Freshly butchered chicken meat will keep for up to 5 days in a refrigerator so long as the temperature is maintained at 34° F or lower. To keep chicken longer, you must freeze it no longer than 3 days after butchering. Keep your freezer below 0° F and do not store frozen chicken for longer than 6 months.
We always recommend keeping frozen chicken meat in a deep freezer that does not have a defrost cycle. Most combination refrigerators / freezers that you have in your kitchen cycle the temperature in the freezer to reduce frost. This temperature fluctuation means that the meat in the freezer is not maintained at a constant temperature and is more susceptible to bacteria growth, freezer burn and loss of tenderness and flavor. For these reasons, we recommend against storing frozen chicken in a traditional kitchen freezer. A small investment in a deep-freeze for your garage is money well spent!
Another tip is to invest in a vacuum sealer. Using a vacuum sealer and proper bags will ensure your chicken freezes well and is not exposed to air. Keeping your frozen meat away from air reduces freezer burn and seals in moisture.
