Rabbit meat safe after being found dead?

[tripletfeb]

I rest all my birds in the fridge for 24 hours after kill time. You can tell when rigor mortis is passed because the legs and wings will move freely when you try to manipulate them.

I just did that rooster you know about. He was so stiff, even during butchering. I let him rest for over 24 hours, wonder if I should have done longer?

 

[Isadora]

I just did that rooster you know about. He was so stiff, even during butchering. I let him rest for over 24 hours, wonder if I should have done longer?

Rigor setting in while butchering is normal unless you can eviscerate very quickly. He wasn't loose when you went to cook him?

 

[tripletfeb]

Rigor setting in while butchering is normal unless you can eviscerate very quickly. He wasn't loose when you went to cook him?

Not really. Not as loose as I thought he should be. You saw the picture, he was doing yoga on the plate!

 

[P-heasant]

Not really. Not as loose as I thought he should be. You saw the picture, he was doing yoga on the plate!

Can I see this picture please

 

[EverythingDucks]

I would be considering a necropsy, just incase.

 

[Geena]

I just did that rooster you know about. He was so stiff, even during butchering. I let him rest for over 24 hours, wonder if I should have done longer?

The older the bird is the longer they should be rested. All the muscles, ligaments and connective tissues get firmer and less elastic with age. An 8 week old cornish x can be rested for just 24 hours. I find my 12- 14 week old meat mutts need 2 to 3 days. Anything over a year old might need 3 to 5 days of rest.

 

[P-heasant]

Another question, will thé rabbit be ok to process a day from now or will the body go through a bad stage and be unpleasant to process

 

[tripletfeb]

Can I see this picture please

Here he is, doing downward dog

The older the bird is the longer they should be rested. All the muscles, ligaments and connective tissues get firmer and less elastic with age. An 8 week old cornish x can be rested for just 24 hours. I find my 12- 14 week old meat mutts need 2 to 3 days. Anything over a year old might need 3 to 5 days of rest.

Thanks! I'm not quite sure how old this guy was, he was from a coworker of mine. Not more than a year though

 

[Molpet]

If I didn't know what it died from I don't eat it. If it's below 50 I have salvage meat from predator kill and deer hit in front of the house.

I rest older birds 5days up to 10
Older birds need to be cooked different
I pressure cooked a couple years old rooster for over 2 hrs and he was great pulled chicken.

 

[Folly's place]

Consider this dead rabbit a necropsy project; wear gloves, at least, and don't eat any of it!
Clean tools, board, all that with disinfectant too.
Mary