Where to butcher/process?

[Wyldrose]

I don't have any ready to dispatch yet just want to get things figured out first.
My backyard has no privacy at all, neigbors behind and beside can look into my yard. So I was thinking of doing it in my rabbit shed. I have a 12'x8' shed that will be transformed into rabbit land, hoping to get 20-30 holes and hope to set up a table infront of the window, which would work great for cutting up etc. I could even install my meat grinder out there. Now I would feel odd dispatching rabbits in front of other rabbits. Will they know and be stressed? Should I cover the cages with tarps? Or just hope my neigbors are not bunny huggers(lol). There are a lot of young kids in this area, so I would like to not process animals in view of them. My kids can learn about it, but I am sure some of their more sensitive friends would have problems seeing a bunny become meat. My kids have learned early on that we eat animals and even some of our animals eat animals. It seems like some of he neigbors kids think chicken comes fully cooked!

 

[cathyd]

Hmmm, perhaps just get two sections of privacy fence and put up beside your bunny shed to shield what you are doing. You could even use the fence to hang them on tho skin/ect. I myself would not kill them in front of the other rabbits.

 

[Fire-Man]

I could even install my meat grinder out there. !

Are you planning to grind meat for yourself in the rabbit shed? I have a very clean rabbitry as far as smell etc, but I sure would not want to grind meat for me to eat in the rabbitry. I Dress the rabbits in the yard with running water, then they go into a cooler and I take them to my kitchen to do a good cleaning--then they are cut up or ground there. I do not have any neighbors that I can see, but if I did I would just Do my Thing and let them do theirs. If I did not want them to watch me---I would fix up a spot with running water to take care of the rabbits. I would not dress/slaughter a rabbit in front of the other rabbits(might not matter, but I would not do it).

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I slaughter mine away from the others also. At the moment, the Jersey Woolys can see it at a distance of about 25 feet, but they know that we only eat those "other" rabbits anyway. Still, they will shortly be moving from that location so wont see it anymore.

I also would suggest making a separate area. No matter how clean your barn is, there are bound to be more flies inside of it than out. Also, no matter how careful you are, there is bound to be the occasional spatter of blood, and I wouldn't want blood in my rabbitry. It might attract ants or possibly opportunistic predators.

 

[Whipple]

We dispatch in front of the others. The rabbits we are not going near fall asleep. I even have a pic of a rabbit napping about ten feet away from a rabbit being gutted.
If you're worried maybe get one of those changing room Japanese panel things. A room divider, u forget what they're called. And put that up around you while you do the deed.<br /><br />__________ Wed Mar 13, 2013 10:30 pm __________<br /><br />Oh and I agree with not preparing food in a bunny barn. Grind inside once meat is cleaned of fur.

 

[Wyldrose]

I didn't even think of the flies and stuff lol! Brain dead today lol!
I have another shed but that is where the lawnmower, and stuff like that lives lol!
I still have to put in the cages and stuff so maybe I'll make a "kill room". I have lots of time still the meat buck I'm supposed to get wont be sexually mature until may.

 

[3mina]

I'm wanting one of those outdoor rooms to keep the prying eyes off my processing area, keep me from getting sunstroke in the summer too

 

[Demamma]

I do my butchering behind a big hedge in the yard. I am on a corner lot on a main street. If someone is walking in the alley they would be able to see me skin and gut but not kill. If I had neighbors move in they could see the whole thing but for now the house is empty. I have my rabbit wringer on a shed next to the hedge so the alley can't see a kill. I make sure not to do my butchering when there is a lot of foot traffic. So far no one knows. I live right by the high school so I try to make sure school is not just getting out. Would hate for some high schoolers try to rescue my food. After I skin and gut I rinse with a house then finish in the kitchen.

 

[Miss M]

At my uncle's, we killed and skinned in front of the other rabbits, who thankfully seemed to be completely clueless. It felt weird, and it would have been nice not to do it there, but it was the best place in the yard to do it (most shielded).

Now the rabbits can't see where we process, even though it's right next to the rabbitry. Here, we don't have to worry about neighbors or HOAs, so we just go about our business in our back yard. We still take them inside for gutting and cleaning, though.

 

[skysthelimit]

If I didnt have to kill and clean outside, I probably would be more inclined to eat the meat. Neighbors can see directly into my front and back yards, the back yard faces out into the street. In the summer the flies are awful, I would not take a cup of water outside much less eat anything I had to process out there.

 

[carebear]

We are planning to do the deed in the garage. Going to cover the entire area with plastic drop cloths. The neighbors on the one side are old school and won't care, but the apartment complex behind us poses a problem. We are pushing the envelope animal wise, and I would hate for the city to come out and inspect us because someone complained.

 

[GBov]

I kill and clean in the kitchen Air Conditioned, no flies (well, mostly) and no mosquitoes (again, mostly :roll: ) and the sink is right there all clean and ready.

Works a treat!

With my dispatcher set up on the table I set my cage of friers on the floor, kill and hang one over the back of a chair and kill another one. Then I sort those two out and kill two more and so on until I am done.

Then have a cuppa tea and a liver fry up to get my strength back.

So far I have only once had to wipe up any blood on the floor and, as its tiled, it wasn't any big problem to get it clean again.

My first quail however made the kitchen look like a crime scene with blood all up the wall :shock:

 

[Wyldrose]

I like the kitchen idea!! Kick the kids outside and get it all done. We own our place here. I plan to atleast get some privacy trees up in the back part atleast. Both neigbors are very nice but I dont now what they will think of us eating our pets lol!

 

[mwtrees]

I would not process in the rabbit barn. Not that it would upset the rabbits because it doesn't. but. because it is not sanitary. There WILL be fur floating around and there will be dust and such.
Normally here in a processing day there are a lot of rabbits in carriers right next to the dispatch table. I have had loose rabbits ON the table while dispatching one..and I've seen those rabbits go and lick up residue off the table. No, it does not bother them.

 

[Tegan]

I have a spot in the basement I do it. I drape an old sheet and put a boot mat down to catch any blood spatter...worse case the cement is easy to clean up.

 

[bowbuild]

I butcher in front of the other rabbits they could care less....I am not much concerned about what they see. When does eat kits or stomp on them as a way of life I seriously doubt they could give a darn about others. Ever watch watership down??

Bowbuild

 

[carebear]

This thread is reminding me of the fact that they are animals, and we as humans tend to give them human emotions.

 

[3mina]

This thread is reminding me of the fact that they are animals, and we as humans tend to give them human emotions.

That we do

 

[GBov]

I butcher in front of the other rabbits they could care less....I am not much concerned about what they see. When does eat kits or stomp on them as a way of life I seriously doubt they could give a darn about others. Ever watch watership down??
Bowbuild

Its a MUCH better read!

My herd gets a bit jumpy if I kill rabbits in the yard. I use to but its just much nicer inside for butchering.

I cull older rabbits outside with a .22 though so it might be the crack of the gun that makes them jumpy.

They calm down quick so it doesnt worry me.

 

[Zab]

Nevermind.. not in the mood to start a heated doiscussion.