# Just a vent of sorts.



## ~Wind~ (Sep 13, 2011)

I just want to start out by saying, I really dont enjoy killing things, I feel bad that some animals have such short lives and then its ended. That being said I know that the purpose of some of my animals is to grow up healthy and provide good food for me and my loved ones. My animals are treated very well and have great happy lives even if they are so short. I normally just put my big girl pants on and do the deed and try not to think about how cute said animal was as a baby or how friendly and trusting they are now. 

My problem is that I am really having a hard time with the thought of processing one of my litters of rabbits. 

I made the mistake of photographing their growth from birth and became attached to them. They are so loving and tame and get so excited to get pet and loved on. I would love to keep them all but I really have no room to add 9 buns to my breeding program. So as of right now they are in a chicken tractor eating grass and loving life, not knowing that their days are numbered and it makes me sad. I thought about trying to set them into pet homes, but they really are too big to be an everyday pet, they would need huge cages and lots of room to run and people around here just arent into that. And the ones that are go for the tiny cute breeds. So I know what will need to be done, and I will suck it up and do it, but for the first time I think I might cry a little.

Anyone else ever get like this?


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## brentr (Sep 13, 2011)

I didn't get quite as attached to mine, but I certainly felt somber picking them up to carry to "the shed" on harvest day.  I think for me it was being that close to the harvesting - right in my hands.  I grew up on a farm where we butchered beef, a couple pigs, and chickens and turkeys every year, but never felt the way I felt when I harvested my first litters.

I commend  you for your healthy respect for life and consideration of all God's creatures.


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## doubled (Sep 13, 2011)

brentr said:
			
		

> I didn't get quite as attached to mine, but I certainly felt somber picking them up to carry to "the shed" on harvest day.  I think for me it was being that close to the harvesting - right in my hands.  I grew up on a farm where we butchered beef, a couple pigs, and chickens and turkeys every year, but never felt the way I felt when I harvested my first litters.
> 
> I commend  you for your healthy respect for life and consideration of all God's creatures.


Genesis 1:30
King James Version (KJV)


 30And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.


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## oneacrefarm (Sep 13, 2011)

~Wind~ said:
			
		

> I just want to start out by saying, I really dont enjoy killing things, I feel bad that some animals have such short lives and then its ended. That being said I know that the purpose of some of my animals is to grow up healthy and provide good food for me and my loved ones. My animals are treated very well and have great happy lives even if they are so short. I normally just put my big girl pants on and do the deed and try not to think about how cute said animal was as a baby or how friendly and trusting they are now.
> 
> My problem is that I am really having a hard time with the thought of processing one of my litters of rabbits.
> 
> ...


Oh yes, I feel sad when we butcher, but I know that we have treated them well, loved and cared for them and will dispatch them without pain and that helps. Also, I take a moment to thank the rabbit for its life, for providing food for my family and to thank God for providing the rabbit before we dispatch. It seems to help....

Shannon


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## ~Wind~ (Sep 13, 2011)

Growing up I never would have guessed that I would ever be in the place where I would be regularly taking the life of an animal. I was a crazy animal loving girl who wanted to be a vegitarian and save all the animals of the world from the dinner tabble. I have come along way from that I guess... At least by growing my own meat I know that the animals will have quality life and a humane end. They will be used well and appreciated for what they are giving. I am always sad on kill day, but never have I been so upset over the end of a litter. 

Thanks for the kind words, its so nice to be able to tell people who wont think I'm just being sappy.

I actually just processed 5 rabbits today and although I was sorry for what was to be done, I was mostly at peace with it, then I was supposed to keep going and start on the Baby Buns litter and just couldnt at the time. I'm hoping to try again on the weekend after I have had time to settle with the idea and spoil them rotten until then. I just wish I was not the only one that would do the deed here. Everyone loves to eat but hates the process.


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Sep 13, 2011)

In my house I am the one that guides them into the world and out of it.  The deaths are never easy but I always know that I have done my best to make each process as smooth as possible.


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## Ms. Research (Sep 14, 2011)

SuburbanFarmChic said:
			
		

> In my house I am the one that guides them into the world and out of it.  The deaths are never easy but I always know that I have done my best to make each process as smooth as possible.


X2.   The best way to be.


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## jodief100 (Sep 14, 2011)

They day I don't feel just a little bit sad when we process animals or sell one for meat is the day I need to quit farming.  If you don't feel something, you don't care about them.  If you don't care about them, how can you care for them?  

I remind myself that had happy, albiet short lives.  Much better than any animal in the grocery store ever had.  

Had I not bred them and raised them for food, they never would have had a life at all.


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 14, 2011)

Wind, are you anywhere near MD?  I'm in need of a doe.


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## ~Wind~ (Sep 14, 2011)

I am in Ontario Canada, not sure where MD is.

I will have to get me a map lol

* After look at a map, nope not near MD, but if you wanna come for a drive I will give you some does lol


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## motoclown (Sep 14, 2011)

I feel sad about killing bunnies that I don't even have yet. They are sooooo cute.

The ole man keeps saying they are greasy he tried it once as a child but
I think it's because he is not into raising/killing rabbits.
We'll see.


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## Dirk Chesterfield (Sep 15, 2011)

It's never easy to harvest an animal that was in your care from the day it's momma was bred.  I am always careful to make it's end quick and clean.  Ever thankful to the Creator and the individual animal for sustaining my life.  

Even this grey old man has shed tears for still born babies and unintended favorites during dispatch.  I wouldn't have it any other way.


