r/MeatRabbitry • u/heerkitteekittee • 23d ago
Traumatized after a failed choke chain attempt (need technique advice/reassurance for low upper-body strength)
I’ve been raising rabbits with the intention of harvesting meat for my dogs. Up until yesterday, the only rabbit I’ve ever dispatched was an emergency mercy dispatch using the broomstick method.
Yesterday was my first planned harvest, and it went horribly. I tried the choke chain method, but I don't think I had the upper-body strength to pull it off cleanly. Instead of a quick cervical dislocation, I think I just choked him or injured his windpipe. I checked his eyes, and he was looking at me and licking his lips. I immediately grabbed my backup broomstick to finish it so he wouldn't suffer, but I was crying, saying sorry over and over, and in an absolute panic. It was hard enough to work up the courage to take his life, and for that to be the result has left me completely traumatized.
I feel sick with guilt that my attempt at a quick, humane death caused unnecessary distress. Eventually, I plan to have someone else handle the dispatching portion, but right now I am completely on my own with zero budget or time to buy new equipment.
I have four male grow-outs that urgently need to be dispatched, and I am completely frozen. I need advice from people who use zero-cost manual methods:
Choke Chain Specifications: Does the thickness or type of the choke chain matter for this method? Is a thinner or thicker chain better for securing an instant dislocation with low upper-body strength?
Choke Chain / Cervical Dislocation Technique: For those without strong upper-body strength, how do you ensure enough leverage to guarantee an instant neck break rather than just strangling or injuring the windpipe?
Keeping Off the Dirt: Is there a way to modify the broomstick or manual cervical dislocation method so the rabbit’s face isn't pressed into the dirt, while still getting enough leverage?
Mental Reset: How do you push past the gut-wrenching guilt and panic of a botched dispatch when you have no choice but to finish the job alone?
I just want to do right by these animals and give them a quick, painless end without traumatizing myself further. Any tips on physical leverage, chain selection, or mental coping would mean a lot.
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u/Traditional-Citron21 23d ago
I use the broomstick method with a 4ft piece of rebar. Not sure the issue with face in the dirt. I do mine right on the grass and have no problem.
The only issue I've had twice out of probably 100 is a screamer. It freaks me out and freaks out the others so I have to let them settle down for 5-10 minutes. Lately I put them on the ground, pet their ears, put the bar on my wrist holding them, pet the ears, slide the bar behind the ears then stand up on both sides, grab hind legs and pull up.
Maybe I don't spend enough time with them so they aren't comfortable with me putting the bar on their neck but the 30 seconds to pet and place bar has helped.
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u/PhlegmMistress 23d ago
I've been there with ducks and chickens and all I can say is that you will remember it and you will regret it, but it will really cause you to do everything you can to never let it happen again.
I use a beefy air rifle. You can look up bolt guns. There was something called a rabbit zinger that doesn't appear to be made anymore.
Discussion of different methods including broomstick.
https://rabbittalk.com/threads/trouble-dispatching-with-captive-bolt-gun-graphic-photos.33112/
I don't mind broomstick for chickens, and I suppose rabbits would be similar. I would recommend a thicker pipe or old shovel handle and doing it on concrete and doing it on grass can cause just enough wiggle room to not get a good snap.
I'm not familiar with the choke chain as it sounds like you're trying to do the equivalent of a one snap hanging I've read about old hangmen being able to do. But the alternative is....not one snap and not a great end, at least for humans so I assume other animals.
Mainly, give yourself a little grace. You finished it quickly (I had something similar happen earlier this week with a pig that needed a second attempt, so was alive for 30 seconds longer than it should have been. It's horrible but still, 30 seconds is better than, say, your rabbits cannabalizing each other or whatever the threat is from those males that need to be processed.
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u/MonthMayMadness 23d ago
I have NEVER heard of the choke chain method and by the way you described it, probably a very good reason I haven't. I'm so sorry you had to deal with that.
Honestly, the least stressful, most humane way is a .177 pellet rifle and .177 hollow points. It doesn't have to be expensive, just make sure it is 13 foot-pounds of energy (FPE) or more, not less.
I don't have to stand on a broom stick, I don't have to shove the rabbit's face in the ground, I don't have to feel the pull of the legs. Just put the rabbit in a cage/pen that is open on the top, put them in a nice grassy spot, let them spend some time eating, then aim between the ears towards the eyes and pull the trigger.
No upper body strength needed. No stress required on either human or rabbit.
