Preferred Meat Rabbit Dispatch Method

[bryan8]

If you use a .22 short to the head and have a log on the other side it is safe. Also you don't eat the head and that's were the bullet went in.

 

[twentynine]

Using 22 cal short to kill an 8 week old fryer is wasteful. On killing day I killed sometimes up to 30 rabbits. Keeping them calm is paramount to having good meat quality with no bruises. The noise of a gunshot would have them bouncing everywhere. Not to mention the neighbors right next door might not much care for the gun fire either. Using one bullet for one rabbit is wastefull. A rabbit can be dispatched without the expenditure of ammunition.

 

[twentynine]

By the way-- we're coonass down here, some of my customers specified that they wanted the head. They would open it up and eat the brains. A little to cultural for me, but some of them Boudreauxs and Thibadeauxs liked'em.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
That's our method exactly. works like a champ

Steve in NC

 

[Buster52]

http://polyfaceapprentice.blogspot.com/2009/01/butchering-rabbits.html

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I appreciate all the help. I just often worry about botching killing. The darn things are so cute, and as with any of my animals, I wish them the best and quickest death possible.

How much force is required to wack them behind the head? Is this something I need to let the hubby handle?

-Kim

 

[twentynine]

Not much force is needed. However, when you swing, don't pull up, short swing, or choke. The key to doing it that way is to make sure the fryer is calm, I have had them role--curl up just as I swung the blow. The results are disturbing to say the least.

 

[TedsFarms]

I just hang the rabbits on the string and washer method similar to poultry live. A minute later, the animal is in the pan. Rabbits are so much easier to butcher ie no plucking.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
That's a hard question that only doing it will show you, not trying to be creepy but if you hit them to hard the eyes come out of the socket. You should probably let Adam do it until you get the hang of it. Like twentynine said a calm rabbit is much much better. Even so sometimes you will get a screamer, it will squeel when you grab the legs. Just something to be prepared for and have a quick blow ready.

Steve

 

[TechEdFireman]

Here is the link for the rabbit wringer it was mentioned earlier.
http://www.therabbitwringer.com/index.html
it seems like it would be quick and painless. It also works with poultry of any kind, not saying I would want to be holding a flapping bird after ripping the head off.