The most modern varieties of broiler chicken have been specially selected for intensive breeding, in order to improve the ratio between the food supplied and the animal's meat production. These are generally boilers, which literally means "crossover" or "hybrid".
The most common breeds of chicken consumed in the United States are the Cornish Cross and the White Rock, while in Europe the Ross and the Cobb are more widespread.
In the USA, broiler chickens are usually slaughtered at a young age. Modern Cornish Cross hybrids, for example, are slaughtered starting at 8 weeks for frying, or 12 weeks for roasting.
The capons instead, which are castrated roosters, produce more meat and more fat; for this reason, although they require exponentially higher breeding times, they are considered a real delicacy. Their diffusion was very high in the Middle Ages and, to date, they play a more significant role in rural food (thanks to tradition and home breeding).
