Doc Holliday Posted October 10, 2023 Report Share Posted October 10, 2023 Evening all! You know how, when travelling down a country lane, you'll sometimes clip a stupid pheasant or 2 as they fly up to get out of the way. Well, last week I had 2 do this and, rather than let them flap about injured and/or go to waste, I did the decent thing and dispatched them humanely 😏 Even though it was fairly warm last week, I managed to keep them cool-ish, one of them did start to smell a bit 'high'. The other started leaking a bit from the vent. After 4 days I thought I'd best prepare them. One had a very unusual purple-ish hue to the crop (see photo). I haven't seen this before. The other was unaffected. On further prepping, both birds thighs had a deep maroon colour to the thighs (see other photo). I wasn't sure if this was connected with the purple crop but it was in both. The one without the purple crop was the one leaking from the vent. Both birds were from different parts of the same estate. Thanks, Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterHenry Posted October 10, 2023 Report Share Posted October 10, 2023 I don't know where you are, or how you like your birds, but for me four days of hanging is a bit much at this time of year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted October 10, 2023 Report Share Posted October 10, 2023 59 minutes ago, PeterHenry said: I don't know where you are, or how you like your birds, but for me four days of hanging is a bit much at this time of year yup...4 days in winter with a frost every day is fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterHenry Posted October 10, 2023 Report Share Posted October 10, 2023 31 minutes ago, ditchman said: yup...4 days in winter with a frost every day is fine 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy Posted October 11, 2023 Report Share Posted October 11, 2023 Hanging game nowadays is not like it used to be, we no longer have the freezing conditions forcing the cream from the milk bottles on the door step irrupting like larva from mount Etna. No real reason to be hanging anything, skin or pluck on the day and then either freeze or cook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old farrier Posted October 11, 2023 Report Share Posted October 11, 2023 Purple could well be bruising from being hit by a car 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted October 11, 2023 Report Share Posted October 11, 2023 1 hour ago, Old farrier said: Purple could well be bruising from being hit by a car 🤔 Exactly what I thought O F , you can get the same problem when the ground is rock hard with frost and the bird hit the ground from a fair height , the bird look lovely when it is hanging up in the game larder then when you pluck it you find it is Black and Blue from bruising and Green around the vent , add a touch of Red from the blood marks you end up with a bird of many colours and after a few days hanging it is not one of the best to pick out for eating . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigbob Posted October 11, 2023 Report Share Posted October 11, 2023 4 days does seem a bit ripe this early in the season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted October 11, 2023 Report Share Posted October 11, 2023 Gordon Bennett! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Holliday Posted January 23 Author Report Share Posted January 23 Ok, so now I've had a few more in the bag since this, there have been no others with that strange discolouring on the crop. It is odd that both cock birds had this issue and yet the hen didn't. Both had a very strong smell about them and what leaked out of the vent destroyed the dustsheet I wrapped them in (just to keep them contained until I got them home. I've also hung the other birds for several days, or longer over the colder days, with no issues. This must have been some kind of virus or infection. Would avian flu have this effect or would it be something else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted January 23 Report Share Posted January 23 Hello, that looks fine to me, just enjoy eating a free meal and not having another squashed pheasant on the road for magpies and crows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hushpower Posted January 23 Report Share Posted January 23 12 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said: Hello, that looks fine to me, just enjoy eating a free meal and not having another squashed pheasant on the road for magpies and crows Over 5 degrees sort promptly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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