the younger “game hen” or “poussin” even more so Largely in reaction to the image of industrial chicken, so-called “free range” chickens are now sold in the United States, but the term only means that the birds have access to an outdoor pen “Roasting” chickens and capons (castrated males) are raised to double or more the age of the standard broiler, are heavier, and so have given their leg muscles more exercise; the capon may also be more succulent thanks to the infiltration of marbling fat Turkeys Turkeys are also members of the sedentary pheasant family Meleagris gallopavo descended from ancestors that once ranged through North America and Asia The modern colossal turkey dates from 1927– 1930, when a breeder in British Columbia developed a 40 lb/18 kg bird with oversized flight and thigh muscles, and breeders in the U.S northwest used his stock to perfect the Broad-Breasted Bronze The little-used breast muscle is tender, mild, and lean; the leg muscles that support the breast are wellexercised, dark, and flavorful Today, industrial facilities produce 14–20 lb/6–9 kg birds year-round in 12–18 weeks; some small American farms extend the period to 24 weeks, while the name-controlled French Bresse turkey is raised for 32 weeks or more, confined and fattened for the last several weeks on corn and milk Ducks and Squab Ducks and squab are notable for having dark, flavorful breast meat, abundantly endowed with myoglobin-rich red muscle fibers, thanks to their ability to fly hundreds of miles in a day with few stops The most common breeds of duck in China, much of Europe, and the United States are descendents of the wild green-headed mallard, Anas platyrhynchos, an aquatic migratory bird ... some small American farms extend the period to 24 weeks, while the name-controlled French Bresse turkey is raised for 32 weeks or more, confined and fattened for the last several weeks on corn and milk Ducks and Squab... fly hundreds of miles in a day with few stops The most common breeds of duck in China, much of Europe, and the United States are descendents of the wild green-headed mallard, Anas platyrhynchos, an aquatic migratory bird... his stock to perfect the Broad-Breasted Bronze The little-used breast muscle is tender, mild, and lean; the leg muscles that support the breast are wellexercised, dark, and flavorful Today, industrial facilities produce 14–20