Im wanting to smoke two 5 lbs chickens today and am curious about splitting them. You mentioned it cuts down on cooking time, about how long should I smoke and at what temp? Thanks!
I just did two 5 pound chickens on my #1, both whole (breast side up), side-by-side on the middle rack. It was pretty tight, but there was just barely enough space for air circulation and smoke. They turned out great. Time will vary, but you should set your smoker to 250, and smoke until the breast temperature reaches 160 (or 170 in the thigh). No water pan needed for poultry. Mine usually take approx 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Remove, tent with foil for 20-30 minutes. You can also spatchcock them, by removing the back bone, then crack the breast bone and push them flat. You could then put one on the top rack, and one on the middle rack, bone side down. You might want to rotate the racks after 1.5 hours, since the bottom one will probably cook a little faster than the top one in this configuration. You should also brine your chickens. This makes a huge difference with the moistness and flavor of poultry. There are several brine recipes for chicken and poultry on the forum. If you don't have time to brine, then just go for it, seasoning inside and out. And don't expect crispy skin. It's all about the meat. If you have a dog, they will love the skin.
