# Butchered my first NZ's today, not so good experience



## daniel-delarosa (Oct 28, 2011)

They were a little older than normal since they were thought to be does for the longest time. They dressed out at 2.5 pounds a piece.  I did the broom stick across the neck on the ground dispatch method.  I wont do that again! Got down to the last one and he started freaking out, Im guessing from all the blood from the others.   Anyways, he was thrashing, I was affraid, and he ended up breaking his legs in my hand and started screaming! I quickly grabbed him by the neck and snapped it chicken style.  I felt horrible! Definitely gonna get a pellet gun for the next go around!


----------



## carolinagirl (Oct 28, 2011)

shooting a rabbit can be pretty dangerous.  I think I'd use the neck board method.  It's pretty fool-proof.  It's basically a board with a notch cut in it large enough to slide the rabbit's neck in.  Fix the board to the top of a fence post so the board is horizontal.  Then just slip the rabbit's neck into the board and sharply pull down on his body, which dislocates his neck instantly.  It's very humane and really easy.


----------



## Snowfie (Oct 28, 2011)

I'm so sorry to hear you had such a traumatic experience.  I've heard some good things about the rabbit winger, or the kill board mentioned earlier.  Broom sticking definitely requires more technique.  It is not foolproof.


----------



## DKRabbitry (Oct 29, 2011)

My husband uses the broomstick method.  It works really well for him.  Not me though.  I can not do the hand-on, rely on my strength type ways to kill them.  I use the tried and true .22  
Yes, there are risks to using a firearm, but I am much more comfortable doing it that way and knowing one shot to the head and the rabbit will be dead right then.  I tried the broomstick once, and thankfully had the .22 there as backup.  I didn't pull up with enough force and ended up just crushing the poor rabbit's throat.


----------



## Citylife (Oct 29, 2011)

I use the wringer and it gets the job done just fine.  But, I do have a bad back and once its tired I dont always have enough umpf for the pull......  
so you do learn your limitations with any method.  Dispatching one with a gun can most definately be dangerous.  
I am also, sorry you had to experiance that.  I had one last week break her foot freaking out over the nest box being near her cage.  Had never had
one act like that before.  Freak things can take their toll on us.  
Keep on going .....  your rabbits still have a better life then most of the food animals out there.  

The lady with 2 rescued cockers, a rescued rotty, german shepherd, fostering an american bulldog, 5 city chickens (who hang out with the dogs) 6 meat rabbits, their kits and a snake


----------



## hoodat (Oct 30, 2011)

DKRabbitry said:
			
		

> My husband uses the broomstick method.  It works really well for him.  Not me though.  I can not do the hand-on, rely on my strength type ways to kill them.  I use the tried and true .22
> Yes, there are risks to using a firearm, but I am much more comfortable doing it that way and knowing one shot to the head and the rabbit will be dead right then.  I tried the broomstick once, and thankfully had the .22 there as backup.  I didn't pull up with enough force and ended up just crushing the poor rabbit's throat.


It's a lot safer to use a pellet gun. Seldom, if ever, will a pellet go all the way through. I used to use the CO2 pistol type but they are a PITA. Unless you are killing several rabbits at once you don't use the entire cartridge and they are not supposed to be stored charged. It ruins the seals. CO2 is not cheap either. The only advantage is that you have another shot immediately available if you don't get a clean kill. I use the pump up rifle now. You just have to be careful to place your shot right. Have a bonker like a length of pipe or rebar within reach in case something goes wrong with the shot.


----------



## lexibot (Oct 27, 2012)

Grab them by the back feet and hang them upside-down while supporting their back, when they settle down, I use a 18 in long 1 by 4 piece of wood wack em on the back on the head and when the eyes roll back while the body is "stroking", cut it's head off, then drain the blood. I havent had an issue.


----------



## mama24 (Oct 29, 2012)

I clubbed mine the last time after seeing a YouTube video someone posted. Whack them right behind the ears and they are dead and bleed out through the nose just from the whack.


----------



## WhiteMountainsRanch (Oct 29, 2012)

*I always use a .22... never had an issue. *


----------



## sawfish99 (Oct 31, 2012)

I use a rabbit wringer.  While I have a lot of other options, for me, the value in having a dedicated, ready to use processing area is worth it.  I also bought the hanger for dressing the rabbits.  

I was surprised that they were bigger than normal and dressed at 2.5 lbs.  What do you normally target for a dressed weight?


----------



## oldcluck (Nov 6, 2012)

While I am interested in the rabbit wringer I currently use a 22 caliber BSA pellet rifle. One shot to the back of the head works every time and is a quick way for them to go.


----------



## secuono (Nov 6, 2012)

I take my time when killing rabbits, less mistakes if you just chill out and not rush or worry. I use a 1/2in rebar, set the rabbit on the ground, when it's calm, place the bar on the neck under the ears. Then flip each front foot onto the bar, so the rabbit is holding it. Lastly step on one side and then the other, grab legs and pull. You really don't need much strength to get it done, just conviction to go through with a good yank. 
If they freak out at any point, just hold onto them and let them calm down. I keep a solid grip on their shoulder/back skin until I am ready to pull. 

I also have a hose with me each time, I spray down the area from the last rabbit and I spray the hanging rabbit throughout the whole process. Slight paranoia with wanting it to cool, but also to get blood and hair out of the way. My rabbits don't bleed much and they clot fast. I'm starting to think I need to shave the back of their necks before I kill them. It can take forever to get the hair out of the way enough for the knife to get their heads off, huge pain, even with a nice, sharp knife.


