Broken Legs

[iklektic]

Hi all, first post on this site. Hoping for a little information. We have a flock of meat chickens that are about two weeks from processing time. I have noticed two of them have really thick legs (like they're swollen). I have removed these two from the flock a few days ago in the hopes that the "swelling" would go down, but unfortunately, it persists. What I though were sickly birds I now believe to be birds with broken legs. They are very active still, free ranging around our yard.
My questions are;
1. Are these chickens safe to process and eat subsequently?
2. How can I be absolutely certain that they are broken legs and not something (again, they seem fine on the outside... eating, drinking, walking (read "limping") around etc.?
3. Should I cull them?

 

[cmchickens]

This was posted awhile ago, but just in case your still here waiting for an answer:

1. I can't think of any reason the birds would not be okay to eat.
2. Close to processing time it is common for Cornish X to get a limp. If the birds are still walking, I doubt the leg is broken. I have had one Cornish X actually break a leg. It could not move. At all. I knew it was broke because the bone was poking through the skin. I processed the bird immediately.
3. When I consider culling a meat bird early, my questions are 1) can it get itself to the feed and water? 2) is it in pain or suffering? 3) will the bird die if I don't process it?

If it can get to the food and water, doesn't appear to be suffering, and if it isn't going to keel over at anytime, I leave them to processing age. I will not leave a bird in obvious pain. I will not leave a bird that cannot get itself to food and water. I will not leave a bird that look like it is going to die overnight.