3lb whole chicken smoke on the kettle. looking for suggestions.

[OneBadBadger]

Alright guys. Looking for suggestions. Testing the lump on the kettle today. No water pan no meat. Started with about 3/4 to a full chimney. Its been running anywhere from 260-280. Its windy and no water pan or meat in the kettle so I'm going to chalk some of the high temp up to that.  I bought two 3lb whole chickens I'm going to smoke monday.  Never done them before. Open to tips. Thinking I'm going to inject them with melted butter with (maybe a little onion and garlic powder in the butter? ) and rub with a gatlic and herb rub. Smoke with either pecan or applewood. Plan is to rub it up under the skin after injecting. Use some oil etc with the rub. Leaving the skin on. Let me know what you think. Planning on running it with the butt of the bird towards the coals so not to dry the breast out.

[Duke]

A picture would help, but I would lay them on their backs to help keep the breast meat from drying out.

[MaxBobcat]

My opinion would be to use a full chimney.  I like to cook chicken 350+. 

I have cooked chicken before at 250-275 on my WSM.  Turned out beautiful!  And skin was like rubber!  Go hotter than 260-280. 

Also, the injection you described (butter+Gar powder+Onion Powder) I use all the time, except I had a little Worcestershire sauce as well.  Turns out really good on the chicken, and you can brush it on as well to help crisp up the skin.

Oh, and I prefer split spatchcocked birds.  A spatchcocked bird looks nice, but it's much easier to handle on the grill if the bird is split into halves.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGKLtbiUflk

[OneBadBadger]

I was considering spatchcocking them, they are only little 3lb birds after all, but the 22.5 kettle has limited space. I want to keep them off the coals as much as possible. Also still thinking about the injection. Don't want the onion and garlic powder to overpower the flavor of the chicken with it already being smoked. We shall see. Thanks gentleman.