How long can a bird go between dispatch and butchering?

[Caliopy]

I had to cull out one of our Cornish X this morning before heading to work (they're getting too large, and rather than loose him to a heart attack, decided to help him go). He bled out, but I had no time to butcher. He's been in a cooler of ice all day; think he can still be butchered?

 

[bucketgirl]

I don't see why not. In our first batch, one of the birds made it through the plucker and into the freezer with everything from neck to vent intact. I had quite a surprise when I thawed him out, but the guts came out in a neat, partially frozen package, the dogs enjoyed the proceeds, and the rest of the meat tasted just fine.

I'll note that this bird was aged in the refrigerator for 2 days before being frozen.

 

[vermonster]

Game birds are often 'hanged', blood, entrails, feathers and all, for days to soften the meat and enhance the flavor. Common practice with farmed poultry is to let it rest after butchering. I doubt it actually makes much of a difference whether you take the approach of letting it stand/hang before butchering or after.

Here's a great article on the practice of hanging:
http://honest-food.net/2008/11/27/on-hanging-pheasants/

 

[Caliopy]

Thanks for the replies. The bird seemed fine, until I opened it up, and large amounts of clear, yellow fluid poured out. I read somewhere once that this indicates a sick bird, and so discarded it. I do appreciate the imput though.