After Processing

[cedarstump]

I have couple of questions about what most do after the processing your chickens.

How long do you let chickens set in the ice water?
How long before packaging?
How long before cutting up if you plan on cutting separate pieces for storage
When do you put in freezer?

Sorry for all the questions just not sure how long to wait before cutting, packaging and freezing.

 

[SIMZ]

There are lots of different opinions, but here is what we do:

We let them soak in the ice water for about an hour or so. I do batches of 5-10 and rotate between 2 tubs of ice water. When my tubs are full I'll take out the ones that have been soaking longest and take them in to put them in the refrigerator. Then I put them in plastic bags and let them sit at least overnight. At that point I'll check them over really good, package them, and put them in the freezer. This is also when I'll cut up pieces. I find that the resting process is very important.