sitsinhedges Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 (edited) Having shot a bag of 138 pigeons on Saturday I put them in two large freezers I own, (150L and 200L) with an equal number of already frozen birds from weeks previous. Even with fast freeze on it did seem a struggle to get the birds chilled down and frozen in such a large number though and I'm wondering if there is anything I can do to help the process in future. I wondered if it would help to leave the birds overnight on my shed floor maybe to let the residual body heat disperse rather than putting them in still warm where the heat is kind of trapped until the cold penetrates the mass of birds. I do pull all the tail feathers to create more room and maybe lessen the insulation of all those feathers. In future I may freeze some bottles of water to place amongst them to help them on their way. Any thoughts/advice? Edited August 25, 2014 by sitsinhedges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B725 Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 You have answered your own question let them cool over night spread them on the shed floor if you can it will make a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 Yes ideally you need to let them cool first . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuddster Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 i chop of the feet and wings off with a hand axe to get more in. important to let them cool overnight or they'll rot on de-frosting. f. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 I find that only around two layers can be frozen at a time. If you try to freeze more than that, it is likely that the birds in the middle will never freeze. Multiple freezers need to be used if lots of pigeons are shot regularly. I just about manage with two freezers and a fridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted August 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 I find that only around two layers can be frozen at a time. If you try to freeze more than that, it is likely that the birds in the middle will never freeze. Multiple freezers need to be used if lots of pigeons are shot regularly. I just about manage with two freezers and a fridge. I've actually moved them around over the last couple of days so the unfrozen ones in the middle get put against the walls of the freezer seems to be working OK but in future I'll leave overnight on the floor if the weather is reasonably mild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 I've actually moved them around over the last couple of days so the unfrozen ones in the middle get put against the walls of the freezer seems to be working OK but in future I'll leave overnight on the floor if the weather is reasonably mild. I normally leave them out for a couple of hours after shooting before putting the first lot in to freeze. They should then hopefully be frozen by the next day for you to put a good load more in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 If I had shot a bag of 138 I would have taken them to the dealers the next day as most of them are open on a Sunday, now the weather is turning cooler if you laid them out on a concrete floor they would keep for a couple of days. The extra money for fresh would have covered or helped with the petrol and you could have emptied your freezer at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted August 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 If I had shot a bag of 138 I would have taken them to the dealers the next day as most of them are open on a Sunday, now the weather is turning cooler if you laid them out on a concrete floor they would keep for a couple of days. The extra money for fresh would have covered or helped with the petrol and you could have emptied your freezer at the same time. The local dealer at Flore pays 25p per bird fresh and it's a 2hr journey costing a tenner in fuel. Peterboro Game pay 40p per bird frozen and will collect the nearly 300 in my freezers. It's a no brainer. The pittance the local dealer pays really annoys me to be honest, it's not worth my time to make the journey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 The local dealer at Flore pays 25p per bird fresh and it's a 2hr journey costing a tenner in fuel. Peterboro Game pay 40p per bird frozen and will collect the nearly 300 in my freezers. It's a no brainer. The pittance the local dealer pays really annoys me to be honest, it's not worth my time to make the journey. Yes your right "sitinhedges"it is a no brainer if they come and collect, my freezer hold about 250 so 138 would have over half filled it, my dealer is over 40 miles away but I only have to go about 4 times a year and we normally make a day out of it. They are paying 30p fresh and 25p frozen . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunny_blaster Posted August 26, 2014 Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 I only ever put a single layer of birds in the freezers at a time. I have 3 large chest freezers running constantly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShropshireSam Posted August 26, 2014 Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 I have access to a cold store so cool down to 4C overnight and then put in freezer. Makes life a lot easier. If stuck with a single freezer then best would be to use some baskets to allow some air round each layer of pigeons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted August 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 I took all 280 pigeons out of the freezers this morning and took them to Peterboro Game as I was working quite close. They were all well frozen and I came away with a nice cheque for nearly £190 as they still owed me for some they collected last month. Pretty pleased with that but I shall let them cool a bit more in future weather permitting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilts#Dave Posted August 26, 2014 Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 As already said we lay them out on the concrete floor in the garage prior to freezing, it can be hard work when you've shot a big bag though to deal with them all! As already said we lay them out on the concrete floor in the garage prior to freezing, it can be hard work when you've shot a big bag though to deal with them all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted August 27, 2014 Report Share Posted August 27, 2014 I lay them out on the floor then freeze if I have a mega amount I put one layer in each freezer and the rest on the floor to be frozen the next day. I have seven freezers in my garage so I can handle large numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted August 27, 2014 Report Share Posted August 27, 2014 I lay them out on the floor then freeze if I have a mega amount I put one layer in each freezer and the rest on the floor to be frozen the next day. I have seven freezers in my garage so I can handle large numbers. Wow, seven freezers! It's like Iceland's at yours by the sounds of it :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted August 27, 2014 Report Share Posted August 27, 2014 I lay them out on the floor then freeze if I have a mega amount I put one layer in each freezer and the rest on the floor to be frozen the next day. I have seven freezers in my garage so I can handle large numbers.I don't think my game dealer have got that many freezers , and if I put seven in my house, me, the wife, and the dog would have to sleep in the garden. When you take them do you have a low loader with a police escort ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuy Posted August 28, 2014 Report Share Posted August 28, 2014 If I had shot a bag of 138 I would have taken them to the dealers the next day as most of them are open on a Sunday, now the weather is turning cooler if you laid them out on a concrete floor they would keep for a couple of days. The extra money for fresh would have covered or helped with the petrol and you could have emptied your freezer at the same time. +1 same here take them to game dealers asap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodeer Posted August 29, 2014 Report Share Posted August 29, 2014 Need go on a cold floor with ventilation. The 2 guides I know of who take about 25k birds in the summer place them on a concrete floor over night then tray them up and stick in a chiller the next day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor_Noad Posted September 1, 2014 Report Share Posted September 1, 2014 7 Freezers!!!! The amount that I normally shoot I would be able to put 1 bird in each freezer........................................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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