Once or twice a year we cook lotsa chickens to vacupack and a few for neighbors.  This year I tried 9 in my YS640 at 275 on the bottom shelf.  I have done 8 before at a lower temp.  Next time I'll stick to 6 at no more than 250f.

The bottoms were not burnt, but not right.  I rotated every 45 min right to left, 3 at a time.  Still had the bottom bit too hot.  A few had middle wing bits rather hard to chew.

I gave two to my neighbor ($5 each at cost), cut 3 in half to vacupack (6 bags), peeled 4 for vacupack (8 bags).  So got chicken for a while.

The best part is the chicken stock.  I should end up with 10 1 cup bags of reduced chicken stock from all the bones etc.  Two day process, but worth it.

Winner winner 9 chicken dinners. They look great.

Wow! I didn’t know you could fit that many birds just on the bottom shelf of the yoder.

Looks great!  I do the same but cut the birds in half before smoking them.

Nicely done!

I did something similar a month ago.  Visited my local Restaurant Depot and picked up a 40# case of whole chickens.  A deal at about $1.60 a pound.
 Unknown bonus was there were 16 tender young chickens at about 2.25 lbs each.  Smaller than I expected.  However, I spatchcocked 6 at a time, 3 per rack, smoked at 275-300 for no more than 1.5 hours, rotated top to bottom half way thru.  Pulled at 150 degrees.  Split in half and vacuum sealed.  Ends up they are the perfect size to split half a bird with my wife for dinner.  Plus, pulling at 150 leaves a little room for a reheat in the toaster oven without drying out the meat.  In hindsight, I could've smoked 12 at one time, but then I would have missed another chance to fire up the Yoder.  I know I burned a few more pellets smoking the next 6, but then I would have had to find a different reason to sit around and drink a beer.

Ohh you didn't pull many of the chickens and vacupack?  And then have a huge pot of bones with carrots, celery, onion etc and cook all day to make the most amazing chicken stock?  It's one reason I do so many at once.  Ending up with 12 1 cup bags of real chicken stock for soups etc is one of the great things about 9 chickens at once. 

Anyhoo, the 480/640 makes great smoked chickens! 

Conundrum, you're right on the stock.  I did make a small batch with the backs, but a dozen would have been better.  Best part afterward is that my vacuum sealer does liquids, so I put 2 cups in each bag, then seal.  They stack flat in my freezer, about 12 high, taking up no more room than necessary.

Conundrum, you're right on the stock.  I did make a small batch with the backs, but a dozen would have been better.  Best part afterward is that my vacuum sealer does liquids, so I put 2 cups in each bag, then seal.  They stack flat in my freezer, about 12 high, taking up no more room than necessary.

That's great!  It's awesome tasting!  One reason I love doing chickens in quantity. 

I don't vacupack for this.  The sandwich bags work fine and aren't the expensive ones so I fill with just 1 cup, squeeze air out and seal and lay flat on a cookie sheet in the fridge overnight.  Then check for leaks the next day, then to the freezer.  The stock has so much collagen they turn to jello in the fridge so if one leaks it'll not leak anymore when tossed in the freezer.  I really concentrate my stock so I'll take a frozen bag, cut it in half and put the unused 1/2 in a sandwich bag and back to the freezer. 

Try cooking some chuck roasts for pulled beef, I vacupack in 8 oz portions for tacos etc.  That juice is amazing for stock also.

I use the jarred chicken/beef concentrate stock if I don't have the bagged stuff or just need a bit, so much better than those salt cubes they call stock.