Cornish ok to eat?

[Chicken Sniffer]

Hi All,
I have a 5 week old Cornish that is lethargic and panting heavy this morning. It doesnt try to move away, and is pooping a running yellow/white poop. Is it ok to eat this one? I was going to send it to freezer camp today. It feels about 5 -6 lbs right now. It keeps it's head straight down when sleeping and it's comb is really dark. It's eyes look glazed, when they are open.
Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[jaku]

Tough call- I'd probably just cull and burn it just to be sure. Or, you could always just process it and take a look inside to look for fluid before you eat it.

 

[Chicken Sniffer]

I'm heading out right now to butcher it. I will let you know what I find inside.

 

[Chicken Sniffer]

Well............there is one for the burn barrel It was full of yellow fluid, and the heart was very enlarged. Has anyone ever eaten one like this?

 

[mikescanlon]

a very wise man once told me "the fire, kills everything" this sounds better in spanish.

i've eaten 2 of my cornish that have had the same problems, none were yellow inside.

as long as the yellow stuff doesn't smell too nasty, i'd go for it.

you're planning on cooking to 165 anyways right?


and trust me, if it were at a chicken factory, it would have gone to market, no questions asked.

 

[Chicken Sniffer]

It's burning right now. I don't want to take a chance on one chicken. This bird was so lethargic that it did'nt even make a fuss when I put it in the cone. That decided it for me.

 

[jaku]

Quote:
Good decision- I'm not sure if it would actually get you sick or not, but full of yellow fluid means the bird was definitely sick, and I would absolutely burn it. Like you said, is it worth risking it for one bird? No way.

 

[Puck-Puck]

And anyhow, isn't one of the points of raising your own, to make sure that you have healthier meat than the questionable carcasses you might get through the factory? I'd say you made the right decision.

 

[Chicken Sniffer]

Yese One chicken is not worth getting sick over. I used to work at an egg farm when I was younger. The chickens there were forced to lay eggs 24/7. We would scrape the poo up with a Bobcat and mix it with oyster shell and a little feed at the on site mill. Add some steroids and meds, and then feed it back to them.

There was 4 chickens in a 2'x2' cage and they were shipped to campbell's soup and swanson foods, after thier vent popped out. Around 3-4 months. I don't eat any meat from the store. I butcher a cow every year and a deer or elk...........if I am lucky with the bow. This is my first year with meat birds, and only the 2nd bird I have culled. The first one died the day after I got them. My Wife and 8 year old Daughter help with the processing of all our meat and veggies. We have some laying hens that are about to start laying. My Daughter fooled my Wife today by putting some eggs in the coop.

The look on her face was priceless. She grabbed them and took them to the fridgee
The people on this site have been a Godsend for my newbie questions. Thanks to all of you

 

[weaveagarden]

Hi neighbor.

Love the egg story. Your poor wife. I hope they lay soon for her.