[Sca-cooks] Something to Ponder-OT, OP

[Saint Phlip]

On Wed, Jun 11, 2008 at 9:07 AM,  <jenne at fiedlerfamily.net> wrote:
>
>> Bringing this back to SCA context... how big were medieval chickens
>> anyway?
>> I remember conversations about the size of eggs, but I don't remember one
>> about the size of chickens...
>
> A couple of times at the discount store near my mom, I've seen SCARILY big
> frozen capons (Like twice as big as the Mutant Purdue Roasters, which are
> pretty darn big). Were capons bigger in period, too?
>

Size of poultry in period is really hard to determine. The Jungle Fowl
tend to be only a couple of pounds. But in period, I suspect they
caponized the roosterlings, and didn't kill the hens until they were
too old to lay. In modern times, most of our commercial chicken comes
from young birds who have been bred to get big, fast. Note the
following, which are at dressing weight in 6-10 weeks:

http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/product/jumbo_cornish_x_rocks.html

Myself, I like my kids too much to slaughter them ;-) Not only do I
hate dressing out chickens- it's a PITA- but I just like my birds-
they're infinately amusing ;-)

-- 
Saint Phlip

Heat it up
Hit it hard
Repent as necessary.

Priorities:

It's the smith who makes the tools, not the tools which make the smith.

.I never wanted to see anybody die, but there are a few obituary
notices I have read with pleasure. -Clarence Darrow