Today my first rabbit that I have raised from a baby went to the freezer. It was not easy, it never should be, but it hit me harder than I though it would. I had help and we tried to use a pellet gun at first because I know others that have used them with success. It did nothing. We ended up using a .22 handgun and it was quick and easy for the rabbit, hard for us. I just could not try the broomstick or wringer method, that just seems so much trauma especially if it wasn't successful, which I was very afraid I didn't have the physical strength to do it well and fast.
I will not use a gun for birds anymore (well, except snow and Canada geese) because I have found it doesn't work well and the easiest for birds and me is a quick slit to the throat. For the rabbits I think it will have to be a .22 or something similar.
I have 3 more rabbits that will be going to the freezer soon and 4 litters in the process of growing. Today I did just this one buck as the first and I think that is enough for this weekend. I honor his life and he will feed me and my family (including Trollie and the cats). I won't post the pics of all of the rabbits that give their life for our sustenance but I will post this buck's pic. is mother was Berkana, my American chinchilla doe that died after he was weaned and his father is Ronan, my Silver Fox buck.
Oh wow, that must have been very tough on you. When I was a child growing up on a farm it was my dads job to cull the chickens, butcher the cows or pigs. My father allowed us kids to have a pet or two out of each different livestock (cow, pig, chickens) and they remained pets throughout their lives.
ReplyDeleteWhen I recently started keeping chickens again I had to ask myself if I was prepared to cull them myself. For me the answer was no. I could take them to a person who does processes poultry but I could not do it myself. So my chickens are pets that give me eggs. So I have to buy my chicken meat from the organic, free-range butcher, haha...silly I know.
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