We are going for it.
After long thought about producing our own meat we've decided to start raising rabbits. Being in the city limits us to an animal that makes little to no noise. Since chickens preach to the choir, often at full volume they are not an option. Also we didn't want any one else to take a hand in our own supply of food.
We've purchased 5 cages and Jacob is designing the rabbit hutch in sketch-up. I'll post pictures as this project unfolds.
My mom told me today that my great grandmother couldn't stomach raising rabbits because when the fur came off they resembled cats too much. I disagree, I had to skin a cat for Anatomy at Vet school. ( that was fun.... <--- insert sarcasm )
I'm with your great grandmother, I'm not sure I coud skin a bunny either. Only because I had pet rabbits growing up. I'm looking forward to reading about your adventure with raising rabbits.
ReplyDeleteThey cry like babies when you go to kill them; my Dad brought live ones home for dinner just once...good luck
ReplyDeleteWow! That's great! I hear it is pretty tasty. Keep us updated.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid I grew up raising and eating rabbit. It does taste very good and is such a lean healthy meat....enjoy.:)
ReplyDeleteAm I crazy or didn't you have chickens at one time? What happened to them?
ReplyDeleteI think the idea of rabbits is great. I'll look forward to reading more. I wouldn't be able to do the killing though....
meemsnyc- I never had pet rabbits so I have no attachment like that, I think if I had pets I'm not sure I could do it.
ReplyDeleteBlue Heron Moon- I know! AHH!!! We plan on using the pellet gun method that way they aren't handled much and thus no screaming.... we'll see.
Mike- Thanks, it should be interesting!
Mr. H- Thanks so much, I haven't found many people who've actually eaten rabbit. This should be a fun adventure (at least I am hoping so.)
Coneflower- Your not crazy, we still have the chickens. But we only have 4 now, one had to be made into soup. She was dying anyway.... :o)
We have a buck and a doe and are just waiting for him to mature so that we can start breeding. If it works out (and I can slaughter the bunnies) we will probably add another doe in the spring. I have pics and a cutting guide (template)of our hutch on my site. We get rabbit from a farmer at the market frequently but it's quite pricey since it's considered "gourmet". We love it.
ReplyDeleteAnd as for the cats; I didn't take physiology in H.S. because I didn't want to dissect one.
Check out this guy's youtube "blog" he has tons of rabbitry stuff and a wonderful video on the actual butchering. I think how he did the deed is how we will. But that's a long way off at this point because we don't have the rabbits yet. We are hoping to get them by January.
ReplyDeleterabbit guy: http://www.youtube.com/user/KainanRa