This article along with some internet research resulted in a braised old, old, old (6 1/2 years) spent hen being 'braised' or 'stewed' after a process of -- butcher-->rest-->freeze-->thaw in fridge (3-4 days)--->brine in salted water (3 days +)-->cook in slow cooker on keep warm setting (26 hours or more -cooking must continue until the meat literally falls off the bone)
It amazed me that the meat was flavorful, tender, moist and quite good. What I was expecting was something tough stringy and inedible. A laying hen not a meat bird.
