Birds got too warm after processing?

[AlexReesor]

We processed 30 birds on Saturday. Put them in ice water immediately, and refreshed the ice before bed. When we came back to cut up and package on Sunday afternoon, we realized that no one had refreshed the ice since Saturday night. Birds were 50-60 degrees. Rigor had also not passed yet, so we opted to ice them back down and wait. We finished packing and getting in the freezer on Monday and Tuesday. My gut says they are safe but I can’t get the worry out of my head over them being 50-60 degrees for an unknown amount of time on Sunday….

 

[Molpet]

I would freeze and eat.

Hank Shaw's Guide to Hanging Pheasants and Game Birds https://share.google/SvIE1UQDXQDlBjC6j

 

[iwltfum]

We processed 30 birds on Saturday. Put them in ice water immediately, and refreshed the ice before bed. When we came back to cut up and package on Sunday afternoon, we realized that no one had refreshed the ice since Saturday night. Birds were 50-60 degrees. Rigor had also not passed yet, so we opted to ice them back down and wait. We finished packing and getting in the freezer on Monday and Tuesday. My gut says they are safe but I can’t get the worry out of my head over them being 50-60 degrees for an unknown amount of time on Sunday….

Man that's a tough one. I've had a cooler with 100+ birds mysteriously shut down at an unknown date and ended up with room temp birds for at least a few hours. I did eat them. But I made sure to not give anyway from that batch. I also cooked and ate a chicken first and waited 24 hours before I served any to my family. Was the water cooler than the air temp? If so it may have still been cooling down which would really up my confidence about saving them personally. It's a tough call. For me it would depend on who I might affect if I serve them bad meat. If my wife was pregnant or if we had an infant in the house, an immunocompromised member of them family, etc... I might err on the side of caution.