Types and size of chickens

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

Mod.edit: this post and following few moved here to form new topic (MG).

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There are some items that I may or may not have purchased in multiples

What counts as a “young chicken” in America?

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

What counts as a “young chicken” in America?

That's an excellent question SandwichShortOfAPicnic - I was just looking for the smallest one. Now-a-days everything is so dang BIG!!
I plan on doing a Hawaiian grilled dish : Huli Huli Chicken

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

HANG ON!
I'M A YOUNG CHICKEN!!!

 

[Barriehie]

What they call "Cornish Game Hens", frozen, are 6 to 8 week old chickens that are a cross between two breeds.

From Wikipedia...
Cornish game hen (also Rock Cornish game hen) is the USDA-approved name for a particular variety of broiler chicken, produced from a cross between the Cornish and White Plymouth Rock chicken breeds, that is served young and immature, weighing no more than two pounds (900 g) ready to cook.

I've never seen chickens rated by age but that's about as young as I've ever seen in the store.

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

What they call "Cornish Game Hens", frozen, are 6 to 8 week old chickens that are a cross between two breeds.

From Wikipedia...
Cornish game hen (also Rock Cornish game hen) is the USDA-approved name for a particular variety of broiler chicken, produced from a cross between the Cornish and White Plymouth Rock chicken breeds, that is served young and immature, weighing no more than two pounds (900 g) ready to cook.

I've never seen chickens rated by age but that's about as young as I've ever seen in the store.

Ah I always assumed a ‘broiler chicken’ in the US was a chicken only fit of slow cooking. When actually ‘broiler’ in the US simply means what we think of as ‘chicken’ here.
I have noticed the chicken stuff for sale in the supermarkets here are distinctly smaller than in other countries.

So that begs the question what other type of chicken do you have for sale other than broiler?

 

[Barriehie]

Ah I always assumed a ‘broiler chicken’ in the US was a chicken only fit of slow cooking. When actually ‘broiler’ in the US simply means what we think of as ‘chicken’ here.
I have noticed the chicken stuff for sale in the supermarkets here are distinctly smaller than in other countries.

So that begs the question what other type of chicken do you have for sale other than broiler?

Raw??? I have no idea! I don't remember the last time I bought a whole chicken since it's just me and Pips. I usually buy legs and thigh pieces, thighs, and occasionally breasts to make tenders with. I think I recall seeing fryer chickens but to me that's all mute; they're all chickens!

 

[TastyReuben]

So that begs the question what other type of chicken do you have for sale other than broiler?

“Young chicken” is generally just a catch-all term for “yer standard supermarket chicken” - used interchangeably with the terms “broiler,” “broiler-fryer,” and…wait for it… “fryer.”

All those terms are meant to distinguish from the older “roasting” chicken. Broiler-fryers are around 6-10 weeks old, weighing in at 2.5-4.5 pounds, and roasters are 3-5 months old and weight 5-7 pounds.

Those are the main ones, but there are other specialty ones, like capons and the game hens Barriehie mentioned, and stewing hens, which are the oldest, I think.

When I go to my local Kroger, there aren’t any chickens ever labeled roasting or stewing chickens - I don’t know the last time I’ve seen one of those. Most are labeled “young chicken,” and the one I buy is labeled “frying chicken” and are always about 3.75-4.75 pounds. That’s not counting the game hens or capons.

I didn’t know all that off the top of my head, I had to look it up!

 

[badjak]

Our chickens are just prized by weight
Recently at about 60-70 kwacha per kg for the whole frozen ones (2.60 - 3.00 U$ per kg).

I do buy smallish whole ones, break them down into pieces and share with my boys

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

“Young chicken” is generally just a catch-all term for “yer standard supermarket chicken” - used interchangeably with the terms “broiler,” “broiler-fryer,” and…wait for it… “fryer.”

All those terms are meant to distinguish from the older “roasting” chicken. Broiler-fryers are around 6-10 weeks old, weighing in at 2.5-4.5 pounds, and roasters are 3-5 months old and weight 5-7 pounds.

Those are the main ones, but there are other specialty ones, like capons and the game hens Barriehie mentioned, and stewing hens, which are the oldest, I think.

When I go to my local Kroger, there aren’t any chickens ever labeled roasting or stewing chickens - I don’t know the last time I’ve seen one of those. Most are labeled “young chicken,” and the one I buy is labeled “frying chicken” and are always about 3.75-4.75 pounds. That’s not counting the game hens or capons.

I didn’t know all that off the top of my head, I had to look it up!

Blimey. Ours are labelled by weight and that's it.
I have noticed in American cooking progs that the chicken breasts are enormous compared to ours. They're about double the size in Spain too.
The UK slaughters most animals very young because being tender is prized most highly, generally that means our cuts are smaller.

 

[Barriehie]

Blimey. Ours are labelled by weight and that's it.
I have noticed in American cooking progs that the chicken breasts are enormous compared to ours. They're about double the size in Spain too.
The UK slaughters most animals very young because being tender is prized most highly, generally that means our cuts are smaller.

The breasts are huge. I've got half of one thawed out for something and it weighs 14 oz.

 

[TastyReuben]

Blimey. Ours are labelled by weight and that's it.
I have noticed in American cooking progs that the chicken breasts are enormous compared to ours. They're about double the size in Spain too.
The UK slaughters most animals very young because being tender is prized most highly, generally that means our cuts are smaller.

I frequently mention the “host nation familiarization” classes we head to attend when we first moved to the UK from the US.

In addition to formal topics, presented by both US and UK instructors, there was also a good bit of informal information passed along, and one of those revolved around the size of chickens, if you can believe it: “Let’s just say…when you’re wanting a taste of home and you go to KFC, order two meals for yourself. The chickens here are the size of pigeons.”

When I buy a chicken to roast, I always look for one under four pounds.

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

The breasts are huge. I've got half of one thawed out for something and it weighs 14 oz.

5-7oz is roughly a supermarket chicken breast in the uk. They can be more or less than that but they’re usually comparatively small.
I do notice a big difference between the meat in the UK and Spain. The larger breasts are always tougher

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

I frequently mention the “host nation familiarization” classes we head to attend when we first moved to the UK from the US.

In addition to formal topics, presented by both US and UK instructors, there was also a good bit of informal information passed along, and one of those revolved around the size of chickens, if you can believe it: “Let’s just say…when you’re wanting a taste of home and you go to KFC, order two meals for yourself. The chickens here are the size of pigeons.”

When I buy a chicken to roast, I always look for one under four pounds.

It means I have to buy two chickens for a family of four because one is never enough.
But I don’t mind too much because leftover roast chicken is so versatile I always feel like I get a free meal out of it the next day

 

[Barriehie]

5-7oz is roughly a supermarket chicken breast in the uk. They can be more or less than that but they’re usually comparatively small.
I do notice a big difference between the meat in the UK and Spain. The larger breasts are always tougher

I've never thought them to be tough but then since it's all I've ever had I wouldn't know. If I think a cut of something is going to be tough I use the IP and pressure cook it. TastyReuben mentioned pigeons and those ARE small. Breast the size of your thumb...

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

I've never thought them to be tough but then since it's all I've ever had I wouldn't know. If I think a cut of something is going to be tough I use the IP and pressure cook it. TastyReuben mentioned pigeons and those ARE small. Breast the size of your thumb...

I probably wouldn't have considered them rubbery if I wasn't from a country that slaughters so young.
It's just the way meat works, the older the animal is the tougher its meat becomes.

I find the steak in Spain particularly disappointing, to the extent that even though I've tried many methods to tenderise it I've given up and just don't buy it.

But with the chicken I find velveting it works a treat