Need advice on dispatching

[Willow Blue]

Haven't done it yet but the time is swiftly approaching. Weve decided to order this: Bunny Rancher Ballista Bolt Gun
Can someone give me any tips on using it effectivly? What kinds of things could go wrong and how to be prepared for them?
We just had a bad dispatch with a chicken and it shook our confidence knowing rabbits are next. I wanted something easier than neck breaking. My first meat rabbits aren't ready just yet but I have a doe I need to cull asap.

 

[BuffBrahmaBantam]

I know what you are going through. Hang in there and have comfort that your animals had a great life up until the last instant. You will get better and don’t give up! What you are doing is far better than what happens to animals in the industrial agricultural system.

We are new to rabbit butchering as well and found the broomstick method worked really well. It seems to be instantaneous death as far as we could tell, with no struggling at all. We plan to keep using this method. We are trying to save and be frugal so we did not want to spend on tools we did not already have. We’ve processed 1 adult buck, 1 adult doe, and 5 kits so far. We will be processing 9 kits within the next 2 weeks.

We get setup ahead of time with a blunt heavy stick on hand in case the broomstick is not instant. We always get excessively prepared before killing an animal and in the case of rabbits, we practice with old blankets to refine our technique. We also had sharp knives right there so that as soon as the neck is broken, we bleed right onto the grass or snow and then my husband proceeds with processing in the garage (in summer, no flies, and in winter, it is heated).

I hope this helps. With 2 people especially, the broomstick method is really easy. It is easy for 1 person if you have balance but my husband is old and has balance issues so for us it works better with both of us.

I hope it saves you buying the bolt thingamagig. We watched YouTube videos about the bolt method before our first processing and it looks like it is tricky to use and you need to have the right placement on the head or the rabbit will not be rendered unconscious. I’ve heard people say the broomstick method bruises the shoulder meat but it wasn’t anything we noticed. If we we’re selling the meat, it might be different.

My husband uses cervical dislocation on young cockerels and likewise it is instant.

 

[MaggieJ]

Broomsticking is a reliable method, but as BuffBrahmaBantam noted above, you need good balance to do it effectively. I found that our best method was to dispatch them using a .22 caliber rifle. You only need a "short." Place the muzzle close to the back of the neck, just below the skull. There is a small hollow spot there -- you can likely feel it on your own neck. There will be some reflex kicking, which is a bit alarming the first time you see it, but it really is evidence of a clean kill.

Dispatching any livestock is nerve-wracking at first, but as you gain confidence it will get easier. BBB gave you good advice about having a back-up method, You won't likely need it, but it's good insurance that the rabbit will not suffer for more than seconds in the event it does not die instantly. I kept a claw hammer handy, but I can't recall ever needing to use it.

 

[tambayo]

Although i have something like that bolt gun i never used it on animals (bunny or other), i find it to heavy to be precise with. My preference also is a broomstick. Same system would be a hook attached to a wall that you can place the bunny's neck in. Like this one for instance : The Original Hopper Popper - Dispatch, Harvest, Butcher a Meat Rabbit That would solve the balance problem with the broomstick method.
For assurance, if you can touch the bunny's eyeball without blinking response or other reflex reaction they are dead or so deeply unconsious that they won't feel anything anymore. And yes i check them everytime for my own peace of mind even with the consistent nonresponse i get.