Today was the day I was dreading, my first dispatch and processing day. I've been building up my Silver Fox breeding stock quickly, have three beautiful does coming in via transport on the 17th (and all being bred for me) from a couple of rabbitries and needed cage space. Of my original three mixed rabbits I purchased to learn from, I slated two to be processed for today....the broken Rex mix buck and the Charlie I post about a couple of months ago. (I opted not to breed her, didn't feel putting that strain on her system was ethical.)
I dispatched Charlie first using the hopper popper method. She wasn't used to be handled so it was a bit of a struggle getting her positioned quickly but the dispatch was clean and quick. I struggled a bit with the processing since it was all new for me but used Teal Stone's butchering video for guidance and overall, went pretty well. Then was Buckie...I really grew to care for Buckie, after settling in with me, he became such a sweetheart, playful and wanting pets and to be loved on. I had upgraded his living conditions significantly and spoiled him and maybe I'm humanizing it but I do believe he appreciated it all and was happy. My feelings for him coupled with knowing it was harder to do a cervical dislocation on an older buck had me ask my better half last minute to do the dispatch. He kindly did and I did all the rest of the processing from there. His hide was definitely more difficult to separate compared to Charlie's.
Overall, I'm mostly proud that I followed through and did what was required (except the last minute bail out on Buckie's dispatch), learned some methods that worked well for me (along with what didn't), things I will implement to make it physically easier next time and I did each rabbit in 30 minutes which I don't think was too bad for my first time.
I now understand even more how important it is to handle the babies every day to get them accustomed to being handled, that was a real struggle with these two and I want to reduce that struggle for both the rabbits and myself moving forward.
I wish I could say I was happy right now, unfortunately I'm melancholy at best. It is hitting me harder than I'd like. But I'm not turning back, I have 9 littles to processes in August and with my last mixed doe bred yesterday and three incoming bred SF does, October will be busy as well so I need to toughen up and just continue to remind myself that my rabbits are well cared for, loved and have the most humane dispatch I can provide...far better than the factory produced/raised/dispatched chicken that I just pulled out of my oven.
I thank everyone here for all of the continued guidance, support, and education you give...it is appreciated more than you know.
I dispatched Charlie first using the hopper popper method. She wasn't used to be handled so it was a bit of a struggle getting her positioned quickly but the dispatch was clean and quick. I struggled a bit with the processing since it was all new for me but used Teal Stone's butchering video for guidance and overall, went pretty well. Then was Buckie...I really grew to care for Buckie, after settling in with me, he became such a sweetheart, playful and wanting pets and to be loved on. I had upgraded his living conditions significantly and spoiled him and maybe I'm humanizing it but I do believe he appreciated it all and was happy. My feelings for him coupled with knowing it was harder to do a cervical dislocation on an older buck had me ask my better half last minute to do the dispatch. He kindly did and I did all the rest of the processing from there. His hide was definitely more difficult to separate compared to Charlie's.
Overall, I'm mostly proud that I followed through and did what was required (except the last minute bail out on Buckie's dispatch), learned some methods that worked well for me (along with what didn't), things I will implement to make it physically easier next time and I did each rabbit in 30 minutes which I don't think was too bad for my first time.
I now understand even more how important it is to handle the babies every day to get them accustomed to being handled, that was a real struggle with these two and I want to reduce that struggle for both the rabbits and myself moving forward.
I wish I could say I was happy right now, unfortunately I'm melancholy at best. It is hitting me harder than I'd like. But I'm not turning back, I have 9 littles to processes in August and with my last mixed doe bred yesterday and three incoming bred SF does, October will be busy as well so I need to toughen up and just continue to remind myself that my rabbits are well cared for, loved and have the most humane dispatch I can provide...far better than the factory produced/raised/dispatched chicken that I just pulled out of my oven.
I thank everyone here for all of the continued guidance, support, and education you give...it is appreciated more than you know.
. I may have one more litter from that doe as I bred her on Saturday so we'll see if she took. If she didn't, I'll also process her next month but obviously, if she did, then that'll be her last litter before being 100% Silver Fox...
