Winter Processing

[Desert Rose Rabbits]

So, it looks like today is the last 'warm' day of the year. I was planning on processing any of the growouts that were ready today, but not sure if my shoulder is going to be up to it (bad bursititis and it tells me we should be getting a storm in the next day or two). So, I was wondering what you guys would suggest for a winter processing setup.

I don't have a garage, but I do have a shed that I have some dedicated space to the rabbits. I'm thinking a space heater, the ability to open/close the door to the shed, or at least a blanket over the doorway. I won't have as much light in there as outside, but I think it should work. Any other suggestions? Heck, if this wind continues to pick up, I may just process in the shed today. Might be better to do a 'dry run', as it were, while the weather isn't completely against me.

 

[JDWest]

We kill and bleed them outdoors, then skin and gut them on our dining room table. Lol.
I buy plastic table cloths from the dollar store, put my butcher block on top, line a bucket and place it on the floor, put a movie in to watch, and then go at it. Clean up is fast and easy!
We then fill up my giant stock pots full of cold water and a bit of salt, put the carcasses in, and place them in my garage by the doors; where they will stay ice cold but not freeze solid. Replace the water the next morning and leave them their for a day or two longer (depending on the age of tge rabbit at butcher time) before bagging for freezer camp.

 

[akane]

I've done them in the bathtub before but the lack of hanging spots to pull the fur off and keep them up on my level led to a lot of back pain and was much slower. Last winter I used a horse stall with a bucket on bricks to hold it even underneath and tied them to the side of the stall. I did get some blood on the wood part but it wasn't really noticeable. I just quickly shot, head chopped, skinned, and removed intestines. Then I take them inside to finish cleaning out the body cavity and break them down however I wanted. When it got really cold I just left them to grow in to roasters and did them the next month.

 

[JDWest]

We used to use a board with two screws in the board to tie the feet. And attached that to the opposite side of our table with soft grip adjustable clamps. We have a long oak harvest style table so it worked well.
We now split the skin on the center of the back and pull it off (like shirt and pants) so no longer need the board and clamps to tie the legs. We don't keep the hides.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I kill, bleed out, and skin outdoors and then bring the carcass into the house and gut it on a cookie sheet.

 

[Bad Habit]

I am planning on turning my upstairs bathroom into a butcher station. Going to take two pieces of 2x2, some old coffee cans, and some cement, and make uprights, with a piece of 2x2 to nail to go across the top. Garbage bag lined bucket underneath to catch blood/guts, and do it in the bathtub, so any mess is super easy to clean up. The bathtub is an old claw foot style cast iron tub, though, which will make it easier for me to put the uprights outside the tub, and I intend to clamp them to the edge of the tub so they don't go moving around on me. Plus, it is movable, so once spring is here, I can take it outside and do it there, and I can hide it in the closet when there is company coming, or if I wanna bleach the tub and take a bath

 

[Planet Jr]

I have a 12 x 20 building with sheds on both sides. My rabbits and Texas A&M guail are in hanging cages in one of the sheds. In side of the building I have my dispatching station set up. I use a Rabbit Wrangler mounted to a shelf with a large trash can to catch everything. It works great. Out of the sun in the summer and out of the cold in winter. I am in the process of setting up some stacking cages inside to house everything for the winter months. I have some large stall mats from Tractor Supply on the floor and cages ordered from Bass. These animals are additive and a lot of work :shock: but I really enjoy them. I also enjoyed the shredded rabbit barbecue that I had for dinner.

 

[3mina]

I just finished processing a dozen outside this past weekend. Whipple has a shed, I brought over a halogen work light and it kept the shed nice, toasty and bright. The temperature was about 14F outdoors.
I also figured out if I wear nitrile gloves over fingerless gloves my hands stay far warmer.
Whipple and I processed outdoors at -4F, the shed and light is FAR better

 

[akane]

It gets to -30 here so without major heating it's just not possible to butcher for at least one month out of the year. That's when I would just end up with big roasters.

