Place the chicken in the stockpot, breast side up. Arrange all the vegetables and herbs around and on top of the chicken. Add about 12 cups of water to the stockpot to within about 2 inches of the top and bring to a boil. Skim the froth from the surface. Cover loosely (that is, with the lid ajar) and simmer for 2 hours.

Remove from heat and remove the bird from the stockpot. Allow to cool and remove the skin and meat from the bones, reserving the meat for other uses. Return the bones and skin to the stockpot and bring to a low boil. Cover loosely and simmer for at least two more hours - cooking it longer will just make the flavor richer. Add boiling water if necessary to keep the volume of liquid fairly constant.

Strain stock through a sieve, pressing on the solids to remove as much liquid as possible. Store the stock in either one large bowl or several smaller containers in the refrigerator overnight. Skim the fat off the next day, then freeze any stock that you won't be using within the next three days.