I'm going to start raising rabbits to eat, and I want to know if it is better to conk them on the bottom of their head, or to hang them upside down and slit their throats. I have a friend that does this, but I want to find the easiest way possible, and a quick one too.

-- Jessica (jaywig86@psknet.com), January 31, 2002

Answers

Hang them upside down and swiftly hit the back of their head/neck with an in and downward strike. I feel this is more humane than the throat slit from what I have observed

-- mongkesbrotherogodei (keithmedic@yahoo.com), January 31, 2002.

Jessica, You will get several different ideas on how to butcher rabbits. I will just tell mine. I hate to have a rabbit scream and they will if they are frightened or stressed by being hung upside down and slitting their throats. I know people do this but I can't. So I put the bunnies out on the ground and as they are looking around or eating the grass, I shoot them in the back of the head with a 22 single shot rifle. I used to use 22 shorts which are perfect for the job but now have to use the 22 longs as I can't find the shorts. I then hang them up by their back legs, slit their throats or simply cut off the head and let them bleed out before skinning them. Oh by the way, I love the kidneys, not usually an organ eater but they are great breaded and fried. I still raise a few rabbits for the table, low fat and low cholestrol too. karen

-- Karen Mauk (kansashobbit@yahoo.com), January 31, 2002.

I used to use an axe handle, just wack them in the base of the head while holding onto their hind legs. Last week I tried the .22 caliber- its much more humane on bigger rabbits. A friend prefers the twist the neck method, but Im all for the .22 after trying it. No way is enjoyable, though.

-- Kevin in NC (Vantravlrs@aol.com), January 31, 2002.

I like raising rabbits but I hate killing them. Hitting them on the back of the neck with the edge of my stiff hand breaks their neck and "freezes" them and I then apply the ax as quickly as possible. They often "scream" when I break their neck. Think I will try the 22 procedure referred to above, but be careful.

-- fred (fred@mddc.ocm), February 01, 2002.

I have to go with the back of the head and hatchet. We live in the county, but still can't use firearms at any time. If you are going to butcher, though, you have to accept that some of them are going to scream. We did roosters last weekend, and from the time I pulled them out of the pen to the time we got them on the slab, they were screaching like I was pulling feathers lsowly, one at a time. My neighbors know those sounds, but they also know what we raise everything for

-- Wendy A (phillips-anteswe@pendleton.usmc.mil), February 01, 2002.

We use the 22 method on all our chickens that we butcher, as it seems to be quickest, except we now use an air pellet pistol. Doesn't make as much noise as a 22, and seems to be just as quick and effective. I'm not good at putting things down "by hand", either. My mother once tortured a goose by whacking and whacking it on the neck with a dull axe, and that finished me for just chopping the heads off! I plan to use the pistol on our fryer rabbits when the time comes, too. Jan

-- Jan in CO (Janice12@aol.com), February 01, 2002.

I am reading this page and seeing that people do use different methods. I have been butchering rabbits for 6 years and the reality is that rabbits don't scream when hung upside down if you aren't aggressive and take your time. Knocking them out isn't humane at all though, you have hang them up, and then you have to let the animal calm down and then cut the head off really fast. Even a weak person will only take about 3 seconds to get that head off. Jessica, I can simpithize with the fact that you don't want the rabbits to suffer more than nessesacry, but another important factor is the draining of the blood, if you cut the throat while the animal is still concious, the blood drains so much better. I've found this method the easiest, fastest and most efficient.

-- Taylor (cpkangel16@aol.com), April 29, 2002.