Raw Chicken in Fridge...How Long is Too Long?

[rustwood]

16 minutes ago, Thanks for the Crepes said:

Free range chickens are less likely to be contaminated with salmonella, which is so rampant in USA agribusiness battery caged chickens or overcrowded barn chickens that come from our mainstream food supply. I would not worry about your practices.

 

You may be right about samonella but I was recently surprised to read the following:

 

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/backyard-chickens-not-as-clean-living-as-youd-like-to-think-011116.html

 

[Thanks for the Crepes]

Thanks for your reply, @rustwood, and the link.

 

This is what I took away from it:

 

"80% infestation rate

Such infestations make life more stressful for the chickens and may affect egg production, but researchers say there is no risk to humans who eat the eggs or meat of infested chickens."

Fleas, lice or mites are a scourge, for sure, and I feel bad that so many free range chickens seem to be so badly managed by their handlers. Still, they are healthier and happier than mainstream agribusiness chickens IMO.

In the comments of your linked article, some folks chime in with ways to manage external parasites on free range chickens, including diatomaceous earth. One person talks about a place to take a "dust bath", which is the way my grandparents managed their free range chickens, used for both eggs and meat. That was the best chicken I ever ate, and I've occasionally paid a lot for some from commercial sources.

I still think free range will hold longer in the fridge than agribusiness chicken. YMMV 

[rustwood]

Agreed, it is a tangential to the current topic.  I guess I made the mental leap that less likely to be contaminated with salmonella = better, happier chickens.  Apparently that isn't necessarily the case, but that also doesn't mean that free range isn't a better approach overall - especially if it is done properly.

 

Although the infested chickens may be safe to eat, I can't help but wonder how infestations impact the quality and taste of the meat.  Sometimes the chickens I get taste great, sometimes not so much.  I get them from multiple sources but I have never taken note of where the duds came from.  I think I will now.

 

[Kerry Beal]

Free range chickens have a similar prevalence of salmonella as non free range - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16300088

[Taveren]

On January 9, 2016 at 5:53 PM, DiggingDogFarm said:

It's impossible to know the handling history of said raw chicken and since the pathogen load and possible toxin content of said raw chicken are unknown, I don't think it's wise to refrigerator it more than one day unless it's heavily iced (crushed ice preferred.)

 

I laughed out loud.

 

Most raw chicken will last a week or more.  

[JoNorvelleWalker]

1 hour ago, Taveren said:

I laughed out loud.

 

Most raw chicken will last a week or more.  

 

Most.  I agree, but I would not laugh too loud.

 

Pasteurization and peace of mind are easy.  Not to mention convenience.

 

And who enjoys the perfume of a fowl whose time has past?  I've had rotten chicken on the day it came home from the store.