What’s the difference between a supermarket chicken and a heritage chicken?

Chickens in the supermarket today are all the exact same genetically modified breed of chicken. They range in age from four weeks for what they call a Cornish game hen up to 10 or 12 weeks for what they call a roasting chicken. They’ve merely used the labels of yesteryear to describe the different sizes of today’s chickens. Yes, I’m saying that Cornish game hens are not really Cornish game hens – they’re baby chickens. Cornish game chickens are not raised commercially in this country any longer.

The modern supermarket chicken has white feathers, and it was developed in the 1980s for an ability to grow extremely fast on the least amount of feed. Some grow so fast that they die of a heart attack before they’re big enough to butcher. In fact, the hatcheries advise farmers to allow the birds access to feed only 12 hours out of every 24 hours, so that they don’t grow too fast. Why do they have white feathers? Because that provides the “prettiest” carcass. Chickens with dark feathers may have a few black spots where the pin feathers broke off under the skin. This can happen with the supermarket chicken too, but the consumer doesn’t see the white pin feathers.

A heritage chicken is one of the many different breeds of chicken that was historically raised on farms across America. Breeds were chosen for their ability to thrive in particular climates and to evade predators. Historically, white chickens were not favored because their color made them easy for predators to spot – no camouflage! Chickens with flat combs were favored up north so that the comb wouldn’t freeze off in winter, and chickens who could stand the heat were favorites down south. The best layers were not very popular because they were scrawny meat birds, and the best meat birds were not favored because they were terrible layers. Instead, the most popular heritage chickens were dual-purpose – those that could provide a good chicken dinner and a great breakfast of scrambled eggs.

The natural cycle went something like this … a hen sets on her eggs and hatches six to eight chicks, half of which are roosters. Predators might get the slowest one or two as they grow up, but in three or four months, some roosters were butchered for fried chicken. One or two might be kept for a couple extra months and butchered as a roaster. The hens were not butchered because they were the replacement layers for the hens that were getting older. Once the hens were a few years old and no longer laying, they would be butchered for stewing. While most modern consumers cringe at the thought of eating “an old chicken,” our grandmothers knew that these chickens provided the most flavor and the best broth. They are perfect for chicken and dumplings or chicken soup. They can also be cooked in water, over a low heat, and then the chicken can be pulled off the bone for use in casseroles or salads. The broth can be used for any recipe that calls for chicken broth.

Chicken -- Fryers

Fryers are $3.50 per pound for whole and $3.75 per pound for cut-up. This year's fryers are four-month-old buff Orpingtons, a breed that was very popular in early 20th century England. Like other heritage chickens, the legs and thighs will be longer, wings will be larger, and the breasts will be smaller than supermarket chickens. We were hoping they'd be a little larger than last year's Plymouth Rock roosters, but they were unfortunately smaller. Most are around 2.5 pounds.

Last year, our fryers were three-and-a-half-month-old barred Plymouth Rock roosters, which are listed on Slow Food’s Ark of Taste and won a taste test against three other heritage breeds, as well as the modern supermarket chicken. Plymouth Rocks are one of the oldest American breeds of chicken and were the chicken of choice on the east coast of the United States for many years. You can expect legs and thighs to be longer, wings to be larger, and the breast to be smaller than supermarket chickens.

Stew Hens -- will be available fall 2008

Stew hens are $1.75 per pound and are a great option for putting in the crock pot in the morning before leaving for work. Stew hens make the best chicken and dumplings, or the meat can be used for any salad or casserole recipe that calls for cooked chicken. Our stew hens spent their entire lives on our farm, running around catching grasshoppers and eating caterpillars, as well as hatching baby chicks. These chickens are usually three to four years old, so the meat is not appropriate for frying or roasting.

Please contact us for more information about purchasing chicken.