Should cornish cross not getting any outdoor time or daylight at all ?

[ivy_huan]

Not really free ranging but we have our broilers in the chicken run that no one uses ( all my layers 100% free ranging ). And I add leaves from last fall in there every other day.

We processed our broilers today
First time doing this
My friend who did the process said some of my chickens have red under the skin. He said that's because I let my chicken in the run. And I usually bring over a load of leaves from last fall for the run and for the chicken to pick through. I feed them feed and also vegetable scraps I get from grocery store. They love it and clean the food like pigs I raised last year.

He suggested us getting different breed of meat chicken next year if we want them to have some freedom as cornish cross doesn't free range well

What is the problem with red under the skin ( pic attached ). He was very serious about it and I know nothing about raising broilers so I know nothing about it

Also the last feed I gave them was 8am yesterday and they got processed at 1130ish. But he said the crops are still quite full of food. I assume it's them picking around in the run... He said it will contaminate the meat but luckily they clean them off really good. What's the real issue with not fasting properly ?

They are processed at 9 weeks and average at 5.5lbs. they are massive compare to the ones from grocery store. I would like to know more about them and maybe butcher them a little later next year but overall I'm very happy with the result

Thank you

 

[Morrigan]

It looks like you have a good set up and the finished broiler looks perfectly normal to me. I think you are good to go. Wait a couple days after processing to let rigor pass, and then cook one up and see what you think. I think it will be good eats.

I've also let my broilers out in the yard and sunlight. I also give them their "last meal" the night before I butcher and haven't seen any ill effects from that.

 

[Molpet]

The empty gut is so if an intestine gets broken there's less contamination. I just hose those off and don't put in the chill water with others.
I've had heritage chickens with that red skin, not sure of the cause.. salt water soak can take that out
They all taste fine

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I've had heritage chickens with that red skin, not sure of the cause

Sometimes it is caused by parasite load.. mites, etc.

CX don't face the same conditions in back yards as what commercial broilers do.. much more opportunity for natural things to occur. IMO.. the sunlight is NOT the cause of the skin reddening.

 

[Morrigan]

When I've gotten then occasional CX broiler with more reddish skin, I've always assumed it has something to do with my scalding temperatures. In general, I've found CX skin to be thinner and more fragile than that of heritage birds or rangers. I'm pretty sure -- at least in my case -- it's not mites.

As @Molpet says, soaking it in salty water will take care of it. I'm pretty sure many commercial chicken operations soak the carcasses in salty water before packaging for that reason.

 

[Morrigan]

IMO.. the sunlight is NOT the cause of the skin reddening.

Totally agree.

 

[Mwhit]

When I've gotten then occasional CX broiler with more reddish skin, I've always assumed it has something to do with my scalding temperatures. In general, I've found CX skin to be thinner and more fragile than that of heritage birds or rangers. I'm pretty sure -- at least in my case -- it's not mites.

As @Molpet says, soaking it in salty water will take care of it. I'm pretty sure many commercial chicken operations soak the carcasses in salty water before packaging for that reason.

Agree, the red skin is probably scalding temp related. Nothing to worry about.

As far as free ranging goes, mine free range very well if they don’t have a feeder in front of them all day.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

For the same reasons other have said, your chicken looks perfectly normal! Should be delicious. Mine sometimes do get the pinkish skin if my scald is too hot, but I don't even do the salt water thing and when I cook it you can't even tell that it was any different looking than a non-pink chicken.

As for the food thing, it's mostly just a matter of convenience. It's okay to have a little grass in there when you process. You can contaminate the meat if you puncture the organs/intestines and the half-digested food gets into the carcass, but once you get better at processing, you're less likely to break anything. And, even if you do, it's more forgiving than people make it out to be. Just have a hose on hand to spray it out if that were to happen. As long as you don't leave it sitting on the meat for an extended period of time, you're fine.

I feel bad that my chix are hungry in their final hours so I give some sprinkles of cracked corn to the ones who are waiting a while when I'm processing. It's never caused a problem and I just find it in the gizzard later.

Let that baby rest a few days and then enjoy it!