Question regarding meat birds

[appygirl48]

I am raising my third flock of meat birds. I take excellent care of them. Their coop is cleaned daily, fresh water always available and I don't let them eat 24/7. They have very adequate room, great ventilation and an outside clean area. They eat a scoop of chick feed (organic and a scoop is about 2 lbs) twice daily among 20 of them. I started with 26 and have lost 7 of them for some apparent reason. We always seem to lose several to whatever seems to kill them (heart failure...various things I have read, they die suddenly). I am one week away from processing and today I could see that one was obviously going to die. So I butchered it and its abdomen was full of jelly fluid which is consistent with what I have read about ascitis and meat birds. My question...can it be eaten? Does anyone know? Does congestive heart failure due to ascitis render the bird unwise to eat? I am sure this is what killed it as it is exactly as described in an article I read. Look forward to your responses.

 

[ericmcginn5]

i dont know if you can eat it but i would always leave food in there. you dont have to but its what i do and what i will always do

 

[Den in Penn]

Welcome to BYC.

Try putting this in the Meat Birds section.

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Everything I've read on the meat bird thread suggests that yes, your bird with fluid/jelly in the chest cavity due to heart failure is safe to eat. You butchered it while it was still alive and heart failure is not transmitable or contageous. You're fine eating that bird.

Lots of good advice in the meat bird thread on raising meat birds to be healthier and less prone to heart failure as well.