How long to hang birds?

[Buster52]

So as long as they sit for a few days before or after freezing it takes care of the rigger? OK. Thanks.

No, rigor must run its course before freezing.

 

[Buster52]

This is the best packaging for home or sale, from the best source:

http://www.cornerstone-farm.com/equipment/poultry-packaging

Heat shrink gets all the air out, plus makes for attractive packaging. My alternative that many of my customers find acceptable are poly bags from Uline that I buy by the case.

http://www.uline.com/BL_107/2-Mil-Industrial-Poly-Bags

 

[CowgirlPenny]

What about a Foodsaver system? Is that a good way to package a whole chicken for freezing? I thought about getting some gallon size bags and freezing them whole after they sat in the fridge for a few days,

Why is the cold water/salt important after you pluck and remove guts? We always just cleaned them, then right to a zip loc they went.

 

[LilyD]

What about a Foodsaver system? Is that a good way to package a whole chicken for freezing? I thought about getting some gallon size bags and freezing them whole after they sat in the fridge for a few days,

Why is the cold water/salt important after you pluck and remove guts? We always just cleaned them, then right to a zip loc they went.

We have issues getting our roos to fit into Foodsaver gallon size bags we had to get larger ones for them to fit into they were made by ziploc and were 2.5 gallon.

I think they do the cold water with salt to draw the rest of the blood out of the chicken and also to cool it down slowly before freezing. I do the same as you though. I do put them in cold water while I finish the others I am plucking and gutting but then I drain them, rinse them and put them into bags in the freezer. Then I actually will let them rest when I take them out of the freezer into the fridge rather than before. That way I only have to have one chicken in the fridge at a time. They always are nice and tender when I eat them and not stiff at all.