Chicken Thighs

The Journey from Chicken Thighs to a Dinner Plate

From Farm to Fork

It’s safe to say that in 2020, everyone has become much more aware of where their food comes from. As we move away from processed and pre-prepared food and embrace home cooking with fresh ingredients, the journey from farm to fork has become an area of interest for many. In this article, we take an in-depth look at the journey from chicken thighs to your dinner plate.

Having a basic understanding of the journey food takes can help us all make more informed decisions. Knowing the source of our ingredients, and the various processes of refinement that take place in order to get to our plate, can help us make sure we’re eating responsibly sourced and ethically produced meat.

From Hag to Hen

The journey of our chicken thighs begins at a hatchery. A hatchery is a facility that produces eggs and maintains the conditions required to hatch them. The female, who will become a hen, arrives at the hatchery in egg form and the process of hatching begins.

The egg is placed in an incubation chamber which maintains a consistent temperature, humidity, and ventilation levels. Depending on the type of egg, incubation typically takes between 21 to 25 days until the chick hatches. Inside the egg, the chick engages in a process called pip, which is when the bird pecks at the inside of the eggshell with its egg tooth, and breaks out of the eggshell.

Once a chick hatches, it’s placed in a brooding pen where it has access to food and water. Here, the young chick grows into a pullet, and undergoes various tests to ensure its health and suitability for production. Once it is deemed fit for performance by the hatchery, the pullet will be transported to a chicken farm.

From Pullet to Poultry

On the poultry farm, the pullet is moved from the hatchery to an open-air cage where it continues to mature until it is ready for production. Most farms raise different varieties of hens, including Cornish and White Rock. The chickens served on dinner plates usually come from one of these varieties. A Cornish hen, for example, typically weighs between 2-3 pounds and is known for its plump, juicy thighs. On the other hand, the White Rock hen is typically larger, but is skinnier and leaner.

Poultry farms take great care to provide the best conditions for their birds. The hens are kept in spacious cages and they have access to plenty of food and water. They are also provided with natural sunlight to promote healthy development and provide them with an enriching environment.

Once the birds are ready for production, they are loaded onto what’s called a “catching crew”, which consists of specially trained personnel who manually catch the birds and place them in crates which are then sent to the processing plant. The birds are transported in climate-controlled vehicles to minimise the time between catching and processing.

From Pen to Plate

At the processing plant the birds prepare for slaughter. They are unloaded from the trucks and placed in channels which lead to the stunning and killing areas. Stunning is the most commonly used method for killing poultry, and it involves administering an electric shock to the birds which renders them unconscious before they are killed. Stunning ensures the quality of the meat and ensures a quick, humane end to the life of the bird.

Once stunned, the birds are hung upside down from shackles attached to overhead conveyor belts which move them along the processing line. At the next stage, they are shackled and moved through a series of machine washes that remove any feathers, dirt, and bacteria. Following this, their necks are slit and the birds are bled out.

Once the chickens have been bled out, they are cooled and their heads are cut off. At this point, the birds are manually disjointed and a variety of products, such as thighs, breasts, and wings, are made available for purchase.

The Journey Continues

And thus, the journey of chicken thighs from farm to fork is complete. The final stage of the journey is transport to the grocery store or supermarket. Here, the thighs are distributed to buyers, who purchase them and bring them home to be cooked and served.

Wrapping Up

Though the journey may seem lengthy and complex, it is important to remember that the entire length of the journey is in place to ensure the responsible production, processing, and safe delivery of our food. Knowing where our food comes from gives us knowledge and allows us to make informed decisions when it comes to what we eat.

For those looking to enjoy delicious, ethically sourced chicken thighs on their dinner table, regardless of the journey, following the guidelines outlined in this article is a solid starting point for understanding the sources of these food items, as well as determining ways to obtain them responsibly.