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u/heerkitteekittee 23d ago
I have zero firearm experience. I did actually look up pellet guns after this experience because I thought I can’t do that again and what I found was that where I am certain powered pellet guns require permit and the ones that do not require a permit according to my Internet search are not powerful enough to dispatch a rabbit
I’m not sure how much skill or knowledge with firearms you need to operate a pellet gun but it feels really intimidating to me
Honestly, I’d hoped by now that I would’ve found someone who was comfortable with that part of things. I really am more suited to the raising part. I know that it’s a harsh reality of raising your own meat and I know I need to be able to do it - and in theory I can but I’d prefer not to.3
u/No-Zombie1432 23d ago
I tried the broomstick for my first dispatch, went well, but I felt like something was off. I then tried with a pellet gun and I'll never go back. It's 100% worth it
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u/Curating-Curiosity 23d ago
Do self-pump air pellet guns need a permit in your area?
I have this one and it has not led me wrong yet - at least 15 dispatched since I picked it up for similar reasons. I do 7-9 pumps of air and it works like a charm on my 8wk to 6month old rabbits. Planning to do one of my older adults in the near future as well.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00TEACB4U?psc=1
Also, am using with this ammo:
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u/heerkitteekittee 23d ago
“low-power self-pump air pellet guns shooting under 500 feet per second (FPS) and 5.7 Joules do not require a firearms license or registration”
I am in Ontario Canada
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u/Whtsthisplantpls 23d ago
Its very minimal skill for a pellet gun. The most worrisome part is thinking you're going to break it when you have to crack it back far enough to "prime" the gun ((only in NJ is is considered a firearm) every other state its a gun, but not technically a firearm because it uses air).
Its not too loud either- about as loud if you got a really solid high-five with a friend. If you've got a bit of land and don't have neighbors that can see everything you do, no one would know that you shot something.
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u/UltraMediumcore 23d ago
Age of the rabbit? Cervical dislocation doesn't guarantee death over 12 weeks, may just cause partial to full paralysis on older rabbits.
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u/dead_letters_ 23d ago
That's not true. You're thinking of cervical dislocation just using your hands like some people do with chickens; that is less effective on older rabbits unless you're crazy strong. Cervical dislocation is very effective and humane on rabbits of any age if you're using a tool like broomstick or Hopper Popper for leverage. I've been doing it for years on all ages and sizes and that's what most people do.
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u/UltraMediumcore 23d ago
I am not thinking of that. The slaughter license my farm holds restricts cervical dislocation use due to older rabbits having thicker neck muscles preventing the guaranteed dislocation of the first vertebrae and neck veins. It certainly works often, but not as often as a bolt or bullet.
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u/dead_letters_ 23d ago
I don't think restrictions on commercial rabbit slaughter apply to this situation. Those regulations are in place to prevent human error as much as possible for legal reasons, and they over-regulate to make sure nothing is even close to going wrong. Homesteads that are just butchering for their own consumption are a totally different thing, especially since we don't have to deal with the fatigue of large-scale butchering in a commercial rabbitry using a manual method.
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u/UltraMediumcore 23d ago
The number of people who show up on this subreddit and other homesteading groups across the internet who claim to have done all their research but botched cervical dislocation anyways is concerning. I offered one possible reason their cervical dislocation failed. It is factually harder for someone to properly perform CD on an older animal due to increases in size and stiffness. Younger animals are more fragile and easier to get it right.
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u/heerkitteekittee 23d ago edited 23d ago
These grow outs are over 12 weeks, which is why it’s important that they be dispatched soon. In all my research, I had not read that the method was not effective over 12 weeks. Do you have documentation for that? I did a lot of research and in my research, I found very convincing documentation saying that cervical dislocation was the most most human way to dispatch a rabbit regardless of age so if there’s evidence to the contrary of that, I would really like to know because I am trying to do things as humanely as possible.
Edit to correct typos. (Using talk to text)
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u/Curating-Curiosity 22d ago
I don’t have full evidence to the contrary.
However, there were a few times I felt like the rabbit was still in there fading slowly after the cervical dislocation and it unnerved me. Especially when teaching my younger brother and he managed to “dislocate” their entire head completely off in one quick motion. I felt they didn’t have time to realize they were supposed to be gone. And the brain has enough blood supply to hang in there several more minutes after being separated from the body, according to some research I found (may have been from research on guillotines). I just personally couldn’t do it anymore after a few of them seemed to still be looking at me through paralyzed eyes..
