The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Maddox on February 14, 2010, 01:24:16 pm

Title: Green
Post by: Maddox on February 14, 2010, 01:24:16 pm
Hi All

I thought I would give a go at hanging two chickens to see what the taste difference was like, I have just plucked one bird which has been hanging for a week but all around the bum area and up one leg the meat has turned green??

Is this normal or has it gone off (for want of a better word) it dosnt look too good.

Maddox
Title: Re: Green
Post by: sagehen on February 14, 2010, 01:40:17 pm
Where did you hang it?
Title: Re: Green
Post by: Elissian on February 14, 2010, 02:32:11 pm
That doesn't sound too good, I'd discard these but don't give up. We pluck ours before hanging. Our unhung chickens were quite chewy so we started hanging for a week and oh what a difference lovely flavoursome tender meat. It's been cold here so the barn is safe to hang in, are you somewhere warmer, perhaps your bird had a wound and bacteria from the faeces got in, who knows, have another go
Good luck, Helen
Title: Re: Green
Post by: Maddox on February 14, 2010, 05:49:28 pm
Hi

Its been freezing here too (essex) they were hung in a open barn type thingie (lol) Im wondering if not plucking them has had owt to do with it??
maybe????

Maddox
Title: Re: Green
Post by: marigold on February 14, 2010, 06:48:08 pm
What does it smell like?
Title: Re: Green
Post by: shetlandpaul on February 14, 2010, 06:59:35 pm
its green. the clue is in the colour eat it and you will be that colour.
Title: Re: Green
Post by: Maddox on February 14, 2010, 07:08:09 pm
Ive cut the breasts off which seem fine but have had to discard the rest, any ideas on what has happend anyone???

We killed it last Sunday and it has been hung in the barn ever since covered in a clear bag but with plenty of air flow, its such a waste :0(

xx
Title: Re: Green
Post by: shetlandpaul on February 14, 2010, 08:11:43 pm
really dont eat it. you will be sorry.
Title: Re: Green
Post by: sagehen on February 14, 2010, 09:29:33 pm
You covered it in a bag? I'd suggest that you don't eat the breasts even, because I don't think it's a good idea to do that. As far as I know, people who hang their chickens to increase the flavour do it in a controlled temp room, and dry pluck it first.
Title: Re: Green
Post by: Maddox on February 14, 2010, 11:20:08 pm
Dont worry im not going to eat it.

The chicken was hun by the feet from the rafters, It was covered in a clear recycling bag (we get them from the council) which is the size of a black bin bag, do you think thats what the problem is??

Maddox
Title: Re: Green
Post by: doganjo on February 14, 2010, 11:41:37 pm
Could be - it probably sweated and caused the natural bacteria to multiply
Title: Re: Green
Post by: shetlandpaul on February 15, 2010, 12:05:20 am
Dont worry im not going to eat it.

The chicken was hun by the feet from the rafters, It was covered in a clear recycling bag (we get them from the council) which is the size of a black bin bag, do you think thats what the problem is??

Maddox

yep you made a nice little greenhouse for te bugs. try a couple of days next time and build up.
Title: Re: Green
Post by: dixie on February 15, 2010, 05:23:35 pm
Hi maddox,

Dont eat it!!   next time, kill draw then pluck, then hang by the feet from the rafters, safe this time of year as its cold! Nothing must touch it, ie if you have 2 hanging then they must not touch or they'll turn green, which is what I suspect happened with the bag touching!
Title: Re: Green
Post by: Elissian on February 15, 2010, 07:17:21 pm
We pluck but leave the innards in.i make sure the vent is clean and i wash the feet if they're mucky. We always kill in the morning that way the gizzard is empty. We hang in an under cover area outside the barn where there is plenty of air rushing through. The meat since we've hung has been wonderfully tender. If we tear the skin when we pluck then i smear a bit of honey over the broken skin to keep the wound clean and sealed obviously this wouldn't help if there were flies around but then i wouldn't hang outside in warmer weather. We don't slaughter in summer.
Helen
Title: Re: Green
Post by: dixie on February 15, 2010, 07:41:56 pm
Sorry should've said, kill, bleed, pluck then hang! then draw and get oven ready!!
Title: Re: Green
Post by: Maddox on February 16, 2010, 08:08:36 pm
Thanks all

Advice taken within and I shall do better next time :0)

Hope your well Dixie.

Maddox