Questions about the CX I just processed

[Jared77]

Age of the cooler? What was it used for last? I wonder if you bought a store bought CX and let it sit in the same cooler for the same time if the flavor would be picked up. That's how you can prove its your cooler/storage unit. Sorry I can't be any more help.

 

[vfem]

I don't know about feed, but my CX get to range in the yard in a tractor coop and we feed 'flock raiser' up until the last week. Then I finish them on pure fermented scratch feed. I never thought about maybe it being your feed. I was told about fermented feed on BYC and we do that everytime with our CX, the weight on them is great, and they are super tasty to me.

 

[journey11]

having never killed a bird yet, i'm little help. the issues I've read about processing relate to the gland at the base of the tail and the gall bladder. thinking in human terms (from an old nurse perspective), the thick fluid between the thigh and body could have been a result of poor body function. they were reaching the max in their natural life cycle - perhaps a genetic link (they came from the same hatchery i'm assuming). just throwing out wild conjecture hoping to help in some way.

why are you thinking you are going to change your killing method? please elaborate

BJ, you just might have hit the nail on the head. I forgot about that one...the preening gland. Did you cut it out, Monty?

Fluid from soaking them in the chilling tank may also have gotten in between the sheath that encases the muscles. I've seen what you are talking about, Monty--a clear, watery slime between the thighs and body, but I have no clue what causes it. It shows up after rinsing or soaking. It doesn't hurt anything. Sometimes if it takes awhile to process a bird, that sheath on the muscles and the layer of fat will puff up with air bubbles a little as the bird is still warm. That's why I am assuming the water gets into it. I've noticed it on skinned deer hanging on warm days too.

 

[MontyJ]

It wasn't the gall bladder. That came out clean with the liver. I also removed the tail gland. In fact, I removed the entire tail from the bird I cooked as it was being processed. I put it in the cooler, and later that day (Saturday) I cut it up, deboned/skinned the breast and put it in salt water in the fridge. I didn't cook it until Monday, so it brined for 30+ hours.

The cooler is a few years old. I use it mostly for can drinks, but it is also my walleye cooler when we go to Lake Erie. It's thoroughly cleaned and has no smell. These birds smelled funky right from the get-go.

I have to agree with BJ on the slime thing. It's probably caused by health. The birds were only 7 weeks old, but already went 7 pounds. And as Journey said, it may have been exacerbated by the water in the cooler. I will cut one up immediately after processing on the next run, which happens Saturday.

BJ, I'm changing the killing proceedure on a theory I have. Since I was placing them in a cone and only cutting the jugular and carotid, maybe the bird lived long enough to dump adrenaline? Maybe if I can relieve it of it's head while it's in a calm state, it might make a difference?

Vfem, unfortunately for me, it's too late to do the fermented feed thing. I think nearly all of the 21 remaining birds are going this weekend. I may have a few hens on the smaller side that I will hold for another week. How long does the fermentation take?

I also spoke with my brother last night. He has chickens, but only laying hens. He said he had an Australorp rooster that got too big for it's britches and thought it was king. It went after his grandson. My brother said that out of pure reflex, he booted the roo in the head and killed it instantly. He said he cleaned it up and cooked it but it tasted so nasty they threw it away. Like me, he eats wild game all the time. Of course, there is a lot of difference between a fully mature 'Lorp roo and a CX cockrel. He knew what I was talking about though. Like he said, it's not really a gamey taste, but more of a strong, off, nasty taste.

I'm going to try several different things this weekend. We'll see what happens.

 

[vfem]

You don't think they've been getting into anything out where you have them that they shouldn't?

I know my laying birds know better, they are finicky and won't eat certain bugs or greens they don't enjoy. I give them so many treats, they think they have the right to be picky. My CX on the other hand, honestly, they're IDIOTS! Dumbest birds I've ever met. I think they would eat a box of nails if they were left out. If they had access to a compost heap, or trash, mold, or who knows what... they'd probably eat it!

Seeing that may not be it.... you may want to try the fermented feed treatment.

I start mine by blooming some yeast with sugar, just a pinch) in a 1/4 cup of warm water. (Some people use apple cider vinegar with the mother) I then add that mixture to a 5 gallon bucket of room temp water (half full) after an hour or 2 I add a 3 gallon bucket with holes in the bottom like a colander. In the smaller bucket I add the food, usually scratch at this point the extra corn and stuff have so much fat it nicely finishes them off. Then after a few hours I pull the bucket up, let it drain and then scoop out how much food I need for the birds. I add more food to the bucket and drop it back it. Once I get it going, each day that goes by it gets better and better. It's happened it spoiled on me, then I just restart, but usually I go on and on with the same original mix. It may be enough to clean out their systems in a day or 2. That should be enough to tell if its their diet.

Here is a GREAT link on BYC, I've been posting on there now and then... its been awhile, but it was a wonderful way to learn, and its so easy!

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds

 

[MeggsyGardenGirl]

Monty, this is a very interesting discussion and I'm anxious to hear how your weekend goes. I've seriously thought about raising some CX but just haven't tried it yet. I always process my spent laying hens for the best chicken broth on earth. To dispatch the old hens, I either use a home made killing cone or instantly break their necks under a rake handle. They always remain calm and don't thrash, but I've noticed that they bleed out better in a killing cone than hanging after a broken neck and beheading. I also just use plain ice water to cool them down. I agree with some of the posts that the gamey taste may be as simple as off odors in the cooler or refrigerator. But, since I think you said you first noted the odor when you were processing, I wonder if it might somehow be related to the feed or their growing environment? Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Monty, just a thought. You might try skinning some instead of plucking and see if that makes a difference. I'm grasping at straws.

 

[lesa]

This is such a disappointment! I have been wanting to do this, as well- and now you've got me scared! I use a kill cone and the skinning method for our old birds. Since they are old- I've always used them for broth. As Meggsy says, the broth is out of this world. Good luck this weekend- I hope you have a much better result!

 

[Jared77]

I've been bouncing this around in my head for a while and the ONLY other thing I can think of would be if they had not completely finished the process of rigor when you cooked them. Cold slows the process so maybe they didn't rest long enough. Now here's something else I didn't think about before I posted but now that I've been kicking it around could have played a factor.

Salt water actually has a lower freezing temperature than regular water. So you can get water below 32* before ice forms by adding salt and the more salt you add (increasing the salinity) the lower the freezing temperature till you get to waters saturation point. Did you put them into a brine solution or just ice and water?

I think it was a combination of things, the lower temperature slowing rigor and the type of tissue that may have taken rigor to leave causing the "off flavor" you reported. I think if you'd let them rest longer you may have not had the issue with flavor. I'd give them at least another 24hrs at least just to be sure.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Jared, I dont brine mine at all. Mine are older dual-purpose birds, not the Cornish X. When I process them I cut them into pieces and throw then in an ice chest of ice water until Im finished, then I rinse and dry them off, double-wrap them in freezer paper, and put then straight into the freezer. I generally take them out a few days before I cook them but they are not always totally thawed. It varies a bit by age but I generally cook them in a crock pot or braise them, not grilling them. Maybe my cooking methods have something to do with it, but I really dont notice that much of a gamey taste, even with my much older birds.

I do save the other parts for broth, but thats a different story. The older the bird, the better the broth.

The two things that stick out to me are that the wings were worse with the gamey taste. Is that because they are thinner and they absorbed the flavor more? That would argue that it had something to do with how they were stored or maybe Monty used some weird wood while grilling them.

The other thing that blows all that out of the water is that he noticed a gamey smell when processing them, long before they were stored or cooked. Im totally stumped.