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## Striker (Sep 15, 2011)

I am a 31 year old big and strong male. I just moved to a small town in the middle of no place. That alone was hard to adjust to. We had 19 baby chickens and some died but two I put in the freezer. We now have 12. I had no idea what I was doing and I said out loud at least 4 times that I was going to hang and slice necks of 2 out of the three that I thought where males. Turns out they where just the oldest laying hens with tall combs . Learned to look for spurs after I found eggs. To be honest that was harder then anything to do in the first place. Then my first rabbit had baby's in her. We just had a litter of 8 3 days ago and found out too late that mom was not taking care of them while we thought they where just tucked away in the nesting box. This farm stuff is hard. Your not alone. I have to just do it when it needs done. I dont think it will ever be easy.


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## ~Wind~ (Sep 15, 2011)

I am very happy to hear I am not the only one struggling with this. Makes me feel 100 times better. Thanks everyone!!

I think my dad is going to come out to visit and help dispatch this litter with me. So I will have some help to make things a little easier.


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## hoodat (Sep 20, 2011)

Killing an animal should never be easy. If it doesn't bother you a  bit you are too hard hearted. That being said, it is the price we pay for eating meat. Take comfort in knowing that you are giving them a more peaceful death than any animal that is butchered in a processing plant. Of course, take the time to learn how to do it quickly and as painlessly as possible. Probably best for a beginner is a pellet gun. Beginners tend to flinch when bopping one and don't always get clean kills with one stroke.


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## Mea (Sep 20, 2011)

hoodat said:
			
		

> Killing an animal should never be easy. If it doesn't bother you a  bit you are too hard hearted. That being said, it is the price we pay for eating meat. Take comfort in knowing that you are giving them a more peaceful death than any animal that is butchered in a processing plant. Of course, take the time to learn how to do it quickly and as painlessly as possible. .


X2


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## Striker (Sep 20, 2011)

hoodat said:
			
		

> Killing an animal should never be easy. If it doesn't bother you a  bit you are too hard hearted. That being said, it is the price we pay for eating meat. Take comfort in knowing that you are giving them a more peaceful death than any animal that is butchered in a processing plant. Of course, take the time to learn how to do it quickly and as painlessly as possible. Probably best for a beginner is a pellet gun. Beginners tend to flinch when bopping one and don't always get clean kills with one stroke.


Thats what I used on my first and only rabbit so far.  Seemed nice and fast. Laid rabbit in grass put steel wire drawer over it. I dont think it seen or felt anything. Also since then I picked up some pointed "hunting pellets". Should be even better.


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## Okie Amazon (Sep 20, 2011)

motoclown said:
			
		

> The ole man keeps saying they are greasy he tried it once as a child but
> I think it's because he is not into raising/killing rabbits.


Hmmm... No disrespect to your "ole mans'" mother (or whoever did the cooking when he was growing up) but you have to mess up pretty bad to make rabbit greasy!


I always raised chickens and rabbits when I was growing up - my Easter bunnies and chicks became my movie and snow-cone money for the summer. Back then I just sold them to Farmers Coop and was spared having to "do it" myself.  Now, I'm looking at dispatching our first litter of buns. I know it's going to be hard, they are all so sweet and tame, but at least I know they were well-fed, happy and lived happy bunny lives.  If I can make their last minutes non-stressful and as painless as possible, at least I'll know they fared better than any animal you'd find in the local grocery store.   Really interested in that "rabbit wringer" I've seen. Looks *very* quick and easy.


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## Legacy (Sep 20, 2011)

Okie Amazon said:
			
		

> motoclown said:
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I bet he was confusing rabbit with duck. Duck is very greasy.


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## bunnylovincowgirl (Sep 20, 2011)

Legacy said:
			
		

> Okie Amazon said:
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I've never eaten rabbit -- or duck -- but I've heard people say that wild rabbit is greasy/slimy/dark, very unlike the white meat of domestic rabbits.  But I don't know...


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## lastfling (Sep 21, 2011)

I've hunted and eaten a lot of wild rabbits, both cottontail and swamp (bluetail) and have yet to find one I would consider dark, greasy, or slimy.  I would tend to think it's more a result of the cook  and / or preparation than the rabbit.   .


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## Okie Amazon (Sep 21, 2011)

Duck is generally pretty dry AND yet greasy (hard to figure that, but it's true)  - I don't much care for it, myself.  But rabbit, wild or domestic, is YUMMY!  If it gets greasy, it's because of something you poured on it; not much fat to rabbit at all.


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## Beekissed (Sep 21, 2011)

I'm a crusty old woman who has killed many, many poultry and waterfowl, killed my own calf, killed animals that needed put out of misery and have even killed nuisance dogs with quick and matter of fact, let's get this job done because it needs to be done steeliness......

....having said all that, I can honestly tell you that killing my meat rabbits was the hardest thing I've ever killed and I wasn't even attached to them.  There is something about the clean, white softness that is these rabbits, not to mention the stuffed animal, Easter bunny left overs from childhood.....I cried like a baby the first ones I had to butcher and I let my sister do it from there on out.  

I'm a wimpy doodle when it comes to killing tame rabbits...wild ones are easy and from a distance.


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## doubled (Sep 21, 2011)

bunnylovincowgirl said:
			
		

> Legacy said:
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Rabbit is Rabbit, only thing is tame vs. wild has 2 different tastes because of what it eats. Alot of people have had it once or twice cooked wrong and now they always say it's stringy, wild tasteing, greasy.  Most ruin the meat by over cooking it, there is no inter-tissue fat (marbeling) like in beef or pork so it's easy to overcook. A 10-12 week old tame fryer is hard to beat cooked any way you desire.


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