Butchering in freezing temps

[Willowynd]

OK...I never did get those meat buns processed and now it is freezing outside. This will be my first time going from live to carcass. I did process one rabbit a year ago that died (was an escapee that got under the house and was dehydrated when I found it- died while I was trying to rehydrate it). It was summer then and I just strung it up to a tree, beheaded (hardly any blood came out), stripped the fur (that was the hard part- did expect it to come off that hard) and removed intestines and chopped off feet, then fed to dogs with the organs. Now, that took me a good 20 mins. Hubby will not let me use his shed for butchering as he is afraid I will get blood on the garden tractor, floor, etc. So only place is outside in the cold and wind. I am not butchering for human consumption- these buns will be dog food as well...do I really need an elaborate set up? Any suggestions for making it go faster?

[RiverPines]

I just kill the rabbits and give them to the dogs whole, hide and all! The most thats ever left behind is some hide.

Even our smallest dog, 12 pounds, rips into a whole bun and eats all 10 pounds of it over several hours! Then she stays full for a few days, like the true predictor she is.

Now our Shepherd, 15 minutes and all is gone!!

Any rabbits I dont feed out right away to the dogs I put in the freezer. With them being whole with hide intact freezer wrap is not needed.

[sandman]

agreed i kill them. then toss whole thing to the dogs. there is nothing left in 10mins and the poo is super easy to clean up after the bunny meal lol.

[Willowynd]

I have 2 reasons for not feeding fur...first, I do not want them to associate the meat with the live animal. I lost an entire backyard rabbitry to a springer spaniel many years ago....not wanting a repeat since my dogs accompany me on chores. Second reason is I don't want rabbit fur all over the kennel or heads left behind that I would have to pick up. Not to mention- I would like to use the furs....wanting to save my furs to tan and make things with them. I don't feed the intestines because I have heard they are too rich for dogs and will cause them to throw up?

[sandman]

there will not be a mess left in your kennel i promise u that. not sure about anyone else but the head is always the first thing eatin here. but then again ive got hoover dogs lol. will eat literally anything.

your choice if u want to keep the hides for makeing stuff i was just sayin that its not necessary if u are going to be feeding them to the dogs. they wont mind either way most likely.

intestines wont hurt them one bit. altho i do kno a few that think its kinda gross cuz your dog is eating poo lol. so they dont feed the intestines.

i use and exsisting 4x4 that holds up a roof for our firewood. screwed a 12in 2x4 across it at a comfortable height for me, like a cross and put 2 nails in the 2x4 about 4 inch from center of the 4x4 one nail on each side of the 4x4 for hanging the bun by the back legs. doesnt look pretty but it gets the job done.

good luck and hope u dont freeze out there. let us know how it goes

[LFRJ]

Originally Posted by Willowynd

OK...I never did get those meat buns processed and now it is freezing outside. Now, that took me a good 20 mins. Hubby will not let me use his shed for butchering as he is afraid I will get blood on the garden tractor, floor, etc. So only place is outside in the cold and wind. I am not butchering for human consumption- these buns will be dog food as well...do I really need an elaborate set up? Any suggestions for making it go faster?

OKAY, so why are we raising meat buns in the first place? I'm not a councilar, but it sounds to me like cold is not your biggest obstacle. I have a corner of the garage set up with hanging frame and cutlery which, from time to time, is sterile... if you know what I mean. It's cold, but comfortable for a while.

If your're only butchering for dogs, a wood stump would do, no doubt. I'd actually opt for the side of a tree. I agree though, I too, would remove the fur and part out the carcass. Organs optional. For pet food, No fancy set up required. Sharp knife. Warm coat IMO.

Shame though. Rabbit's good eating!

[Willowynd]

Originally Posted by LFRJ

OKAY, so why are we raising meat buns in the first place? I'm not a councilar, but it sounds to me like cold is not your biggest obstacle. I have a corner of the garage set up with hanging frame and cutlery which, from time to time, is sterile... if you know what I mean. It's cold, but comfortable for a while.

If your're only butchering for dogs, a wood stump would do, no doubt. I'd actually opt for the side of a tree. I agree though, I too, would remove the fur and part out the carcass. Organs optional. For pet food, No fancy set up required. Sharp knife. Warm coat IMO.

Shame though. Rabbit's good eating!

I am raising meat rabbits for dog food so they can have a wider variety in thier diet (I feed raw). You mean hubby is my biggest obstacle or having a building that I can process in?

[Willowynd]

Thanks Sandman...I will have hubby set me up a hanging station on one of the trees. I'll let you know how it goes.

[ladysown]

you could partion off a part of your garage just for cleaning rabbits. hang shower curtains or the like, make yourself a little area that is totally removable and cleanable. you can put old towels down on the floor to keep it spotless and if you wipe up afterwards ... that keeps it all clean.

As for doing dog food rabbits. Kill the rabbit in such a way that the head stays intact and then just skin them. Take those ears and stick them into a dehydrator for a lovely treat afterwards. leave the feet on and just remove the hind. The dog will indeed take care of the rest. SOME dogs might leave the intestines, but most that I"ve met gobble up the entire thing.

NOW if you have a small dog, different story. Either process them younger or portion them out when they are older. Most of the dogs I sell rabbits to...want no more than a 3 lb rabbit this makes a carcass the dog can clean up in one sitting.

