The term “chicken gun” refers to a device used to test the impact resistance of various materials. It works by firing dead chickens at high speeds towards the material being tested. The use of chickens in these impact tests led to the nickname “chicken gun”.
The chickens used in chicken gun testing are specially bred and raised for this purpose. They are not meant for human consumption as food. The meat from these specialized test chickens would be tough, stringy, and flavorless – making it unsuitable for cooking and eating.
Background on Chicken Guns
Chicken guns originated in the aviation industry in the 1950s. Engineers needed a way to test the impact resistance of materials used in aircraft and spacecraft against collisions with birds during flight.
Why Chickens?
Chickens were chosen for several reasons:
- Chickens approximate the size and weight of many birds that aircraft may collide with in flight.
- Chickens are relatively inexpensive to purchase and easy to obtain in large quantities.
- The shape and density of a chicken carcass provides a reasonable replica of a bird’s body.
- Using dead chickens avoids the ethical concerns of using live animals in testing.
Firing chicken carcasses from specially designed pneumatic cannons allowed materials to be tested against impacts at various speeds up to the velocities commercial and military aircraft travel at.
How Chicken Guns Work
A typical chicken gun consists of a long steel barrel attached to a pressurized air tank. The barrel has a breach loaded with the projectile chicken. Compressed air propels the chicken down the barrel and into the target material being tested.
Sensors on board the chicken measure forces and accelerations experienced during the impact. High speed cameras capture the collision to analyze the resulting damage. Test data helps engineers understand how aircraft materials will perform when hitting birds in flight.
Supply and Sourcing of Chicken Gun Test Subjects
The chickens used in chicken gun testing are specially raised for this purpose and not considered suitable for human consumption. They are usually procured directly from large poultry producers that breed chickens on contract specifically for impact testing.
Breeding and Raising
Chickens destined for use in chicken guns are bred to rapidly grow large breast muscles. This provides a better approximation of a bird’s body shape compared to regular meat chickens. However, flavor and texture are not important traits for test chickens.
They are typically raised in crowded indoor facilities and fed high protein diets to accelerate growth. Their activity levels are low since there is no need to develop healthy muscles. The chickens reach testing size at 6-8 weeks old, faster than chickens raised for meat.
Preparing Chickens for Testing
After being raised to the target weight of 4-8 lbs, the chickens are killed in a humane manner before delivery to testing facilities. Feathers may be removed if desired.
The fresh carcasses are sealed in plastic bags and shipped on ice to keep them from spoiling before testing. The chickens are removed from refrigeration and allowed to reach room temperature prior to being loaded into the chicken guns.
Characteristics of Chicken Gun Test Subject Meat
As outlined above, the meat from chickens bred and raised specifically for impact testing would have several undesirable qualities if it were to be used for human consumption:
Tough and Rubbery Texture
The meat has a coarse, rubbery texture. The breast muscle fibers grow rapidly giving little time for connective tissues to develop properly. The fast muscular growth yields meat that is firmer and less tender than typical chicken meat.
Low Flavor
These chickens also lack the complex flavors that come from diet, free range activity, and slower growth rates. Their accelerated growth on bland feed produces relatively tasteless meat.
High Fat Content
The high protein feed and limited activity leads to high levels of fat mixed throughout the meat. Excess fat gives the meat an unpleasant greasy mouthfeel.
Pale Color
The meat is pale and has a soft, almost mushy appearance from the low muscle tone. The color lacks the vibrancy seen in chickens raised for proper meat development.
Odd Smell
There are also accounts that the meat gives off unusual or unappetizing odors compared to regular chicken. This may be due to compounds produced by their rapid growth.
Unsuitability for Human Consumption
In summary, chicken meat specially produced for impact testing has several undesirable qualities:
- Rubbery, dense texture
- Minimal flavor
- Excess fat
- Odd pale color and smell
These traits make the meat from chicken gun test subjects extremely unappealing for cooking and eating. The poor texture and flavor provides a very unsatisfying gastronomic experience well below the standards expected of chicken meat. Attempting to cook and eat the meat would be an unwise idea.
Uses Besides Impact Testing
The chickens bred for chicken gun testing have limited utility beyond their intended purpose. Their specialized traits to produce dense, damage-resistant carcasses for material impact studies make them impractical for other uses.
However, some possible applications may include:
Surgical Practice
The carcasses could provide an inexpensive model for practicing surgical techniques. The meat properties are inconsequential.
Animal Repellent Testing
As carrion, the rotting chickens could be used to test the efficacy of various animal or insect repellents. Again, the poor meat quality does not matter.
Fertilizer and Compost
Once testing is complete, the remains can be composted and used to fertilize gardens and crops. The bones provide calcium and the decomposing tissue nitrogen.
Backyard Chicken Feed
After testing, the carcasses could supplement feed for backyard chicken flocks destined for the dinner table. This avoids waste but does not improve the flavor of the eggs or meat.
Conclusion
In summary, the meat from chickens specifically bred and raised for chicken gun testing is not suitable for human consumption. It has an unattractive appearance and unappetizing texture and flavor profile compared to chicken meat derived from regular meat production. The peculiarities of test chickens make their meat a poor candidate for cooking and eating. These chickens serve their intended purpose for impact testing but have very limited utility otherwise. Attempting to find culinary uses for the meat would prove extremely disappointing.