What age to dispatch?
- Thread starter Spitzfire
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Hello,
I start slaughtering at 12 weeks old. I typically weight them then and if they’re 5lbs or over at that age they are ready. If they grew particularly quickly and are a good size then I might keep them as a breeder. If they aren’t 5lbs, you can keep them around a bit longer, or just slaughter them then, they’ll still make a fine carcass. Once you get much past 12 weeks I think they are no longer considered a fryer.
It really depends on your line of rabbits, what you feed, and your preferences. Above mentioned way to do it is imho quite common I reckon, I do it differently since I feed mostly forage and it takes about 16-20 weeks to get to a decent weight, I also prefer them to be bigger than fryers.
I rather like to have small litters that i feed longer than many growouts to get the same amount of meat. texture, tenderness etc. doesn't matter to me, don't see that much difference anyway.
I rather like to have small litters that i feed longer than many growouts to get the same amount of meat. texture, tenderness etc. doesn't matter to me, don't see that much difference anyway.
Blue bunny barn
Active member
You will not get a concise answer. Just like you won't get a concise answer on how to cook your steak! Different for different use or different person.
With that said, on most meat breeds a fryer (young tender frying meat) 4 to 6 pounds is ideal. The old standard used to be 4 pounds at 8 weeks. Now most people want a little bigger fryer (commercial is 5 to 6.8 pounds).
Age wise - depending on genetics, feed, watering, etc, etc.
For me, 8 to 10 weeks.
With that said, on most meat breeds a fryer (young tender frying meat) 4 to 6 pounds is ideal. The old standard used to be 4 pounds at 8 weeks. Now most people want a little bigger fryer (commercial is 5 to 6.8 pounds).
Age wise - depending on genetics, feed, watering, etc, etc.
For me, 8 to 10 weeks.
Wow! I never even thought to weigh them. Lol. I was aiming for 10-12 weeks. How in the world do you weigh them without them hopping away!?!ROFL
Blue bunny barn
Active member
Sometimes that is a trick! I use a digital scale like found in a deli or sometimes a produce area. A platform to set the rabbit on or bowl/basket to set them in. If you do this type, make sure you zero out the scale with the bowl or basket on it so you get a good weight of just the rabbit.
I use a hanging fish scale, with a basket hung off of it. Got it on Amazon for like $20 I think.
What an awesome idea!
It also depends on how you want to eat them. I like to keep an occasional rabbit to around 6 months so they get heavy and fat and then make breakfast sausage out of them. Of course, an older rabbit also makes great stew.
Do you use a mechanical or a digital scale? There are so many out there it's hard to decide. The prices are all over the place.
We butcher at 10 weeks. In a bind, 11. Since we aren’t sure until the day of which ones we might sell, keep, or slay, we handle all of our babies daily, so by the time it comes to slaughter, they are usually pretty tame. We use a digital scale, which has a zeroing function, and just stick them in a bucket or large bowl. Handling also has the advantage of keeping them calm during the dispatch process.
Bucks about 10-11 weeks if not kept as breeding stock. Does can go a fair bit longer if they can stay with mom, may be for breeding or if i want the fur.
Most are about 1 pound when packed for the freezer (rex dwarf) to 2 pounds for older does.
Freezer is small and if i can fill that with stuff i can't store outside of it, that has priority. My rabbits i can keep in a pen untill i need one for the pot. Has other extra care needs in the form of food and bedding, but i have more room for that then i have for a second or bigger freezer.
So age for dispatch varies pretty widely depending on how much freezerspace i have and how many rabbits are old/big enough and i have penspace for.
Most are about 1 pound when packed for the freezer (rex dwarf) to 2 pounds for older does.
Freezer is small and if i can fill that with stuff i can't store outside of it, that has priority. My rabbits i can keep in a pen untill i need one for the pot. Has other extra care needs in the form of food and bedding, but i have more room for that then i have for a second or bigger freezer.
So age for dispatch varies pretty widely depending on how much freezerspace i have and how many rabbits are old/big enough and i have penspace for.
Rabbit Warren Man
Well-known member
I don’t mind a few small fryers, but I love letting them go to 4-7 months and get a large stew/brazing rabbit. The rabbit meat at this age is fantastic if cooked properly. My carcass weights are 3.5-4.5 pounds.
When I started breeding it used to be said the litter should average out to 4 1/2 to 5 pounds at 8 weeks. And 50% bone to meat ratio. Actually did a bit better than that when I was willing to take the time to debone a rabbit and weigh it out.
In my case it took a while to get to that goal but eventually I was able to breed up in size. A fact of which I am proud. Still fight with the right conforation and fur but that is the American Chinchilla. Perfection if it ever happens lasts 3 days and them it molts and slouches out. LOL
I like to butcher at 8 weeks because there is no silver skin. Which is a covering over the muscles down the back especially. It is a tough membrane. No real big deal when eating as a fryer I just prefer it without. Very tender meat.
But it is just myself and hubby who are eating at home. If I had a family things would be different I think.
Seems like the more popular choice now is for 12 weeks. That age is still called a Fryer. After that is is a Roaster..... at some point it becomes a Stewing rabbit. A processor I sell to wants them at 12 weeks age. Makes sense since they are larger. My kits can be about 7 or 8 pounds at that age.
In my case it took a while to get to that goal but eventually I was able to breed up in size. A fact of which I am proud. Still fight with the right conforation and fur but that is the American Chinchilla. Perfection if it ever happens lasts 3 days and them it molts and slouches out. LOL
I like to butcher at 8 weeks because there is no silver skin. Which is a covering over the muscles down the back especially. It is a tough membrane. No real big deal when eating as a fryer I just prefer it without. Very tender meat.
But it is just myself and hubby who are eating at home. If I had a family things would be different I think.
Seems like the more popular choice now is for 12 weeks. That age is still called a Fryer. After that is is a Roaster..... at some point it becomes a Stewing rabbit. A processor I sell to wants them at 12 weeks age. Makes sense since they are larger. My kits can be about 7 or 8 pounds at that age.
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What type of rabbit breed do you have ? And what do you feed. 7-8# is a large fryer. How long do you keep the kits with the doe ?
I raise American Chinchilla rabbits. I've been at it for 15 years or so. I focused on size for quite a while getting them up there. Still pay close attention to it. This heritage breed's purpose was for meat and fur. While I do show, I put priority on the original purpose.
Compared to a Californian or a New Zealand this breed has less meat to it. But the coat is soooo nice. Roll back fur instead of fly back.
As for feed, I'm using Nutrena's 18%. That may not be a national brand though. It contains yucca schidigera root extract which helps with smell but also absorbtion of feed. I keep kits with mom till 8 weeks
