Are 2 Gallon Ziploc Freezer bags Sufficient for Broilers?

[mechanic57]

I've been using the Texas Poultry shrink bags and they have worked great. They claim to be the thickest bags for shrink wrapping whole chickens. I got a pack of 50 of the 10"x 16" bags which are good for up to about 7lb birds. They have different size bags for chickens, turkey, etc... Mine came out to like $0.55 per bird. I did not mind the cost for the extra storage protection.

 

[Tre3hugger]

I've been using the Texas Poultry shrink bags and they have worked great. They claim to be the thickest bags for shrink wrapping whole chickens. I got a pack of 50 of the 10"x 16" bags which are good for up to about 7lb birds. They have different size bags for chickens, turkey, etc... Mine came out to like $0.55 per bird. I did not mind the cost for the extra storage protection.

Awesome! I went with a similar company, USA Poultry Bags out of New York. I am looking forward to trying them. I appreciate your input.

 

[iwltfum]

Texas Poultry shrink bags and they have worked great. They claim to be the thickest bags for shrink wrapping whole chickens.

Love Texas Poultry Shrink Bags, but Stromberg's bags are thicker for sure.

 

[mechanic57]

Love Texas Poultry Shrink Bags, but Stromberg's bags are thicker for sure.

Stromberg's looks to cost a little less. How thick are Stromberg's bags? I didn't see it on their website. Texas Poutry site says their bags are 65 micron thick. They also come with the tube to let you vent air without having to cut a vent hole in the bag. This was more appealing to me. Whenever I get another batch of bags, I'll give the ones from Stromberg's a shot but I'll keep my current tube and use that method to vent the bags.

 

[Tre3hugger]

I plan to just put a freezer label over the tiny h hole. Hope that works. Butchering my first one tomorrow!

 

[iwltfum]

Stromberg's looks to cost a little less. How thick are Stromberg's bags? I didn't see it on their website. Texas Poutry site says their bags are 65 micron thick. They also come with the tube to let you vent air without having to cut a vent hole in the bag. This was more appealing to me. Whenever I get another batch of bags, I'll give the ones from Stromberg's a shot but I'll keep my current tube and use that method to vent the bags.

I plan to just put a freezer label over the tiny h hole. Hope that works. Butchering my first one tomorrow!

I'm not sure exactly how thick stromberg's bags are, but I had just recently finished a box of 500 stromberg's bags and ordered new ones from Texas Poultry shrink bags, not that I think the TPSB bags are weak or anything, but they feel like they could be 3/4 or 1/2 the thickness of stromberg's. They both work well though I just bagged 50 birds and 40 pounds of cut ups yesterday and they look exactly the same in the freezer.

Texas Poultry Shrink Bags does come with a 1/4" length of tube every time. I've tried to use it and I've tried the poke/cover with label method and found them both really tedious in general and I could never do the poke/cover method without piercing the skin and I didn't like having to do that to every bird. Maybe if I just had to do a couple at a time I would have had the patience for it, but we do batches of 60-70 so it has to go quick.

Here's what I do. After the bird is in the bag, I twist the bag just slightly enough so that it will hold air in but also let air out if you force it and then give the bird a big hug and squeeze out as much air as I can- making sure to get the corners, then I zip tie it without letting the end loose and dunk it like that. I do the whole process with an insulated water proof glove on. It shrinks just like it would if you used a tube or a made a hole in the bag.