Keeping crabs alive

You can put them in an ice chest with ice, but you need to leave a gap in the top for air and you need to pull the plug so no water accumulates in the bottom.

Cold crabs when you boil will keep the claws attached during boiling.

Best method i've found is to pull plug from ice chest, put crabs in (crabs have to be right side up or they will die) then a oyster sack or newspaper, something that will allow melted ice to drip through...then ice.

maybe 10 minutes before your ready to cook, pull oyster sack, newspaper or whatever out, and add water to make an ice water bath. This will help chill the crabs so there claws don't pop off.

What everyone else said...and make sure you prop one side up a little to let the water drain.