Freezing rabbits/ pigeons for feeding later

[northern star 6]

Hello all,

 

I have always fed fresh meat to ferrets, but i just want to ask your opinions as to feeding rabbits & pigeons that have been frozen then defrosted?

 

Im just thinking if it would do em' any harm as i often get more then i can feed in one go and this would be a handy way of keeping them.

 

Also if it is ok to do so, should i leave the skins on the rabbits (but still gutted) and the feathers on the pigeons??

 

Thanks for your opinion

[Ron Weasley 83]

Not only is it okay, it is the done thing! I'd never be able to keep enough for my gang if I didn't have my chest freezer. Especially during the summer months.

In fact, I won't feed some things until they've been frozen. For example one of my bits of shooting permission has bunnies that are always riddled with fleas, so I freeze them for a week before I let them near my ferrets.

 

Keep the fur and feather on definitely, gives the ferrets much needed fibre in their diets.

 

Just be wary of re-freezing, and make sure that they're fully defrosted before you feed.

 

Cheers

[stubby 175]

I have a small chest freezer in the shed, after a night lamping I'll gut the rabbits over the fields, then once home, normally then chop off feet and head, as that makes them fit in the freezer better, leave the skin on, as they dont stick together as easily when frozen, normally put around 7 rabbits in, then cover with carrier bags, then next layer and so fourth, can fit around 55 rabbits in there this way

I always give 24hrs for them to thaw out, so I also have a small fish tank (empty) and close fitting lid, frozen rabbits are placed inside to thaw out by the next night, keeps the flies off them whilst de frosting

[The one 8,463]

Ive two chest freezers in the garage full of rabbits to keep my lot fed for the summer ,i just gut the rabbits open up the chest and pelvis pop them in a carrier bag and build them into layers i can get 150 and 250 rabbits into the freezers that way and i take them out the night before i need then put them in a plastic box with a tight fitting lid and let them defrost and i can wash out the box if theres any blood in it etc

[lamping rabbit 11]

i all way freeze them before i feed the ferrets them .

[Bobo 135]

Ive two chest freezers in the garage full of rabbits to keep my lot fed for the summer ,i just gut the rabbits open up the chest and pelvis pop them in a carrier bag and build them into layers i can get 150 and 250 rabbits into the freezers that way and i take them out the night before i need then put them in a plastic box with a tight fitting lid and let them defrost and i can wash out the box if theres any blood in it etc

 

Your freezers will be full of all the feral doos we've been giving you,if you've got that many rabbits in your freezer you must've been doing a lot of mileage and picking up roadkill.

[stealthy1 3,964]

Gut mine, head and feet off, then I chop them in half with cleever and put the halves into sandwich bags, that way I can split the rabbit between the other cages If I have to

[The one 8,463]

'Bobo' date='06 July 2010 - 11:18 PM' timestamp='1278454700' post='1622255']

name='The one' date='06 July 2010 - 10:49 AM' timestamp='1278409788' post='1621265']

Ive two chest freezers in the garage full of rabbits to keep my lot fed for the summer ,i just gut the rabbits open up the chest and pelvis pop them in a carrier bag and build them into layers i can get 150 and 250 rabbits into the freezers that way and i take them out the night before i need then put them in a plastic box with a tight fitting lid and let them defrost and i can wash out the box if theres any blood in it etc

 

 

Your freezers will be full of all the feral doos we've been giving you,if you've got that many rabbits in your freezer you must've been doing a lot of mileage and picking up roadkill.

 

four hundred and twenty miles last off days :whistling:Doo's are long gone angling for some chickens now

Edited July 7, 2010 by The one

[northern star 6]

I just want to say a big thanks to all of you who have replied, all your comments have been very useful indeed and are valuable pointers.

 

As mentioned i have only ever fed fresh, but now feeding frozen (defrosted) will make things much easier.

 

Thanks to you all for your commets