. Because the bird gains weight so rapidly, the deep pectoral muscle outgrows its blood supply and gets starved of oxygen
. This lack of oxygenation causes the muscle fibers to degenerate and turn a pale, woody green
. It can happen while the bird is alive, often triggered by sudden wing flapping or stress in the coop
bitchinchickens.com
. The Science: It’s strictly a muscular issue, not a bacterial infection or a foodborne illness!
2. Bruising or Ruptured Blood Vessels
Sometimes, the green or dark purplish tint is simply a bruise. This green meat in chicken can happen at processing time at the processor or while the chicken is in the farmer’s care.
If the bird bumps into a cage or is handled roughly, blood pools under the skin or in the muscle. As the blood breaks down, it can take on a greenish hue, much like a healing bruise on our own arms (which, as I’ve mentioned before, I keep a very close eye on due to those unexplained purple blotches I get!).
3. Bile Staining
