On Thu, 10 Sep 2020 16:25:15 -0700 (PDT), Bryan Simmons wrote:

> On Thursday, September 10, 2020 at 1:19:41 AM UTC-5, Sqwertz wrote:
>> On Wed, 9 Sep 2020 11:51:51 -0700 (PDT), Bryan Simmons wrote:
>>
>>> Another difference is that those leg quarters are giant, and kind
>>> of tough because they are from laying hens that were no longer
>>> sufficiently productive layers. One store here has them for
>>> $2.99 this week. https://www.petesmarkets.com/ads

That ad says "Frying chicken quarters" so they, along with broilers,
should be no more than 10 weeks old according to USDA definitions.
They're classed at time of slaughter, as poultry slaughterhouses
have to keep track of each. So they're not laying hens.

And roasters are under 3 months. Layers don't lay until around 5-6
months.

>> Almost all retired laying hens get put into processed foods rather
>> than sold retail. Any hen or chicken over 4 months goes to the
>> processing plants.

Apparently those processing plants are pet food companies and
"renderers". And when they're overstocked, they just dump them in
landfills. Yummo!

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/egg-l...b0c90504fc04a1

That jives with a few other articles I read. Spent egg-layers aren't
very good eating for humans. So these bags are NOT laying hens.

> I *may* be incorrect, but I was told that by a butcher at a
> grocery store when I asked him why they were so giant.

A 10lb bag of roaster leg quarters w/backs would be about 7-8 per
bag. Fryer/broilers would be 10+ pieces. Less than 7 would be
suspicious. Laying hens don't really weigh more as they get older.

Here's my usual brand:

https://www.heb.com/product-detail/c...arters/1885121

I'm sure they're a sub brand of Foster Farms, Sanderson, or Perdue
I'll get the USDA plant # later tonight when I go to the store.

It turns out they're Pilgrim's Pride/Goldkist in Mount Pleasant, TX.
Oh, look! They have a swimming pool, too! How cool.



Last night I got another bag, this time a different brand. These
are bigger, I'll know when they thaw more. They're not usually
frozen like this.

https://i.postimg.cc/d0mB08NW/Tyson-...g-Quarters.jpg

According to the Plant #, these come from Tyson in Kentucky, which
also produces chicken for: Aldi (Kirkwood Brand);Costco; Costco
(Kirkland);Costco Mexico; Delightful Farms; Food Lion; Giant Eagle;
Hanaford; Harris Teeter; Kroger; Kroger (Heritage Farms); Meijer;
Prospect Farms; Publix; Safeway; Sam's (Daily Chef); Target (Market
Pantry); Tyson (Spare Time); Tyson Chicken, Inc.; Wal-mart (Great
Value Brand)

-sw

tl;dr These are regular chickens, not layers. And the quality is
just as good as most other mass-produced chicken.

-sw