Raising our 1st set of CX meaties

[jenifry]

I free range 100% of the time and control feed quite strictly. Those pics are from one of my birds. It is possible in free-range birds because their genetics lean them toward it, their level of activity itself can cause it, even if they build the right muscles, they can and do get it. One of mine evidently did. it takes time for the green to turn, it isn't processing or inhumane treatment in the moments or hours before slaughter... From my research it happens at least a day, usually many days before they are butchered. Before then it is just a red or purplish tinge to the meat, from burst blood vessels in muscle that just can't support activity. The green happens when the blood supply is gone and the muscle dies. I just thought I'd throw it out there just in case, it sure grossed me out, and I thought you might want to be prepared if per chance a customer got one. There was NO sign of it when we butchered or cooked it, just when we boned out the carcass after roasting.

 

[Beekissed]

Were they chased or startled into a run prior to processing at any time? Anything that caused more movement of those muscles than normally?

http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/poultry/myopathies/exertional_myopathy_in_poultry.html

I think many think that free ranging and excessive flapping during free ranging is the cause of this but knowing muscles as I do that just doesn't fit with what is happening on a physiological level. Fascia becomes tight and stiff when a muscle is underdeveloped or atrophied and myopathy happens when that muscle is put to sudden use. But, if these muscles were used from the very start they would not have tight fascia nor would they be underdeveloped enough to cause the myopathy with sudden exertion. On true free range these birds are using those pectoral muscles constantly and would develop them fully, with the resulting thin and supple fascia as their covering.

The only way this could possibly happen is if birds were not using those wings from an early age onward and then suddenly had to use them, causing the atrophied muscles to strain and swell within a tight, thick fascia that is typically the type of fascia overlying atrophied muscle tissue. Such as birds that just toddle from the feeder to the waterer because they have continuous feed presented to them while they are on free range conditions. These are not going to be birds that have developed good muscle tone to their pectoral muscles.

Case in point...these birds have used their pectoral muscles since the second week of life out on free range. There is no way their pectoral muscles could develop exertion myopathy because they were too well developed from active, vigorous exercise and even flying up to perches 1-3 ft. high.

 

[Angelicisi]

Sucks there's not a way to know.

I free range 100% of the time and control feed quite strictly. Those pics are from one of my birds. It is possible in free-range birds because their genetics lean them toward it, their level of activity itself can cause it, even if they build the right muscles, they can and do get it. One of mine evidently did. it takes time for the green to turn, it isn't processing or inhumane treatment in the moments or hours before slaughter... From my research it happens at least a day, usually many days before they are butchered. Before then it is just a red or purplish tinge to the meat, from burst blood vessels in muscle that just can't support activity. The green happens when the blood supply is gone and the muscle dies. I just thought I'd throw it out there just in case, it sure grossed me out, and I thought you might want to be prepared if per chance a customer got one. There was NO sign of it when we butchered or cooked it, just when we boned out the carcass after roasting.

 

[Angelicisi]

Mine are regularly startled via air predators :/ they scatter for cover from large birds of prey. They've been chased out of favorite spots by layers too.
I hope this is not too common :/

 

[jenifry]

Mine have NEVER been confined, they live in a fenced 1/4 acre and the closest thing to a predator is my dog, who they roosted on. They were fed once a day, at 7 am. They fly to the dog house roof, roost on a chair I have out there for my layers to roost on. One even flew onto my garage roof when they were young. They were not your typical "lay down and feed all day" CX. I don't believe for one minute it was from atrophy. I kinda of pride myself in the fact that I give my food a good life before I eat it, even enjoy the leaner meat. Why raise a glob of fat just to throw it away?

 

[Beekissed]

I agree! The link I posted did mention maybe a selenium deficiency might also be a probable cause or even the genetics of the particular breed line from whence they came as being a culprit. Selenium wouldn't be a problem if you were feeding a balanced ration, though.

But if flapping of the wings is the cause, all of mine would have been as green as grass.

 

[Angelicisi]

But genetics cause the easier ability of this happening, not the actual event of the death of the muscles. Something else did. If fully ranged with no issues and one a day feeding (i feed twice a day and range) what caused it? "wing flapping" I keep seeing.
Lol now I wanna bust open each bird and check! Because mine have been having contests racing accross the property and wings and feathers go everywhere!

Also, while actually butchering we place the chicken upsidedown in a cone. When turning bird over they always flap- being that its being processed *this* particular time wouldnt matter if the injury wasn't there previously correct?
Because its due to a dying/dead pec muscle but bird is butchered making it a draw for that final flapping?

Mine have NEVER been confined, they live in a fenced 1/4 acre and the closest thing to a predator is my dog, who they roosted on. They were fed once a day, at 7 am. They fly to the dog house roof, roost on a chair I have out there for my layers to roost on. One even flew onto my garage roof when they were young. They were not your typical "lay down and feed all day" CX. I don't believe for one minute it was from atrophy. I kinda of pride myself in the fact that I give my food a good life before I eat it, even enjoy the leaner meat. Why raise a glob of fat just to throw it away?

 

[jenifry]

The flapping at butchering and process would at most cause the blood vessels to burst, making the meat bruised in appearance. The necrotic green takes time to develop. I can't, of course it's been three weeks ago, think of a single abnormal occurrence that would have traumatized my birds prior to butchering. I think, from my reading, it's genetics (the huge breasts that CX are bread for) that is the main culprit.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Since you are raising birds for others, Be prepared for someone to come at you with this.... I just now threw out an entire chicken because it thought it had an infection or something.

Actually it is becoming quite normal... Especially in pasture raised birds, because they move their wings and burst blood vessels in the tenderloin and the tenderloin muscle dies. It was right along the breast bone...

This link has good info

http://www.wattagnet.com/21558.html

And the good part of the meat is edible. Like this part!

Great pics. So the greenish looking meat is still good to eat? I'm glad that you posted this information because I would have thrown the meat out myself if I would have saw that.

 

[BCMaraniac]

Great pics. So the greenish looking meat is still good to eat? I'm glad that you posted this information because I would have thrown the meat out myself if I would have saw that.

As I understand it, the tender is the affected part, and it is not good. The remainder of the breast, however, should be. The green tissue is dead tissue, even before slaughter.