I smoked 3 chickens (~4-5lbs each) using a recipe I found on this great site. The recipe was followed to a T. However, after the 4.5 hours of cooking time my birds weren't done (internal temp was 140). I assumed that since my birds were a little bigger they may need more time, so I left them in for another hour. They were still 140 deg internal temp. After another hour the same thing and juices were pink when i cut into the thigh joint.
After 7 hours I had to finish them on the BBQ: by this time they were drier than I had hoped.
Did I overfill my smoker? or were the birds just too big? I smoked them at 220deg. When they werent cooking, I jacked it up to 280 for the last hour, but the temp never went over 220. Any ideas?
If you jacked it up to 280 but the temp never went over 220 what was the temp when you set it at 220?
What are you using to measure the cabinet temp?
What was your vent position?
I cook poultry on max temp in the OBS.
I'm like FLBR and use the OBS, vent full open, along with an Auber PID. I set the PID to about 260 but have never achieved that heat after I load the birds. in fact, I probably never got a box heat of over 200. I have converted to a large pan for the water and have never had it go dry doing chickens. Doing two at a time, I bet I average about 7 hours to hit an IT of 165 in the breast. They have never been dry.
With my OBS I set my PID for 275º knowing that after I insert the birds the temp will drop and may not recover to the 250º that I, like most, use for poultry. I always have the vent wide open.
But after smoking for 3 hours with the flavor(s) of your choice there is nothing wrong Lumpyguts with finishing the chickens on a grill or oven. Many members use a Char-Broil 'The Big Easy' smoker, roaster & Grill (SRG) to finish their birds also.
Welcome to the forum.