"Doing" my first rabbits

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Joined
Aug 18, 2016
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Location
Amherstburg, Ontario
Well.......
Tomorrow I will be processing my first fur critters....
I have done chickens, turkey, and ducks, but nothing with fur yet.

I have the guy that has been doing the processing for us coming over and help me with my first time.
I have a heated garage were we will be setting up to "do the deed".... I have my equipment list and will get everything (except rabbits) set up tonight. Then tomorrow after work, I'll swing by the bunny farm for the rabbit and .......

(He also cures pelts, so I will get a hands on lesson in that as well.)

Wish me luck
(or more wish my rabbits a clean quick death!)
 
Coincidentally I did my first processing this past weekend. Someone in the area was disbursing her herd due to health issues, so I was able to pick up some young fryer bucks for practice. It was nice being able to start out with animals I don't have a long relationship and who are healthy/happy.

Never one to do things the easy way, I processed 6, portioned the meat, and made both rabbit jerky and liver loaf.

I also ruined all 6 pelts... Chalk that up to experience. *Sigh* so feel free to send me your accumulated wisdom about pelt curing! Because apparently I need it.


PS: I would wish you luck, but I don't think you'll need it. You have a mentor at hand to help, and a good head on your shoulders. You'll do fine!
 
Ferra is right, Tricia . . . You'll do fine! :)

But wishing you good luck anyway :clover: :clover: :clover: and hoping you breeze through it. Since you've done poultry, you should find rabbits easier to butcher, albeit harder emotionally to dispatch.
 
MaggieJ":39adih2x said:
Ferra is right, Tricia . . . You'll do fine! :)

But wishing you good luck anyway :clover: :clover: :clover: and hoping you breeze through it. Since you've done poultry, you should find rabbits easier to butcher, albeit harder emotionally to dispatch.


Thats the truth. I have only dispatch three in the last year and ate one. Even thou they taste great, I am still having trouble get past the pet cuteness of these animals. I want to eat them but the botch dispatch has got me worried. I try to justify it with I know a animal dies every time I eat other meat. And it still gets me nowhere fast. :)
 
Ferra":14t5s8sh said:
Coincidentally I did my first processing this past weekend. Someone in the area was disbursing her herd due to health issues, so I was able to pick up some young fryer bucks for practice. It was nice being able to start out with animals I don't have a long relationship and who are healthy/happy.

Never one to do things the easy way, I processed 6, portioned the meat, and made both rabbit jerky and liver loaf.

I also ruined all 6 pelts... Chalk that up to experience. *Sigh* so feel free to send me your accumulated wisdom about pelt curing! Because apparently I need it.


PS: I would wish you luck, but I don't think you'll need it. You have a mentor at hand to help, and a good head on your shoulders. You'll do fine!

LOL :lol: :lol: :lol:
A good head on my shoulders....lol.... my husband would disagree... he thinks this whole raising your own animals for meat thing is crazy and raising rabbits to show???... well, lets just say he stopped arguing with me...

A friend and I had 2 dozen rabbits done at a processors and asked they save the pelts for us... we attempted to cure them... well... lets just say the processing plant does not take care of the pelts and they were starting to rot by the time we got them home... so ... first batch I tried, ruined.... hoping this batch will be better. (I take notes and photos to share)

I would be VERY interested in the jerky and liver loaf recipe!! I asked the hubby about rabbit liver for supper tonight and he gave me the "you are crazy" look and said NO thank you. I can't tell if he is grossed out or afraid...lol

__________ Tue Dec 13, 2016 10:02 am __________

MaggieJ":14t5s8sh said:
Ferra is right, Tricia . . . You'll do fine! :)

But wishing you good luck anyway :clover: :clover: :clover: and hoping you breeze through it. Since you've done poultry, you should find rabbits easier to butcher, albeit harder emotionally to dispatch.

Thanks Maggie
I am a bit worried about the emotionally part, but really it is the animal not suffering!! that is the part that gets to me... I know when I hang poultry and quickly behead, there is no suffering.
Not sure what to expect here..... But lucky I have someone who is very interested in teaching!
I didn't have a teacher for my first poultry processing, just watched a lot of U-Tube videos and DID it...

__________ Tue Dec 13, 2016 10:06 am __________

bigfoot_158":14t5s8sh said:
MaggieJ":14t5s8sh said:
Ferra is right, Tricia . . . You'll do fine! :)

But wishing you good luck anyway :clover: :clover: :clover: and hoping you breeze through it. Since you've done poultry, you should find rabbits easier to butcher, albeit harder emotionally to dispatch.


Thats the truth. I have only dispatch three in the last year and ate one. Even thou they taste great, I am still having trouble get past the pet cuteness of these animals. I want to eat them but the botch dispatch has got me worried. I try to justify it with I know a animal dies every time I eat other meat. And it still gets me nowhere fast. :)

Not everyone is cut out to do their own processing.... Maybe you could find someone who would do it for you in exchange for meat and pelts, or use a processing plant?? Don't give up. Raising your own protein in a sane, humane environment is so much better for you than industrial raised animals!! Rabbit being one of the best meats to eat for your health.

__________ Tue Dec 13, 2016 8:24 pm __________

Rabbits are soaking in water.. Just need to rinse and bag
Pelts are cooling outside... Need to wash those very, very well

Apparently, I can emotionally detach just fine.... Hardest part was hitting the rabbits with the stick. My mentor made me a wacking stick. :)
Of the 6 I had to do I did half with assistance at certain points.... I feel very confident I could do it again by myself....

Lunch break over (actually eating my super)
Need to get back to work if I want to be to bed in a decent hour
Sorry, no photos. I was way too involved in "doing" to pull my camera out. <br /><br /> __________ Tue Dec 13, 2016 9:43 pm __________ <br /><br /> All done.... Started at 6pm with 6 rabbits... Done at 9:30...
I still need to clean the garage floor, but can wait till tomorrow.

1/2 hour per rabbit including cleanup sounds like a good first time.

I saved all the liver to make liver and onions for super tomorrow.... Any good recipes?
 
SarniaTricia":1fcydop3 said:
Ferra":1fcydop3 said:
Don't give up. Raising your own protein in a sane, humane environment is so much better for you than industrial raised animals!! Rabbit being one of the best meats to eat for your health.

Well when you put it that way maybe I should dispatch this extra buck I got to regain my extra cage for breeding doe to put in.
 
I find that a bit of garlic salt and fried in a bit of butter is absolutely scrumptious! Rabbit liver is even more mild tasting than chicken livers (which I love!!!)
 

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