Is it safe/recommended to process chickens with bumblefoot/staph?

[freestargirl]

What I need to know, is it's safe/recommened or no to process & eat chickens that you know have bumblefoot actively? Our biggest extra rooster has bumblefoot. I just discovered about 2 weeks ago. I knew I would be getting rid of him soon either way (he's supposed to be Thanksgiving dinner), so I decided not to treat it. Too traumatic for both of us and too time consuming. I've done it once and that was one time too many.

I'm terrified of staph as my middle daughter developed hospital acquired staph when she was born in the hospital, and had to be re-hospitalized at 6 weeks old.

That's not to say any of the roosters we've processed before didn't have staph- I just didn't know about it at the time. We're super-careful with cleanliness & sanitizing when we do process. I always assume and act as if the chicken had the plaque when handling. And we'd certainly cook it well done.

What do you think? I've read some articles on foodsafety.org about staph in commercially processed chicken and the symptoms that would be associated if you ingested.

Thanks!

 

[HEChicken]

I personally have eaten several chickens that have bumble foot. When I process birds, I usually make stock out of the feet but in the birds with bumble foot I don't take the risk and throw those feet away (even though boiling water for hours would kill any staph anyway - the idea just didn't appeal to me). However the rest of the bird does not seem to be affected by the staph infection in the foot and I've never had any issues with treating them like any other bird.

 

[ocap]

my Dad would always use the liver as the indicator of healthy meat suitable for consumption.

 

[CedarAcres]

I would have no issue eating him. The infection is isolated to the foot area. I would just dispose of the feet.