Green Around The Legs of Just Processed Chicken

[eight_pieces]

We're just starting to slaughter some of our broilers. They've been healthy and lived good lives - great feed and they've been on fresh grass each day. Today I slaughtered one that was healthy, although it had just begun to limp. The meat looks and seems fine, except this chicken has some green coloration under the skin of both legs. It was 11 weeks old. Has anyone experienced this? Any idea what could have caused this?


http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/perfect-finds/Chicken_Leg.jpg


Thank You,
Richard

 

[sonew123]

If It was a little darker I would say some gangrene working there-could it have been bruised from getting knocked around in a wzzbang? Someone with alot more experience will come soon Im sure...

 

[Yvonne37894]

I have not raised for meat yet!! so I'm not sure.
could that be from hanging them, or the gloves you had on to scald them.

and by the way.

hope you find answers soon.

 

[sunnychooks]

Could this be what you're seeing?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=393265

 

[Super Chickenman]

Folks, Honestly, I have been a game bird hunter, big game hunter and butcher for 40 years. Many, many, many times, shot enters the body cavity and destroys the liver, or heart, or gall bladder, or any other organ you can think of. I have never in my life stopped in the middle of the cornfield to clean a bird. Getting a little bit of bile or anything else on the meat for a few seconds is not going to hurt it. There have been times I have not been able to clean my game birds for a couple of hours due to long hikes etc. If you get undesiribles on the meat, wash it out. It will be fine.

I do tend to soak my birds to get all the blood out. I do this overnight in the fridge in a pan of water. Unless of course, I am going to bottle them for soup (hence the name old stewing hen).

As I would any game bird, big game etc, cool the meat as soon as you can and wash it out as soon as you can. If this means a couple of hours or in some cases if you are in the mountains, a couple of days, so be it. IT WILL NOT HURT THE MEAT. Just get to it as soon as you can. Especially if it is only a few min.

 

[SteveH]

I've never heard of it in the legs , but green muscle disease is sometimes a problem in the breasts of CX and it may possibly be what you're seeing . Its caused by the inadequate blood supply to the over developed breast muscles ; if so its not viral or bacterial and you can just trim it away .

 

[ourflockof4]

Quote:
x2. I havent seen it on the brest in any of my birds, but I did see it on a couple wings last batch. Just cut that area out and discard. The rest if fine to eat.

 

[eight_pieces]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I'm going to treat it as the green muscle disease or bruising and cut away any discolored parts.

I don't think it's the gall bladder since it was green before I removed any organs. And I'm going to rule out gangrene because there's no odor at all..

Thank You,
Richard