smoking time/cooking time for 2 chickens at once

[smitttykid]

  I've smoked a single chicken before and it came out great.  With a weight of 3-4 lbs.- 4 hrs total time in the Bradley seems to be fine with 4 hrs of pecan smoke.  The Wife wants me to do 2 chickens for Easter dinner.  I know the internal temp should be 165 degrees.  She is all over me about eating at 4PM and I need a rough idea on what time to start the two chickens.  I'm figuring around 4 pounds apiece.  They will be brined overnight.  The weather temp. will probably 60-65 degrees F.  I'm afraid that if I just double the time for one-that's going to be too long.  If possible, I plan on leaving the chickens in the Bradley the whole time, not finishing them off in the oven in our kitchen.  Any help/ideas would be greatly appreciated!

[Salmonsmoker]

If you can maintain the same temperature in the smoker box that you cooked at with the single chicken, your cook time won't change. Pre-heat the cabinet, heating a foil wrapped brick in your kitchen oven, then into the smoker cabinet, pour boiling H2O in your puck receiver, letting the chickens warm up on the counter for an hour, will help keep the cabinet temp. up if you were at max. temp. with the single bird. The second bird may extend the time some, but won't double it. You can also start early and FTC(foil/towel/cooler) them to keep them hot until serving time.

[Habanero Smoker]

As Salmonsmoker stated there will be some extra time due to longer recovery, and his advice will help with the recovery time. The extra time will be how fast your smoker recovers back to your set temperature, after you load the chickens. For whole chickens, it is one of the few times I will recommend using a wide open vent. If you finish early, it may be better to loosely tent the chickens with foil, and hold them in a 200°F oven; if you have the oven space.

[Salmonsmoker]

As Salmonsmoker stated there will be some extra time due to longer recovery, and his advice will help with the recovery time. The extra time will be how fast your smoker recovers back to your set temperature, after you load the chickens. For whole chickens, it is one of the few times I will recommend using a wide open vent. If you finish early, it may be better to loosely tent the chickens with foil, and hold them in a 200°F oven; if you have the oven space.

Good point on the tenting/oven, Habs. A tight wrap in foil for a period of time can rubberize the chicken skin.