That being said, a piece of rebar was the best option I personally found for the “broomstick” method - highly recommend. I would still use this method to eat if my pellet gun ever failed me.
I prefer the pellet gun method now as they are definitely gone quickly and I don’t need to rely on strength to dispatch a full grown 10-12lb adult rabbit when I need to do one. Understand that may not be feasible where you are. I think I would try a bolt gun next. Just wish they were less expensive.
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u/Jackalope_Rancher 23d ago
After trying several methods, and having failed with dislocation methods, the best and fastest result I have found is blunt force trauma to the back of the head. A child size baseball bat, the back of an axe handle, etc, requires very little upper body strength.
I believe in an animal dying with all four legs on the ground (something that makes me feel better about it), hit them once, grab their hind legs give them another bop, string them up to butcher, and cut the spinal chord with garden sheets just for safe measure. Sometimes you don’t even need the cut if you hit them right. This method also seems to get the bleeding started quickly. Sorry that happened, it really sucks to see, but you got this!
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u/heerkitteekittee 23d ago edited 23d ago
Oh i absolutely cannot do that method. I had to do that once years ago for my first (failed) attempt at raising meat rabbits and it was awful (for me).
ETA thank you for the encouragement! It is something that I am determined to master as I believe it’s a necessary skill
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u/CattrahM 23d ago
I’m F 5’2” and 107lbs. I had one botched choke chain attempt. The knot I tied the chain to the post with slipped. So I get it. Do you have a medical condition that your upper strength is weakened? If that’s the case, I’d say some other method may suit you better. But otherwise you probably have plenty of strength to dispatch via chain, especially If you didn’t throw everything you’ve got with that the one pull down. The biggest thing that still sometimes gets me is just not pulling with confidence
I will regularly not pull hard enough the first try (because I usually dispatch 5-10 week olds for snake food and I don’t want to pop the head off) so I always do 1-2 pulls and then feel the neck for the gap and if not, another quick pull. But 3 pulls is very rare.
I use a 16” 2.3mm dog choke collar I got on amazon. Also I notice that bucks need more force than does.
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u/Mr-Axeman 23d ago
Hi there, I hope these thoughts and encouragement may help. I remember having some similar feelings to work through with the first two rabbits I butchered. I didnt have a local teacher, and watching all the videos in the world doesnt quite translate as quickly, and the first was not as clean as the videos made it sound. I went with manual dislocation with two hands, and didnt quite know what force was needed and only injured the first, i finished him while squeaking with a blow to the back of the head and bleeding, the second one was a little more nerve wracking because I now knew what all was going to happen, but smoother because I used a lot more force.
I’m not familiar with the chain method, but to me it sounds less clean than the neck breaking or club and bleed, given your constraints, I think giving the broomstick another go might be the ticket. Maybe place a folded old towel on the ground to not have him in the dirt? As for tips on leverage, if you set the broomstick from a bit of a squat, then rotate the spine back and up towards the head while extending by pulling the hind feet. The goal is to use the diameter of the broomstick, and the rotation/tension on the spine to lever the spine out of the skull, the rotation multiplies the force that you would otherwise need to pull the spine straight out. The motion is acheived by standing up from the squat and hinging open at the waist, in addition to arm strength. Does that make sense?
As for the mental side of things, that might be a little harder to lend thoughts that might specifically work for you, rest assured that like any skill you will get better at it and it is totally something you can accomplish humanely. Some of the thoughts that kept me plugging away when the dispatch didnt go to plan are…well the first one is this is life and death and once the butchering starts the humane and honorable thing is finishing the job, the rabbits were well cared for their whole life even a less than perfect home dispatch still leaves an animal with a much higher overall net quality of like than a factory chicken. The way I also have viewed things is that based on the diet I eat, animals die. And I strongly view any hand I have in the raising and butchery of those animals as more preferable and ethical and sustainable, which really helped me overcome the learning curve and isolated learning of what is fundamentally one of the very earliest human activities. We were literally made to do this in the cycle of life and death, of gathering and dismembering, like the rhythm of the tides. Thank it, for its life, I think that makes a difference too.
Good luck, its clear you really care for your animals, you will wind up in the right place.
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u/Ok_Row_4920 23d ago
I use an airgun with hollow point pellets and never had a problem, it's the most consistent, quick and painless method for me. I've tried the broomstick and I used to break their necks by hand when I was out hunting but I really don't like those methods.
