yellow film on thick skin???

[garp94]

I just processed 6 twelve week old cornish crosses. most of them have a yellow film that I can rub off. It seems to be the topmost layer of skin. Did I scald them too long? should I rub it off or leave it or does it not matter?

These are my first CX. I've processed older cockerels before and I don't remember it being there but that was last year and I might just not have noticed.

Another Q: when i roasted those cockerels their skin was actually pretty thick and tough even when i got the meat right.
Is it usual for their skin to get thicker with age? Can i hope these younger CX will end up with the crispy skin i've enjoyed on the commercial chickens? or will theirs be thicker as well?

thanks

 

[LilRedRoo]

I've never done meat birds before, but I butcher "fowl" meat regularly with our laying flock. Other than some birds with lots of thick fat deposits, the only time I experienced yellow film was in a Marek's outbreak. I am not saying that this was a related symptom, but one of the birds I sent pictures of to Texas A&M was a bird with a slimy yellow goo under her skin and throughout her body. Her muscling has the tale-tale signs of Mareks as well. Did you happen to notice any enlargement or oddities of the internal organs?

I tried to attach a couple of pictures but I'm having connectivity problems with my server in the rough weather.

 

[garp94]

inside seemed fine
under the skin seemed normal, too. this top yellow layer wasn't slimy, it would need some rubbing to get off, but did come off as a distinct thin covering.
I rubbed it all off one bird, and left the others haphazard. After sitting in the icewater bath a few hours the distinction seems less, but i can still pick out the bird i rubbed all the yellow off of.

I'll be roasting one in 3 days and taste.

 

[Randoo]

I had the same problem when I first started processing my own birds. The problem was too hot water or too long in the water. Made adjustments and everything was fine after that. Hope this helps.

 

[Randoo]

p.s. after cooking, the bird looked fine.

 

[BCMaraniac]

inside seemed fine
under the skin seemed normal, too. this top yellow layer wasn't slimy, it would need some rubbing to get off, but did come off as a distinct thin covering.
I rubbed it all off one bird, and left the others haphazard. After sitting in the icewater bath a few hours the distinction seems less, but i can still pick out the bird i rubbed all the yellow off of.

I'll be roasting one in 3 days and taste.

I have had this happen to me as well, and it is from water that is too hot. I kinda liken it to a sunburn in humans and the layer of skin that will peel off a few days later.

 

[garp94]

thank-you
i'll pay better attention to the water temp next time