I've really missed those cut-up broiler/fryers and those light-weight boneless, skinless chicken breasts I used to buy.  Now, I can't find them in either supermarkets or small grocery stores.  Why do I want them?  1) My husband and I are not big eaters of chicken, so we saved money by purchasing the smaller ones.  2) They took less time to cook, and my convection oven and I are always in a hurry. 3)  I knew smaller breasts come from younger chickens and was convinced (though this may not be correct) that they were more tender and tasty.  But above all, the mystery of their disappearance intrigued me.  Surely they hadn't just flown away.  A Chicago Tribune article published in July 2014 mentioned that broiler/fryers had vanished but didn't explain where they'd gone. Therefore, I was still left wondering. 

One of our Shelf Life Advice Advisory Board members, food scientists Dr. Catherine Cutter, referred me to her colleague at Penn State University, Dr. R. Michael Hulet, associate professor of animal science and an expert on poultry.  He was kind enough to provide the detailed explanation below.  Further comments and advice come from three Shelf Life Advice Advisory Board members.