What Size Vacuum Pouch for a Whole Chicken?

Most whole chickens sold by butchers, between 1.6kg and 1.8kg, fit a 300×400mm vacuum pouch. Smaller birds take a 270×330mm, and anything over 2kg wants a 350×450mm. The size comes from the bird's height as much as its width, which is why the pouch always looks too big on the bench.

Chicken pouch sizes at a glance

Product sizes are typical for a trussed, oven-ready bird. Measure a few of your own. All 65 micron. Prices ex VAT per bag.

Bird	Typical size (W × H)	Pouch	Per bag
Poussin, 400g to 500g	110 × 70mm	200×250mm	2.2p
Small chicken, 1.2kg to 1.4kg	150 × 100mm	270×330mm	4.0p
Medium chicken, 1.6kg to 1.8kg	180 × 110mm	300×400mm	5.4p
Large chicken, 2kg to 2.5kg	200 × 120mm	350×450mm	7.1p
Spatchcocked chicken, 1.5kg	250 × 60mm	350×450mm	7.1p
Chicken crown or half bird	140 × 90mm	250×300mm	3.4p

Why is the pouch so much wider than the chicken?

Because the film has to go over the bird as well as across it. Our rule is pouch width = product width + product height + 10mm. A medium chicken that's 180mm across and 110mm high needs 300mm of width. Put it in a 250mm pouch and it'll go in, but the film will be stretched tight across the breast and there won't be enough left at the corners to seal cleanly.

Length is simpler. Add 40 to 50mm to the bird's length for the seal area. The size guide has the full method.

Stopping the legs going through the film

The knuckle ends of the drumsticks are the problem. Under full vacuum they press into 0.065mm film, and an uncovered knuckle can go straight through. You find out the next morning when the pack has gone baggy.

• Truss the legs tight to the body so the knuckles point inward.
• Cover each knuckle with a small square of greaseproof paper or a bone guard.
• Slide the bird in breast up, legs first, so the tips go to the sealed end.
• For birds going straight out to a customer, drop the vacuum to around 95%.

That's enough for standard 65 micron film. The bone-in guide covers what to do when it isn't.

Keeping the seal clean

Raw poultry is wet, and chicken fat on the inside of the pouch mouth stops the seal forming properly. Fold the top 50mm of the pouch outward before the bird goes in, then fold it back. Pat the bird dry with clean paper first. A chamber machine copes with the liquid inside the pack. What it can't cope with is liquid across the seal bar.

Colour coding raw poultry

If you share fridges between raw poultry and ready-to-eat product, blue pouches make the separation obvious from across the room. They're the same film, in 300×400mm and larger, which happens to be the medium chicken size. The blue pouch guide explains how kitchens use them.

Who this isn't for

These are smooth pouches for chamber machines. If you're using a domestic edge sealer, they won't seal. Check the compatibility page before ordering.