Green in meat birds wing joints

[tboneranch]

Last Fall when we butchered our Cornish Crosses, we had about 10 birds who had varying degrees of green "slime" (?) substance in their wing joints and surrounding muscle tissue. A couple even had it up into their breasts. Has anyone out there experienced this? It was a terrible waste of wonderful chicken!
WHAT IS it and
HOW DO I AVOID it for this batch?

 

[chicks4kids]

Was it slime or actually discolored meat? Because I had some green meat last year in a meatie that was due to lack of oxygen. Basically the bird just got too big. If it is slime, I don't know.

 

[tboneranch]

The meat itself was green. I guess I just figured it was slimy, too! Lack of oxygen, huh? So what age do I butcher this batch to avoid that? I think those were 8 weeks. So, basically the bird gets so big that their circulation (heart) can't pump enough blood to keep the tissue healthy and alive? I didnt have any birds over 5.5 lbs dressed weight. I know that's pretty big, but it wasn't like they were 8 pounders or anything. Will letting them free range more help that?

 

[chicks4kids]

Meaties won't "free range" much

They don't move too far once they get too big, however, I let mine free range throughout the day just for kicks...but like I said, they don't go far from the food.

I process my males at 8 weeks and girls at 9 usually unless they're getting big enough to process before that. I don't think you let yours go too long at all...from how it was explained to me, it just happens. I think your size is just about perfect though. I didn't have any over 6 lbs. dressed out I don't think. And you're correct, it just got too big and couldn't supply the blood flow. Not your fault, not the birds fault...just one of those things with meaties and fast growth...

 

[tboneranch]

Thanks so much! Good to know that there wasn't anything we could have dome to prevent it. Also a little frustrating for the same reason. Which brings up my next question re: attrition, so I guess I will start a NEW post

 

[Neil Grassbaugh]

The necrosis in the wings would probably be mechanical myopathy. This could be caused by any number of things associated with wing flappling. Most likely is beating the wing ends against something solid.

The green breast meat is called deep pectoral myopathy and colloquially as "green muscle disease". This happens in the major muscles in the breast of over developed broiler chickens (therefore more pronounced in older males). When these muscles are seldom exercised and then when a lot of wing flapping occurs the breast muscles responsible for moving the wings are essentialy exerted to the point they are damaged. This situation is further aggravated when there is not enough blood circulation to sustain the muscle mass. Again more pronounced in more muscular, older males. This condition is seldom seen in egg type chickens. The condition is seen in commercial turkeys, especially breeder hens.

Read all about it here-

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/toc_205100.htm

And when you wake up -

 

[tboneranch]

In your experience is the green meat in the wing joint like what I experienced or have your birds had it in other areas of their bodies?

 

[tboneranch]

WOW! Interesting information, thanks for sending that link. Well, they stay in the pastured pens except for the last 2 weeks when prop the side up so they can have more roaming around room. For sure when I let them out they flap and run (albatross like) along in the pasture. So....don't do this at all (ugh-it gets so gross in there even moving the pen twice a day) or do it earlier in their life so they don't damage themselves? It says it's genetic, so it may not matter. I tried to get them out on pasture yesterday but overnight temperatures here in Colo. just won't get above freezing!!

 

[chicks4kids]

I knew someone would know the exact wording for it

Mine was in the breast meat.

 

[Neil Grassbaugh]

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