Chickens: what size do you like, and are you able to find it?

[AAQuesada]

Yes Joyce!

[weinoo]

I noticed this in the store the other day...

 

 

Almost 3 pounds, and it's a cornish hen.

[heidih]

3 minutes ago, weinoo said:

I noticed this in the store the other day...

 

 

Almost 3 pounds, and it's a cornish hen.

A double pack right?

[heidih]

Just back from Ralphs (major grocery chain). They had the same as @weinoo 2 for $9 total weight approx 3lb.  They had organic individual packaged ones for $6 each - 1.5 pounds.  I bought the personal sized Tyson sold indovidually $3.99 and a pound. All frozen. Haven't had one in forever so here we go. I forgot to buy butter so will have to wait until next shop. 

[weinoo]

3 hours ago, heidih said:

A double pack right?

 

Nope.

[weinoo]

Perdue Whole Cornish Hen With Giblets  1.5-lb. or 1.8- to 2.3-lb. frozen Cornish hen

 

 

That one must have been good at hiding and continuing to eat.

 

Edited April 18, 2022 by weinoo (log)

[weinoo]

Host's note: this post and the next few followups were split from the Chicken Skin topic.

 

Today, the NY Times ran a piece specifically referring to the chicken I mentioned (and cooked) above.  It's my weekly chicken order...

 

The Secret to Restaurant-Style Chicken at Home

 

Quote

The best-tasting chicken results when you don’t take it too far from itself, when you let the chicken taste like chicken. For that, you might start with the bird, and look to “the chicken whisperer” — more specifically Mike Charles, the founder and chief executive of LaBelle Patrimoine.

 

Edited May 9 by Smithy
Added host's note (log)

[Margaret Pilgrim]

What is the average whole chicken size?    These prices (which includes shipping) seem very in line with local (Mary's Air Chilled) prices, and LBP is a heritage bird.

[weinoo]

9 hours ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

What is the average whole chicken size?    These prices (which includes shipping) seem very in line with local (Mary's Air Chilled) prices, and LBP is a heritage bird.

 

I'm pretty sure it depends on how long the bird's life is (and also what they supply the bird with), and when it is harvested.  Last week's bird from LaBelle was well over 5 lbs, came with the neck, but no insides like gizzards or liver.

 

When I'm buying a bird I can actually see at a butcher counter before I pay for it (as opposed to Fresh Direct, where I just put the bird in my online "basket"), I tend to look for birds in the 3 - 3.5 lb. range, as it's only two of us, and I cook the whole thing.  With the big bird mentioned above, I "break it down" and freeze the breast for another use, only cooking the legs, thighs, and wings. And if I buy a 3 - 3.5 lb. bird, and it's a BoBo bird, it comes with head and feet still attached, as well as the gizzard, heart, and liver.

[AlaMoi]

once upon a time, there was an industry size agreement:

    Broilers: Chickens 6 to 8 weeks old and weighing about 2 1/2 pounds
    Fryers: Chickens 6 to 8 weeks old and weighing 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 pounds
    Roasters: Chickens less than 8 months old and weighing 3 1/2 to 5 pounds
    Stewing Chickens: Chickens (usually hens) over 10 months old and weighing 5 to 7 pounds
    Capons: Castrated males that weigh 6 to 8 pounds
    Cock/Rooster: Male chickens over 10 months old weighing 6 to 8 pounds

 

that time has gone. 

chickens in the supermarket labeled "Fryer" are in the 5-6lb range

if you look at the chickens supermarkets use for RTE "rotisserie chicken" - they are tiny.

[Raw/Cooked]

We've been raising Freedom Ranger chickens for a number of years now. I learned about Sasso chickens reading this thread, and when I went to place my chick order this spring, saw that they were available. They're beautiful birds and are growing very nicely. These are about 8 weeks old, and we'll let them go another 4 weeks, aiming for a dressed bird at 3-5 lbs. There are a few Araucanas in the mix that we hatched around the same time the Sasso chicks arrived. We'll add those to our laying flock when they get a little larger. 

[weinoo]

18 hours ago, Raw/Cooked said:

I learned about Sasso chickens reading this thread,

 

I'm very interested in what you think of these, once they're on your table!

[Raw/Cooked]

 We processed our Sasso chickens about a month ago, and I am extremely happy with them from both a husbandry and a culinary perspective. The birds were all between 3-5 lbs (5 lb rooster on left, 3ish lb hen on right), and had abundant yellow fat that rendered into a deep golden schmalz. They are delicious. Even Cornish cross (standard, big breasted meat chicken) birds that forage and are raised on grass have great flavor, these are next-level. They are more satisfying to raise than Cornish crosses as they are very active and actually act like chickens. Their more upright posture and body shape also means they don't drag themselves around in the dirt, which keeps the scalding water relatively clean. We will definitely raise these again next year. 

 

[weinoo]

Those are beautiful.

[Anchobrie]

Very nice chickens. Do you pluck feathers by hand or use a machine?