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Because chicken is a high risk food for salmonella bugs ect, i think i would bring it up to tempreture quickly first, either by browning it off in a frying pan, or bringing it upto the boil on a conventional cooker, rather than allowing it to sit growing bugs in luke warm temps for a longer period of time if added directly to the pot.

 I would also portion it rather than keep it whole, so that it was more submerged in the cooking liquid to hold it at a higher even tempreture, and of course check for any pink uncooked bits in the thickest parts before serving and if you find any then it obviously needs a bit longer in the pot. 

Julia

I have never cooked a whole chicken in mine without liquid. I switch the slow cooker on to high and put boiling water into it. Boil the kettle again, pour the first lot of water out (usually re-use it to boil breakfast egg!) then stand the chicken on its end and pour the newly boiled water into the cavity, lay it down and put the rest of the water round the sides. I put carrots, onion etc in and usually a stock cube. I put it on high for as long as I can - while i walk dogs and get ready to go out for example, then leave it on low.  You don't get the same crispy skin roast flavour, obviously, and not certain it meets the criteria for safety out lined above. If a more knowledgable, person says I have just been lucky so far (have done it hundreds of times, though) I would stop. It has certainly never made us ill.

I seem to have managed to make it sound terribly complicated. It's not  

I tried chicken yesterday, put on balls of tinfoil, left for eight hours ,great tasted fine can't wait to take the slowcooker away for tasty grub, thanks for the replies