can I eat this chicken?

[marshmallowpeeps]

Hi
I had a 7 month old light brahma hen drop dead. She had been laying as far as I know, but I'm not sure. I have 2 others that look the same and I can't tell them apart.

I think it is the one who was making this funny noise. She had been doing this high pitched squeak now and then, (maybe a cough?) since August. She had no other symptoms. None of the other chickens have had any symptoms, or made that noise. I'm pretty sure it was her that died. She is a heavy, healthy-looking bird. We are wondering if it is safe to eat her?

She has been outside in a safe area hung upside down since then, and this is Michigan, so she is frozen with all her body parts intact, though I did drain what blood I could at her neck.

Hate to let a good chicken go to waste, but don't want to eat her if it's not safe.
Any thoughts?

Thank you!

 

[Ema]

if you have no idea what she was sick with or the reason why she passed I would not eat it, but that is my opinion.

 

[Pequena Bandada]

I wouldn't... just like I wouldn't eat a downer cow. You never know what she died of. It might be nothing more than natural causes, but it could be something much worse that could make you sick too. (at least, that's my thinking)

 

[GAchick]

Same here.... No for human consumption, and iffy for doggy consumption...

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Nope, she could have been sick

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I would not eat her.


BUT


I would process her like I was going to eat her and then feed her to the dogs/cats or put in the compost pile. (although if frozen I might try skinning instead of dunking and plucking)

Why would I do this? - few reasons. 1 - it will give you a better knowledge of the bird's body and parts. If you have any questions on if things look ok (internal organs), you can take a picture and post them here for answers. I always open my birds gizzards and take a good look at the grit that is in there, too.

2 - it gives you experience in the whole processing phase so you can decide if processing your homegrown chickens is something you want to do (or can do). Sometimes learning to process is easier when you do not have the worry over killing the bird first.