Dark grey fat areas?

[WannabeFarner]

We did our first big processing this weekend (28 red rangers), and 2-3 of them had an area of dark greyish fat around the pelvis. Is this a serious issue, or just normal variety from diet or something?

They were all fed non-gmo grain, and pastured in a chicken tractor for 11 weeks.

 

[Ridgerunner]

11 weeks is kind of young but were those females? Sounds like they may have been a bit older. Before they start to lay, females build up excess fat. That excess fat is what they live off of when they go broody so they can stay on the nest instead of needing to be off looking for food and water. I have not butchered that young but a fat pad in the pelvic area is where a majority of that excess fat is stored.

I raise dual purpose, not Rangers or CX, so I butcher a little older. The difference in fat between boys and girls is very obvious.

 

[WannabeFarner]

11 weeks is kind of young but were those females? Sounds like they may have been a bit older. Before they start to lay, females build up excess fat. That excess fat is what they live off of when they go broody so they can stay on the nest instead of needing to be off looking for food and water. I have not butchered that young but a fat pad in the pelvic area is where a majority of that excess fat is stored.

I raise dual purpose, not Rangers or CX, so I butcher a little older. The difference in fat between boys and girls is very obvious.

Yeah, there were lots of big fat pads. It was a mixed run.

I was just concerned/confused about the color. Most were yellow, but a few had some dark grey in there.