Butchering Question...go by weight, age or both?

[Joe n TN]

I have a mutt rabbit, seems to be at least half American. She weighs 7-8lbs and I bred her to my Californian male that weighs just under 12lbs. At 5 weeks the bunnies were only 16-17 onces.

Here's my question, do I wait for them to hit 5lbs to butcher? Or do I take them to the other side at 12 weeks regardless of weight?

What do you do? Thoughts? Suggestions?

My other two does are pure bred Cali's so I'm expecting 12 week old kits to weigh 5 lbs, no questions in my "perfect" scenario there. But in real life, what age/weight are your cut offs? Thanks,

Joe

 

[skysthelimit]

What ever you prefer. Rabbit meat is only for dogs here, and a 2lb rabbit is enough for one dog. I basically cull them when I need the space, or as my patience dictates. For me, I would need to grow out a rex to 12-16 weeks to get 5lb live weight. I don't usually have the cage space for that amount of time.

 

[Secuono]

I go by weight only.

 

[akane]

Depends what you are doing with them. Do you want a certain size for you or your other animals (different age rabbit may need cooked differently), do you want to butcher as early as possible to save cage space and feed, or does it not matter how long they sit around being fed...? Also how you are raising them will make a difference in how fast they grow as well as your record keeping. I gave up keeping track of who's kits are who's in the colony so I don't know exactly how old they are. I just butcher whoever looks close to 5lbs.

Mine are dog food but I cut them up so a dog doesn't get a whole rabbit in one meal but in 3 over 3 days then a day of chicken, 2 days of what we call meat balls which are just whatever ground meat we have around or the cheap 5lb rolls of 70% hamburger from the grocery store when they have it plus eggs, coat supplement oil, etc.., our tweak to satin balls if you've ever heard of those, and one day of just large animal bones.

 

[michabo3000]

Since your doe is a smaller rabbit , your not really gonna know how big they are gonna get for sure. at some point , the growth of the rabbit slows . On your californians , that is around three months. The five lb weight thing came about because thats what the comercial processors look for. If you want nice tender rabbits and to maximize you feed to meat ratio from the rabbits, just play it by ear and butcher around three months.

If it was me , i would give them the same time i give my californians and just take what ever size they are at that time.But older is fine,they just become stewing rabbits instead of fryers.

 

[ladysown]

16-17 ounces at 5 weeks? That make them about a pound in weight. That is NOT good.
They should be at five weeks of age close to two pounds...by 10 weeks they should double their five week weights. That's where my harle's are at five weeks...just shy of the 2 lb mark, at 10 weeks I expect them to be 4-4.5 lbs, and 5 lbs by 12-13 weeks.

I'd give them to 3 months if you have the room... but if you're going to dog food them, whatever weight causes you the least amount of work.

 

[Joe n TN]

They're for us to eat so 5lbs was my original thought as a good butcher weight. Thanks for the replies, helped me decide to play it by ear and I am pretty sure 12 weeks will be my cutoff.

The mutt bunnies will be 8 weeks old tomorrow so I'll post their weights then. Thanks,

Joe

 

[Diamond]

Been tossing this debate around in my head. Butchering tomorrow, have 9 buns at 12 weeks, some are a bit over 5 pounds, some a bit under, all from the same doe but I divided them into different cages with multiple buns each, one cage had a bad habit of feed scratching (wasting feed) so they grew slower from dumping so much of their food out. I fixed the feed scratching by modifying the feeders but I do believe there are critical growth phases and the feed scratchers didn't get their full ration during one of those developmental points.

So its, wait for the smaller ones to catch up - or just butcher the whole batch? Or do the larger ones now, and the smaller ones in another week or two?

I am going through $75.00 a month on rabbit feed, at $12.00 a 40-pound bag using about 6 bags in 30 days. So cost is a concern. I have another litter of 9 juvenilles (2 months) and a 3rd litter of kits that will be ready to wean in another 2 weeks. Cages are not yet crowded, until the youngest are ready to wean; that would give me extra time to let the small 12-week-olds ones grow out a bit more....

I'll make up my mind tomorrow. Start with the big ones and see what kind of a mood I am in by the time I finish them.

 

[mountainrabbits]

Been tossing this debate around in my head. Butchering tomorrow, have 9 buns at 12 weeks, some are a bit over 5 pounds, some a bit under, all from the same doe but I divided them into different cages with multiple buns each, one cage had a bad habit of feed scratching (wasting feed) so they grew slower from dumping so much of their food out. I fixed the feed scratching by modifying the feeders but I do believe there are critical growth phases and the feed scratchers didn't get their full ration during one of those developmental points.

So its, wait for the smaller ones to catch up - or just butcher the whole batch? Or do the larger ones now, and the smaller ones in another week or two?

I am going through $75.00 a month on rabbit feed, at $12.00 a 40-pound bag using about 6 bags in 30 days. So cost is a concern. I have another litter of 9 juvenilles (2 months) and a 3rd litter of kits that will be ready to wean in another 2 weeks. Cages are not yet crowded, until the youngest are ready to wean; that would give me extra time to let the small 12-week-olds ones grow out a bit more....

I'll make up my mind tomorrow. Start with the big ones and see what kind of a mood I am in by the time I finish them.

If there isn't a huge difference in weight I would probably butcher the entire litter, unless it's a huge difference I would imagine they will be close to the same butchered and processed out and that will take a few mouths off your feed bill and add a few meals to your freezer

 

[Diamond]

......put 'em all into freezer camp today, except 3 for the BBQ grill tonight. Heaviest dressed weight was 3 pounds, 4 oz. Smallest 2 pounds, 5 oz. 5 rabbits met the 3.0 pound and above mark. Among the smaller ones, 2 pounds 6 oz was the average weight.

Got lots to learn, still. these all came from the same mama. We'll see how the next group measures up at the end of the month.

I also 'practiced' sexing the rabbits - fur on, and then confirmed the true gender once opened up. Got about 75% accuracy, think I am getting better. But I am a little sad, I really liked the little black bunny and would have kept it as a breeder but I thought it was male - turned out to be female - but it was the smallest dressed weight so probably better that I did not make such an emotional decision in the end.

 

[mountainrabbits]

Awww yeah...the small ones are sure cute but if it's for meat the bigger faster growing babies are the ticket it seems.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I really dont go by age. I go by weight. I would weight a few in the litter when i think they are getting close then do the whole litter ...Since i will not be breeding rabbits anymore. I have some that is just shy of 6 pounds. So i am going to do them today. I am not going to wait so long now as i dont have the time to. By the time everyone is weaned and up to 6 pounds i will be doing this for a few months. But each month i do . There will be less work each time.