By BIRGITT THORNHILL

By BIRGITT THORNHILL

Extension Agent

Chickens have been around for years, but the way they are raised, fed, processed and purchased has changed considerably. According to Susan L. Wiley, Marketing Specialist, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the entire chicken business has changed to improve producer efficiency and to meet the demands of the consumer.

Producer efficiency means getting the biggest bird, in the shortest amount of time, with the least amount of food. Today’s poultrymen can raise a broiler to its market weight of 3 1/2 pounds in about seven weeks, using only about seven pounds of feed. Poultrymen can rebuild a devastated flock in about eight weeks with the help of a friendly banker to finance the chicks.

The whole bird use to be the most popular package of chicken. But, with the fast paced lifestyles of today, consumers want the whole bird cut up and ready to cook. We are also more finicky about the parts of chicken that we like and don’t like and thus processors are providing packages that contain all of the same piece. And, because folks are lowering the fat content in their diets, the poultry industry has responded with chicken cold cuts and hot dogs. Today chicken sales are 35 percent whole birds, 50 percent cut up (and individual parts) and 15 percent further processed into cold cuts, frozen patties and other speciality items.

Boneless chicken breasts and thighs, as well as chunks of breast or thigh, are the latest items available to shoppers. They are targeted to the busy consumer that wants a homemade fast food meal. These items may save time, but they sure do sting the pocketbook. The boneless chicken items are almost three times more expensive than the bone-in pieces. Learn how to bone your favorite pieces and discover the savings.

One of the most-asked questions about today’s chickens is, “What causes the dark color around bones after a chicken is cooked?” The reason is that chickens are harvested at the young age of seven weeks and their bones are not completely calcified. The result is a seepage of pigments from bone marrow to the surface of the bone. It is perfectly safe to eat.

Another question is “Which is better, white chicken or yellow chicken?” There is absolutely no nutritional difference in the two; some people have a definite preference based on their own ideas about what color the skin of a chicken should be.. The color of the feed the birds eat determines their skin color.

One poultry item that is often overlooked is roasters, also known as