green pigeon meat

[Hopper Bopper]

Evening all, can anyone help please?

I shot 30 odd pigeons yesterday, used most of them in the pattern and then put them in a carp sack

to take home.

I placed said sack in the garage on the floor to try and keep them as cool as possible until I could get to

plucking and breasting them tonight.

Here is the thing - some of them have got what looks like green meat like a well hung pheasant.

Is there a problem with this and what have I done wrong?

All help would be greatly appreciated, I don't like wasting the birds lives.

 

HB

[deny essex]

The meat has turned in the heat, birds put in the decoy pattern on a hot day can turn very quickly, if you want some for eating then keep them in the shade as cool as possible even in a cool box.

[Hopper Bopper]

Thanks for that d e.

Do you think they are safe to eat or should I bin them and put it down to experience for a better result

next time?

 

HB

[fenboy]

Yes there is a problem they are rotten , pigeon go off incredibly quickly as they retain a lot of heat .

If you intend to eat them dont put them out as decoys , of take a knife and a coolbox with ice blocks and breast them before putting them out.

Also leaving them overnight is just too long in these temps , get them frozen asap

Thanks for that d e.
Do you think they are safe to eat or should I bin them and put it down to experience for a better result
next time?

HB

I would not eat them personally .

[aga man]

if the breasts don't smell 'off' then they should be ok.

if in doubt bin it or cook it up and feed it to the dog

[deny essex]

I would bin them or put them out in the hedgerows of your shoot and feed the wildlife that want them.

Even in winter when ive had a long day over rape if the birds are left for too long even if cool and the meat doesnt turn a full crop of rape green can taint the taste of the meat if left overnight, wise to break open and empty out well filled crops or breast / prepare the birds asap.

Edited September 3, 2013 by deny essex

[Hopper Bopper]

Thanks for all the replies chaps.

This is the hardest lesson I have had to learn in this sport.

I will not be making the same mistake again.

 

HB

[JDog]

If you eat them you will have posted your last comments on this forum!

[mudpatten]

I might have misunderstood what you meant but you`ve said that you placed the sack on the garage floor to keep them cool.

 

Did you mean that you left them in the sack, or did you place them individually on the (relatively) cool concrete floor individually with sufficient space between each bird to allow some air circulation?

[pigeon controller]

I might have misunderstood what you meant but you`ve said that you placed the sack on the garage floor to keep them cool.

 

Did you mean that you left them in the sack, or did you place them individually on the (relatively) cool concrete floor individually with sufficient space between each bird to allow some air circulation?

You must separate them and lay them out ,I'm lucky that I have six chest freezers in the garage and I can put one layer in each, also my garage is partially underground and the floor is always very cold.

[JDog]

Of course the damage may already be done out in the field on a hot day.

[missmoreandmaster]

I use an Aldi zip close insulated bag with 2 x 2liter drink bottles that are frozen solid , Collect the pigeons breast out the ones i want to eat and layer in the ones i want to take for the freezer, pack the bag as the day goes onaround the frozen bottles

 

I also set up 2 birds on my homemade bird carriers with wings outstretched to freeze ready for the magenet next time out.

 

As a chef with a full food hygene certificate I would recomend you do not eat the green meat unless you would like to spend a lot of your time on the big white telephone to god

 

Regards Martin

[motty]

I use an Aldi zip close insulated bag with 2 x 2liter drink bottles that are frozen solid , Collect the pigeons breast out the ones i want to eat and layer in the ones i want to take for the freezer, pack the bag as the day goes onaround the frozen bottles

 

I also set up 2 birds on my homemade bird carriers with wings outstretched to freeze ready for the magenet next time out.

 

As a chef with a full food hygene certificate I would recomend you do not eat the green meat unless you would like to spend a lot of your time on the big white telephone to god

 

Regards Martin

There simply isn't time to do this on a decent outing - or enough room in the bag for lots of birds.

[Hopper Bopper]

I might have misunderstood what you meant but you`ve said that you placed the sack on the garage floor to keep them cool.

 

Did you mean that you left them in the sack, or did you place them individually on the (relatively) cool concrete floor individually with sufficient space between each bird to allow some air circulation?

I left the birds in the bag to keep the flies off them.

 

HB

[TIDES EDGE]

Any thing will go green in the heat we have had, we had our first duck and partridge day on Wednesday and sent all birds back to the chiller after every drive , just wish it had been my job it was hot out there on the stubbles.

[JDog]

Sending the birds back after each drive was good thinking.

 

I shot some yesterday afternoon and those that I set out as decoys had gone green three hours later. They went for fox food, the others went to the estate chiller.

[rascal72]

I would bin them myself, had this happen with a duck many moons ago fed it to the ferrets, morning after 15 dead ferrets never since and never again

[JDog]

Ducks, and other wildfowl are a different matter. They produce poisons more readily than pigeons or game and are more dangerous to eat if they have gone over the top. However the principle is the same, if the meat has gone too far don't touch it or feed it to animals.