 

[3mina]

These were the litter from mid September, the very latest litters I've had from my outdoor herd, I don't usually have anything to process after the end of October.

 

[grumpy]

With my set-up it's pretty darned easy.
But, I built this 18 years ago with the
intention of always being comfortable it cold weather.
In my younger days, I HATED being inside.
Preferring to be either outside or in my workshop puttering around.

I built furniture and cabinets for years, so I had to have a workshop.
It was easy to switch things around to set-up for the trapping season.
Processing rabbits isn't that far removed from skinning animals taken on the trap line.

I've had days where the temps got down to 15 degrees
below zero Fahrenheit and my shop was warm enough to
work in a short sleeved T-shirt. I'm lucky to have a
good space to process the rabbits. I've got lights,
heat, water, and freezer space in the shop.
Plus, my cellphone.

Even at 16'X36' it still gets a little crowded in there
during certain times of the year. This pic was taken several
years ago during the busy part of trapping season.
grumpy.

 

[LilacGal]

:hijacked:
Grumpy, I didn't know that trapping was still done. Is there still a viable fur industry here in the states? I figure the ARA had driven it out of business. Or mink/fox/rabbit farming had. That is absolutely fascinating, do you do it for fun or for profit?

 

[nvstickbow]

Kitty102, I am about to be in the same spot. I just had a litter of kits and have three more does due in the next couple weeks. I will probably be doing like others on here stated; kill outside and then bring in to finish.

LilacGal, Trapping is still very much alive. There is a very good demand for wild caught fur still, there just isn't the publicity for it and most trappers try to stay under the radar. It is a very useful management tool and well regulated.

 

[grumpy]

:hijacked:
Grumpy, I didn't know that trapping was still done. Is there still a viable fur industry here in the states? I figure the ARA had driven it out of business. Or mink/fox/rabbit farming had. That is absolutely fascinating, do you do it for fun or for profit?

LilacGal,
Here's a thread you may find interesting.
Hope the OP doesn't mind.

another-passion-warning-not-for-the-faint-of-heart-t17780.html

grumpy.

 

[mystang89]

I kill, bleed out, and skin outdoors and then bring the carcass into the house and gut it on a cookie sheet.

:yeahthat: sounds pretty smart.

 

[GBov]

I kill outside - table top dispatcher - and then do all the rest at the kitchen sink.

Running water, air conditioning and out of the bugs.

For skinning I cut round the hind legs - at the hocks - connect those two cuts at the back of the inside legs and then work the skin loose on the back legs. Then just take the back feet in my left hand and the loose skin in my right and PULL! All but very old bucks are stripped of skin nice and quick.

A bucket for the dog bits, a bowl of ice water for the hides, a pan to put the meaty bits in to rest in the fridge (don't like to put meat into water, it leaches flavor out) and hey PRESTO! Job done!

I do have to clean up like a crime scene though, my mum lives with us and killing things upsets her. So no blood left on the counter tops please. :lol:

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I kill, bleed out, and skin outdoors and then bring the carcass into the house and gut it on a cookie sheet.

:yeahthat: sounds pretty smart.

:fainting:

M-mystang?

I-i-is that you?

 

[3mina]

:rotfl:

 

[Zass]

I do everything in my kitchen (neighbors live CLOSE), kill by broomstick, process on the kitchen work table. I don't bleed them while they are still kicking, I just take their heads off when I remove the skin, then gut. The gut bucket and paper towels catch the blood. Seems to me rabbits don't have that much blood anyway.


*shrug*
Works well if you do it fast enough. I did 9 two nights ago.

 

[mystang89]

I kill, bleed out, and skin outdoors and then bring the carcass into the house and gut it on a cookie sheet.

:yeahthat: sounds pretty smart.

:fainting:

M-mystang?

I-i-is that you?

I did have a wonderfully evil comment thought up for you instead of what I posted but its just too earlier in the morning for me to post things like that. My finger barely listens to my brain right now.