[o&itw]

If hubby won't let you process in the shed......then let him clean the rabbits where he wants them cleaned....seems only fair. I have a piece of 2 x 10 screwed into an old tree out back, with 2 20p finishing nails about 6 inches apart at the top...... no problem to butcher in the cold, but with the wind and sub zero windchills we had yesterday, I don't think I would have wanted to do it. It is a balmy 7F here this morning.

[nzw tom]

one of my rabbit books talks about making a cleaning station. Get a 55 gal plastic barrel. Cut the top off. About 6 inchs from the bottom cut half way through the barrel, then up the sides (the front half cut out). Two wood stripes are attached to the sides and a cross piece. Hooks are attached to the cross piece to hang rabbits.

This might work for you. Hope I explained it good enough.

The book is Storey's guide to raising rabbits. The have it at T.S.C. Might want to take a quick look at the picture, if you get to the store.

Tom

[a7736100]

I've done it in the kitchen sink without a mess but I had help pulling the skin off. I used a small plastic cutting board in the sink to cut the head off after shooting it with an air rifle outside. There's very little blood. Any blood drops on the floor wipes right up if you don't let it dry.

[Gianni]

As a youth my routine was to hit the bun behind the ears at the back of the neck and push the back feet onto a 2x6 with 2 nails sticking out. Drag a garbage can under it, slit and skin then drop waste into the can. Clean, neat and easy.

[Macybaby]

The heads are my dog's favorite part. She gets a few when I butcher and the rest go in the freezer for later treats.

Sometimes I give her a whole rabbit and she'll eat everything but the bulk of the hide off the body. That gets dragged around for a few days until I get sick of looking at it and toss it in the burn barrel.

She had been catching and eating wild rabbits long before I got her so I figured she already knew how tasty they were so giving them to her with hide on wasn't going to matter.

Cathy

[mygoat]

Why not kill and bleed out outside, then bring inside on the kitchen counter to skin and butcher out? Any mess can be easily cleaned up, really - and there is little blood and splatter if you're doing it correctly. I just throw the skin to the side and suspend rabbit above a 5 gallon bucket for de-gutting. And, you can make it pretty sanitary by wiping down with a bleach spray on a counter before and after. It works the best if your counter top isn't porous - ours is... and we don't mind, though I can't really recommend it to others.

[SquashNut]

Originally Posted by mygoat

Why not kill and bleed out outside, then bring inside on the kitchen counter to skin and butcher out? Any mess can be easily cleaned up, really - and there is little blood and splatter if you're doing it correctly. I just throw the skin to the side and suspend rabbit above a 5 gallon bucket for de-gutting. And, you can make it pretty sanitary by wiping down with a bleach spray on a counter before and after. It works the best if your counter top isn't porous - ours is... and we don't mind, though I can't really recommend it to others.

I have one todo today and that is exactly how i am going to do it.
Dh brought home a free rabbit. Breeder said she bites and it's time to cull her. They don't eat their culls. So i get them for free every once in awhile. I've also gotten extra roosters for butcher this way. Some only good for dog food, But thats OK.

[wintrrwolf]

Hmmm had a lab that was a great rabbit hunter till the day he almost died choking on a rabbit carcass. While my mom stood on the porch gagging every time the dog gagged, I had to reach in his mouth and pull the rabbit back out. Stupid dog tried to swallow the rabbit whole. Of course at 12 yrs of age I didn't know that the nails could of ripped open the tissue in his esophagus heh I was just trying to save my dog. He survived but he never touched another rabbit Personally if I was to feed my dogs rabbit I would do in pieces and leave out all the feet, but that is me...also had a neighbor who's German Shepard pup was always fed chicken parts from their butchering's... chicken bone had perforated the tissue next to the anus thru the rectum wall, he didn't come back from the vet, I was 13 at the time. So 30 years later I am still to scared to feed either to my dogs.

[Truckinguy]

I have a removeable piece of 2x4 fastened between the two kitchen cupboards on either side of my sink. I put the rabbit in a large plastic tote in the kitchen while I shoot it with a pellet gun. Then over to the sink, behead, hang it up and bleed out into the sink. I have a five gallon pail at my feet for skin, head, feet and guts. Not really messy at all and I have hot running water right there to clean up with. No matter the weather outside, it's warm (or cool) and dry inside!

[SquashNut]

Originally Posted by Truckinguy

I have a removeable piece of 2x4 fastened between the two kitchen cupboards on either side of my sink. I put the rabbit in a large plastic tote in the kitchen while I shoot it with a pellet gun. Then over to the sink, behead, hang it up and bleed out into the sink. I have a five gallon pail at my feet for skin, head, feet and guts. Not really messy at all and I have hot running water right there to clean up with. No matter the weather outside, it's warm (or cool) and dry inside!

How long do you leave it in the tote? I picture the rabbit swinging around and making a mess if hung to soon.
I like your idea, i have 18 or so fryers and 2-3 cull rabbits i need to cut the feed bill on, but keep putting it off because of the cold.

[LFRJ]

Hey there. Didn't mean to sound snide (may have inadvertantly). I guess my point was that if your raising meat for human consumption (as we do) you really would benefit by having a comfortable set-up area, that can be made clean. Myself, I hate rushing through the process cuz it's cold or I'm squeezing it in to a busy schedule. Mistakes happen. Injuries occur. Harder to keep clean. on and on. I have a corner of the garage that's just set aside for processing. It's functional and private.

If you're processing for dogs, you can probably cut corners. I like the idea of skinning, and bringing the carcass inside for finishing!