Hey @smokeystaples ,
I didn't say welcome so, welcome.
I'm going to assume the Broncos is similar to a Weber WSM. Try a test run or two before cooking any meat to get familiar with the fire starting and management. Chickens don't do well low and slow, shot for 300-350*. Also go real lite on the smoke wood. Chicken really soaks up the smoke. Often just the charcoal flavor is best.
I agree, go hot. I've run them 300, 350, 400, 425 - they essentially come out about the same.
All in an attempt to crispify the skin - which never works. Skin gets tossed to the dog, sadly. Another reason I don't do much in the way of rub on them, I will pull the skin up and do a pretty heavy S&P under the skin, sometimes I'll do a rub under there, too. But mainly I'm doing these for 'pulled chicken' which we use for enchiladas, tacos, soups, all kinds of things.
If doing on the offset, I can get crispi(er) skin, but seldom enough to really enjoy it. Unless you go super all out on it, like letting it dry out in the fridge overnight with a dry brine and/or rubbing it with baking soda, etc., you just ain't getting truly crispy skin. The skin is just trash, so...
But hanging them, make sure they're secure, as well. I have to do 2 hooks, one in each breast - a single hook through the sternum under the wishbone, and I'll still have a 50% drop rate on them, if not higher. This is with regular WalMart chickens, like 5-6 pounds - maybe wouldn't be a problem if I got smaller birds, I dunno.
