Skinning Question

[TF3]

I did it! I did all 30 of my grow outs.
I did the first batch at about the 10 week mark/ 5 lbs., and once I got the hang of it, it went smoothly.

The next bunch I did, the weather was colder but not freezing and warm sun, and the kits were closer to 12 weeks, but a little smaller.
This time I had bucks and does divided.

I had a much harder time with the bucks... I started with them, so there was getting back in the hang of it, but there were 10 and every one of them gave me trouble with skinning.
It was harder to do than I recalled from the first batch.
And every one had the dang tail slide off the tailbone on me, leaving me to cut the tailbone and finagle the rectum etc.
Was it just bad luck? did two more weeks of maturity make them harder to do? Was it boy bits causing the issue?
'Cause when I got to the does they all worked out great and tailbones were fine and skinned easily.

 

[Zass]

Yep, bucks are thicker skinned than does, and they don't peel quite as easily.
The older they are, the more pronounced the difference tends to be.

 

[TF3]

Thank you! My husband thought I was dreaming it LOL
BUt there was a definite difference!

 

[imajpm]

Lol I was demonstrating rabbit processing to a friend on her 1 1/2 year old buck. Needless to say, it did not go smoothly :lol:

 

[GBov]

I can tell without looking if its a doe or buck just from how they skin out.

Did a 4 year old buck once and I wasnt sure if I would manage, it was soooooo hard to do!

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Bucks are always harder to do, especially past 8wks. I find the rectum/tail will come out easily if you do it this way:
1: skin the rabbit, trimming the fur just below the tailbone, leaving the tail intact, then cut through the tailbone at the base using a pair of shears (make sure you don't cut thru the rectum) leaving it still attached.
2: turn around, open the abdomen, grasp the bladder and cut it off as high as possible
3: slide your shears under the pubic bone and cut thru it, then "crack" the pelvis by grasping both hips and bending away from yourself.
4: hang by one leg, grasp the tail and pull to one side and cut thru the connective tissue on that side, repeat on the other side.
5: hang by both feet, grasp tail and pull forward gently, trim any connective tissue holding the rectum to the backbone, pulling gently downward as you to so.

It should come loose in a single piece that you can then allow to dangle below while you remove the rest of the intestines, etc.

Hope that helps!

 

[TF3]

Awesome!! Thanks!