Abstract: A method of stretch bagging a poultry carcass within a stretch bag, including supporting a plurality of open-ended stretch bags in superposed array; forcing pressurized air into the top open-ended stretch bag so as to open the bag; axially entering the top bag and tranversely stretching from within while vertically supporting the top bag; stuffing the top bag with an inverted fowl carcass such that the breast plate is uppermost and the legs protrude rearwadly; relaxing transverse stretching and vertical supporting of the top bag, while compressing the fowl within the top bag by interposing restraining force in the path of longitudinal advance and at the forward end of said carcass, such that the leg joints of the carcass are broken and the legs are made to conform to the body of the carcass and remaining bags. The method is distinguished from the prior art in its compressing of the fowl within the bag.