Processor Didn't Remove Crop. Help!

[InDaGarden]

Hello,
I had some silkies processed over a year ago. They've been in my freezer ever since. I thawed them so I could grind them to feed my dog (raw). While cutting up the first one I noticed a strange lump in its chest so I cut down the breastbone to see what it was. I was horrified to find it was a crop still full of food! Not only full of food but it's food I did not feed them. It's like this in 4 out of 6 birds.

Does this make the meat unsafe? I don't think I'm going to chance it but wanted too see other opinions. It's for my dog but I only feed her very high quality food. I would never risk feeding her something that could make her sick.

Thanks for any opinions.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If it has been frozen all this time, you can just trim away the crop and you are all good.
Lift on the crop tissue and using your sharpest implement, run the blade between the crop tissue and the breast muscle. It is easier if it is thawed.

 

[rjohns39]

Hello,
I had some silkies processed over a year ago. They've been in my freezer ever since. I thawed them so I could grind them to feed my dog (raw). While cutting up the first one I noticed a strange lump in its chest so I cut down the breastbone to see what it was. I was horrified to find it was a crop still full of food! Not only full of food but it's food I did not feed them. View attachment 1765678 It's like this in 4 out of 6 birds.

Does this make the meat unsafe? I don't think I'm going to chance it but wanted too see other opinions. It's for my dog but I only feed her very high quality food. I would never risk feeding her something that could make her sick.

Thanks for any opinions.

Hi and welcome to BYC When you have a chance stop by new member introductions so we welcome you properly. You've had an account for quite a while but this is your first post.

What do you know about the processor? Were the birds rapidly chilled to below 40* (water or air chill) and then frozen within 24-48 hours? if this was done then yes you can remove the crop and the meat is fine.

 

[InDaGarden]

If it has been frozen all this time, you can just trim away the crop and you are all good.
Lift on the crop tissue and using your sharpest implement, run the blade between the crop tissue and the breast muscle. It is easier if it is thawed.

Thanks for the reply. I carefully removed the crop making sure to keep it whole and not spill any of the contents. I then set the chicken in cold water. I'm kinda worried that if this so called "experienced" processor left the crops in, what else did they do wrong.

 

[rjohns39]

Cut a bird in half and take pictures of the insides for us to look at.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If the inside body cavity doesn't have the lungs or other organ debris remaining, I'm fairly confident you're ok.
In the wild, canines will eat all of that stuff when they kill an animal.

 

[InDaGarden]

Hi and welcome to BYC When you have a chance stop by new member introductions so we welcome you properly. You've had an account for quite a while but this is your first post.

What do you know about the processor? Were the birds rapidly chilled to below 40* (water or air chill) and then frozen within 24-48 hours? if this was done then yes you can remove the crop and the meat is fine.

Sorry I'm kinda anti social and don't like posting anything online. I've been on BYC for a while and come to the site almost daily. I'll try to be more social!

They were processed by a guy advertising on facebook. He had started doing it as a side job but he was getting so much business he starting to do it fulltime. He seemed to know the proper way to process birds but forgetting the crop seems like a big mess up to me. I was not there so I can not be sure he followed proper cooling protocols.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Not only full of food but it's food I did not feed them.

Likely not your birds then.

Gary

 

[InDaGarden]

Cut a bird in half and take pictures of the insides for us to look at.

I just cut this one to get a pic (1 with flash 1 without) . Since they're silkies its hard to see things cause they're all black.

 

[wyoDreamer]

He may have gave them some food to make the crop larger and easier to remove - then forgot to remove it.