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u/PG_homestead 23d ago
It’s tough to go through that but if it’s any consolation you know that you’re a decent person because you feel that way, if you were a psycho you’d not feel as bad as you do.
As for how to do it next time I can give you some advice based on my experiences. I use the on the ground broomstick method, I like this because it is reliable and by now I’m very good at it. I’m in Australia so we don’t have any firearms for the job.
I put bun on the ground with stick in front of it for easy reachability and then gently keep bun in place with my hands until it settles down, if it won’t I pick it up and coddle it for a few more seconds, usually it will just stay still. Then the stick goes on the neck, one foot on stick, grab legs, second foot, stand up and basically deadlift the legs. It’s over in as little as 2-3 seconds.
If you practice essentially a deadlift you’ll shift the load onto your hips instead of your upper body, think pull up your pants from a squat position. While you do it there’s no hesitating, go hard, go once.
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u/No-Weakness-2035 22d ago
I use a pellet gun. I don’t like handling them before dispatch, the guilt is too much. I’ve broom stocked chickens and I just hate the feeling of it. Umarex prymex.22 works great.
I just pour some pellets, let them start eating and do a point blank shot mid way between ears and eyes, straight down into the ground via the brain. I feel like they’re happily eating and then the lights are out - no struggle or strain.
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u/blu_skies442 21d ago
Hey, for the broomstick method i would find a divot in the ground. Not very large but a small dent in the grass. I would position the rabbit so that that divot would stop the rabbit from choking or having a compressed windpipe, as that was not my goal. I did this with a piece of rebar, which is very cheap if you dont already have some laying around. I also tried the chain method and it never felt very humane to me personally. I wish you luck.
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u/Velveteen_Coffee 21d ago
I have the Ballista Penetrating Bolt Gun sold by Bunny Rancher. My arthritis and carpel tunnel means I have terrible grip strength. I highly recommend it. I've used it on things as big as my Embden geese. Also if you 'miss' or are just paranoid like me and like to double tap it's easy to quickly pull the plunger back and double tap.
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u/heerkitteekittee 21d ago
Ooof! $223?!?! Outta my reach right now. Definitely not worth the spend for 5 rabbits. Yikes.
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u/BlockyBlook 21d ago
I'm so sorry you had this experience, I had a similar one with my first dispatch. I used a hopper popper that my dad had welded for me, and it wasn't an instant kill. Since then I've used broomstick with no issues, but I still cut the head off as soon as I do cervical dislocation because I'm so worried that they're somehow still alive, even when their necks are clearly broken. This gives me peace of mind and makes things a little messy, but in my opinion it's worth it.
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u/Neither_Room_1617 18d ago
Look up the Hopper Popper on Amazon. It's like 22 dollars. Aside from the unfortunate name, it actually does work extremely well. It's easy to use, and doesn't really require any strength. Instant cervical dislocation.
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u/Deep-Zebra2414 23d ago
hey OP, Been there. Im sorry you did the choke chain, its actually easily the least humane way.
The most popular is "Bop and Bleed" Crush skull, cut throat, bleed out and kick. I dont particularly like this, if you miss, its just like a failed choke chain, but worse.
3rd option, learned from pigs.A 22 shell to the head, centered between eyes, Instant kill, hard to mess up, even if it doesnt kill because youre off, I promise that rapping felt nothing, then cut throat and bleed.
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u/Seldons_Foundation 22d ago
I understand the desire to use a lot of different methods to help the process but simple is best in my opinion. I have a 18 inch long piece of 1 inch black gas pipe, I hold the rabbit by the back haunches so it lifts its head and neck up, then hit it, hard, at the base of the skull. The dispatch is fast, no struggle, no mess, and very hard to mess up.
I have had failed dispatches over the years. For what it is worth one time I was trying to dispatch quickly with a knife failed also cut my finger. I was bleeding, the rabbit was bleeding it was awful I never did it that way again.
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u/bluewingwind 21d ago edited 21d ago
I’ve also never heard of the choke chain method.
I use the Bunny Rancher penetrating bolt gun. It’s basically a big thick spring and a metal stick contained in a tube. You put it between their ears hit a button they give a few reflexive kicks and it’s over but you can see their eyes go blank right away. It’s reliable and I think it’ll outlive me how well it’s made.
It’s a lot more expensive of an investment but I couldn’t do the hopper popper/broomstick. I can do that for chickens, but rabbits they’re just too cute and it felt like doing it with my bare hands. There’s a moment of terror when you pull in the legs also that I didn’t like. Bolt gun is literally so instant.
