 birds they still should be taken away by animal disposal but over 50 more likely to get asked how you dispose of deadstock but you could get asked if animal health visit for another animal inspection and they see your chickens pecking about. And I know that in practise all sorts of disposal goes on....just pointing out it is illegal.


https://www.gov.uk/guidance/fallen-stock


This is currently the guidance and there is no difference between hobby keepers and farmers.

 

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