HELP Butchered chicken is stiff

[ChickenCanoe]

We always debone some of the breast and thighs right after butchering to freeze for frying. It has no affect on the toughness of the meat as long as you let the meat rest before you cook it.

You're right. I misspoke when I said always. I had read some research that said leaving the bone in sped up the relaxing of the meat.

Came here to search for this thread as I have had this issue in the past. Young Chicken, was still stiff when we cooked it... result was not good.
SO.... it sounds like we stick them in the fridge for about 3 days to wait for rigor to go away. How long after that do we have to get cut up and freeze if we butcher the meat? How do the big chicken companies do their chickens?

Could I just butcher one whole... put in vacuum seal bag and then leave in the fridge for 3 or 4 days then freeze it?

Should I wait to butcher the bird until rigor is totally gone?

You can do it either way, bag a whole roaster or part it out and seal the parts. That way, if you do several birds, you can have a bag of legs a bag of thighs, etc..