How long to cool off carcasses?

[bigcountry1009]

How long should carcasses be cooled off? I put them in a cooler of ice water for about 6 hours and the skin seemed to get very rubbery and the legs stiffened and were straight. Made them hard to wrap for freezing. Did I wait too long?

 

[Elke Beck]

I know what you mean about legs sticking straight out. Last year I waited until after I finished all the birds I was processing, and there was a long-legged Rhode Island Red that I could not get into a bag. I finally had to have someone hold the legs down while I sealed the bag.

I now stick the carcass into a zipper bag immediately after I finish it, then bury the bag in ice to chill. I prefer to dry chill, and by bagging immediately the chick goes into rigor in the shape of the bag. The carcasses are chilled through within an hour this way.

 

[lokua]

The stiff legs are just rigor mortis. That goes away after a day or 2 in the fridge. I keep mine in ice water for a few hours then stick em in the fridge for 2 days. I cut up most of my birds, so fitting in bags is not an issue. For birds to be frozen whole I cut a slit in the skin over the cavity and tuck the legs. They still stiffen but the skin holds em back enough to fit in bags.