I have been told that the dead wood rots quickly on privet.
I have one dug in 1990 from a hedge as yours was, only mine was bigger
. Size does count apparently.
However it has not rotted yet.
I have really only started work on it in the last 12 months it was one of those trees!!.
It was however planted in 1947 when the person who owned the house was demobbed after the second world war. Just some trivia. I will post the tree on show and tell.
Pup