Hanging the birds indoors by the legs for 24 hours or more, or laying
them on their backs on a clean surface where the temperature of the air
ranges from 30° to 36° F. will properly chill the carcasses. They should
be thoroughly chilled but not frozen, since frozen birds sweat and,
because of their rigid condition, cannot be packed without great waste
of space. In mild weather it is often impossible to cool the carcasses
properly without the use of refrigeration or ice water. Cooling in water
spoils the appearance of dry-picked carcasses and should be done only as
a last resort. A suitable thermometer is an indispensable part of the
chilling equipment.