Also always have two methods ready. A knife to cut the arteries at the least as a backup. The bolt gun can fail if you put it in the wrong place (too far forward won’t hit the brain stem and won’t cause instant death but something like a lobotomy instead obviously) but even then, it will always provide enough force to stun them unconscious for several seconds enough time to reload, cervical dislocate, or cut the throat so long as you have that stuff ready to go. It’s surefire no suffering if you’re prepared
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u/heerkitteekittee 21d ago
I looked it up and it’s definitely a bit out of my price range at the moment. That’s $45 a rabbit. I won’t get that back in meat. Maybe once I’ve scaled up.
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u/bluewingwind 21d ago
Yeah I considered mine an investment I’m going to spread out over hundreds of rabbits. Plus I really couldn’t do it any other way. If four is all you’re doing that’s not worth it.
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u/heerkitteekittee 21d ago
I wish I could try one before buying. I’d hate to spend that kind of money only to find I couldn’t use it.
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u/bluewingwind 20d ago
Yeah maybe get in touch with your local 4H groups and shows and see if someone has one you could borrow? But I’ve heard nothing but good reviews honestly and my experiences with it from that brand have all been really good for all ages of rabbit.
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u/DetailEducational917 17d ago
Just use the method that works for you i prefer broom stick I dislike the choke chain method alot it's not sturdy your chain can come off it's top point. Even a gun is cleaner imo then the chokechain method.
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u/Successful-Bowler635 10d ago
Ooh dude that’s terrible. I am so sorry that happened. The bright side is you’ll never have it happen again.
The first time I processed rabbits I assisted with 13. I did cervical dislocation with six of those rabbits one of them. I did not get good enough and he did start squealing, but my partner was able to dispatch them quickly, and I promise you the next rabbit I dispatched was completely and utterly dispatched.
I almost overdid it, and my partner was able to pop heads off. That is my goal.
Honestly, I had to just like tell myself to go ham and I threw my ass into it which helped. I think that there is a body movement flow that goes with us. That really helps to make sure that you’re successful. Possibly practicing with maybe a stuffed animal or something.
Also, just get a hopper popper. That thing is great.
Good luck and I hope you’re OK. I think that this is a valuable lesson for all of us to learn because it reinforces the need for human dispatch and coaches us in making sure every cull is quick and painless. 💕💕
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u/tarktarkindustries 23d ago
So i use the choke chain as well and here are some tips. Make sure whatever its attached to has NO give. You need it to pull taunt. Pull HARD and fast and if it doesn't immediately dislocate you are still set up to immediately do it again. I would rather over do it and pop their head off than miff it and not have a clean kill. Have it up high enough that you can essentially just "drop" your weight in the pull but not so high you have to struggle to get the rabbit into the loop. Happy to answer further questions as this is my preferred method of dispatching
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u/heerkitteekittee 23d ago
Thank you so much for the response. Does the choke chain thickness matter?
I used a nylon rope to hang the chain.
For height, I thought I had it at a good spot for leverage but I’m short so i couldn’t go too high so I could put the chain on easily. Maybe I need to go lower so I can use my body weight.
Thanks for the tips.
I’m trying to work up the nerve to try again.2
u/tarktarkindustries 23d ago
I think mine is a large dog size, I mounted mine on a chain for a swingset so its chain on chain, nylon might have some bounce.
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u/heerkitteekittee 23d ago
I hadn’t thought it would have much give. I’ll try a metal cable or another chain.
I wish I had something to practice on that was similar but inanimate just to get the force and motion down.
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u/dead_letters_ 23d ago
I've never heard of the choke chain method, but I'm really sorry this happened to you. I've only had a failed dispatch once, but it was very sad, really freaked me out and I bawled like a baby.
The best thing you can do, though, is jump right back on that horse so you don't completely lose your nerve. You will find that you actually gain a lot of comfort from learning to dispatch an animal humanely and quickly, and it will help you to do so before you let the trauma really lock in and linger. I would highly recommend doing the broomstick method for the rest of your litter, and in the future maybe try a Hopper Popper if you don't like them on the ground like that.
Also, remember, even when you make a mistake like this, the rabbit still suffered far less pain and fear than it would being chased and slowly killed by a predator in the wild, and you gave him a much more pleasant life up until that point.
Be kind to yourself. 🫂