ColdBrook
Well-known member
We sent 6 rabbit kits to freezer camp over the last few days from one litter of American Blue Chinchilla cross bunnies. They were 9 weeks old and just over the 5 pound mark. Method of dispatch was a pellet rifle, after which they were hung up by the hind legs for 10 minutes to bleed out. When we processed them, (bringing them in from the bitter cold outside to do the work in the kitchen) 5 of the 6 had ruptured stomachs.
We've never run into this before. Saturday, we butchered a litter of 5 from a different line that were around the same age (NZ cross kits) and none had that problem. I'm bewildered as to why all these kits had blown out stomachs. The rest of the internal organs looked fine. The kits, alive, were beautiful, healthy, active bunnies. - no health issues at all with the litter of 10.
Anyone have any explanation as to why this happened?
We've never run into this before. Saturday, we butchered a litter of 5 from a different line that were around the same age (NZ cross kits) and none had that problem. I'm bewildered as to why all these kits had blown out stomachs. The rest of the internal organs looked fine. The kits, alive, were beautiful, healthy, active bunnies. - no health issues at all with the litter of 10.
Anyone have any explanation as to why this happened?