----------



## aggieterpkatie (Nov 6, 2012)

I use a pellet gun. I hated the idea of the broomstick method, because I don't want to "feel" the neck break.  I put each rabbit in a small cage (open top and bottom) on the ground, put some food in front of it, and while they're still I shoot them.  It's so easy and simple, and very safe.  The gun is up against the head, so there's a very slim chance I'd miss.  It's so easy I don't think I"ll every try the wringer or broomstick.


----------



## Hutch (Nov 14, 2012)

Links to a good thread on the subject.

http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=16601&p=1

Watch the videos in this thread.


----------



## Prairiechick (Nov 14, 2012)

WhiteMountainsRanch said:
			
		

> *I always use a .22... never had an issue. *


Same here.  I would be afraid of not killing on the first pull and causing the rabbit pain.  I let them eat a little grass or leaves or whatever for a minute the the .22 from behind right down between the ears and out the mouth.  They are dead instantly and they didn't freak because it was coming.  If you are careful about where you are shooting into the animal, the gun is the quickest, cleanest, most effective way I can do it.

This was my first year with meat rabbits and butchering them.

I was wondering if any of you find that skinning the does is easier than bucks?  I did all the bucks first and then the does and in comparison I find the skin comes off the girls lickity-split, with little effort compared to the bucks.  I also noticed, the girls must consume a lot more water because they ALL had much fuller bladders.


----------



## Prairiechick (Nov 14, 2012)

secuono said:
			
		

> I take my time when killing rabbits, less mistakes if you just chill out and not rush or worry. I use a 1/2in rebar, set the rabbit on the ground, when it's calm, place the bar on the neck under the ears. Then flip each front foot onto the bar, so the rabbit is holding it. Lastly step on one side and then the other, grab legs and pull. You really don't need much strength to get it done, just conviction to go through with a good yank.
> If they freak out at any point, just hold onto them and let them calm down. I keep a solid grip on their shoulder/back skin until I am ready to pull.
> 
> I also have a hose with me each time, I spray down the area from the last rabbit and I spray the hanging rabbit throughout the whole process. Slight paranoia with wanting it to cool, but also to get blood and hair out of the way. My rabbits don't bleed much and they clot fast. I'm starting to think I need to shave the back of their necks before I kill them. It can take forever to get the hair out of the way enough for the knife to get their heads off, huge pain, even with a nice, sharp knife.


I found that pulling the skin up away from the back of the neck and making a small slit in the skin, then taking the point of the knife and enlarging it, then cutting the neck out of the shoulders as deep as possible works better than thinking I can saw through the whole thing works best for me.  Once the skin and fur are out of the way, I can wrap my fingers around the neck inside and bend it to get the best cut on both sides at the base, then come down with the blade from the top of the neck to finish severing it.  Then I cut the remaining skin around and it all comes out pretty clean.  I still end up with more of the neck sticking up than I want, but it isn't a big deal as long as nothing sharp is poking out to cut the shrink wrap bags I freeze them in.


I have to laugh as I am bagging them, their little butts look so funny to me   I never thought of a rabbit with a "butt".


----------



## lexibot (Nov 19, 2012)

sawfish99 said:
			
		

> I use a rabbit wringer.  While I have a lot of other options, for me, the value in having a dedicated, ready to use processing area is worth it.  I also bought the hanger for dressing the rabbits.
> 
> I was surprised that they were bigger than normal and dressed at 2.5 lbs.  What do you normally target for a dressed weight?


Usually you'll want around 5lbs live weight for a fryer. The last time I checked my litter, at 2 months of age I was averaging 5lbs a rabbit, at 3 months though, I only averaged around 6lbs a rabbit, so I decided my target age is around 2 months..

I got some breeding now, so I would like to see if this weight sticks, the last couple of years I have been told I was getting NZW when they were just crosses, now I have pure blooded ones, so I am excited to sink my teeth in a lot of meat .


----------



## sawfish99 (Nov 20, 2012)

I recently butchered a batch that was from a 3/4 Am Chin, 1/4 Flemish doe and NZR mix buck.  At 12 wks, they were 5lbs average live and 2.3-2.7lbs dressed.

The batch of pure Am Chins will be 5lbs at about 14 wks.


----------



## Abbey (Nov 28, 2012)

I too butchered my first rabbit for thanksgiving. My boyfriend did one, I did the other. We tried the bar over the neck method on the first one, it looked quick and simple, but we just crushed the throat as well. Grabbed the rabbit by the back legs and knocked him out on the concrete as soon as we saw it didn't work. I think we should have had the front legs pointing backwards, yes? we had them facing forwards. Ouch. Did the second one on the concrete but took two goes of it. I want to use a gun next time. The breeder suggested slitting their throat, is this as easy as it sounds? It wasn't so easy to cut their heads off...
  2.5 seems so small. I guess ours were 5-6. I am looking for a mate for my french angora to breed wool and meat rabbits. They don't bulk up fast, so I am glad to hear others eat really small rabbits and I am not crazy. 
  I just kept telling myself to breath and remember that if you cannot make peace with death, be a vegetarian...


----------



## LadyIsabelle2011 (Dec 5, 2012)

Sorry you had to go through that. It would have bugged me a lot too :/ My family has always used a pellet gun. We already hunt and it just seems quicker and less...well, brutal for us. We are hunters, not butchers, at heart I guess.   If we didn't have guns I think we would go with the clubbing over the head method. Quick, uncomplicated. I would leave it to a much stronger person than myself though.


----------

