Rabbit / Wildfowl etc - BARF question

[screamingswifts]

Hi,

I picked up my first batch of wild food last night from a friendly local guy who organizes shoots in my area. I got a box full of frozen rabbits and a load of goose breasts, all in exchange for a bottle of whiskey 

A few questions though - the rabbit has been skinned, gutted and de-headed, but also the feet have been removed leaving sharp pointy ends - would you bash these first before feeding, or take the joint of up at the 'knee' so to speak? I will ask him to leave the feet on next time. I know you can feed the fur as well, but I have a new addition to the house in the form of a rescue greyhound who is still settling down with my cats, so I don't really want to feed her 'fluffy' things at the mo - or is that silly?

In terms of feeding geese he was a bit unsure about giving me the legs/wings as he said these were quite splintery - has anyone any experience of feeding geese? I've asked for some neck next time and will also ask about carcasses.

I'm also hoping to get pigeon/venison/pheasant as the season dictates - does anyone know anything I should be avoiding in terms of 'wild food'? I plan to freeze it all before feeding.

Cheers

Tanya

[Cob-Web]

I skin/gut the rabbits I am given myself and I take the feet off in order to skin them - I have never had a problem with the "pointy bit" at the end of the leg......it is scrunched up by my two with no problems 

Vension is quite rich; so I would introduce it gradually....but like you, I am filling the freezer with as much as I can at the moment and haven't said no to anything I have been (legally) offered.......no geese, though 

[screamingswifts]

Ok that's good to know, Thanks  The geese are legal - I assume he has a licence, this is his livelihood to take people out stalking/shooting/wild fowling and goose season has just started, we have tens of thousands of them up here now - I do feel a bit guilty, as I'm quite an avid wildlife enthusiast, but they are being shot anyway, so it's a good source of free-range meat in my book (which is all I will buy, even for the dogs, so it makes the food bill a bit lighter!)

[LesleyW]

if you have cats, let them have the rabbit feet to play with - guaranteed to bring out the kitten in them 

[Cob-Web]

if you have cats, let them have the rabbit feet to play with - guaranteed to bring out the kitten in them 

No cats of our own - but next door has one......and I'm still chuckling over their reaction to the snake she took indoors over the summer........I might just leave the rabbits paws on the fence next time I'm preparing them 

[Joules]

If the way my lot play with moooses heads is anything to go by. bunnies' feet would sent them delirious   

[happydog]

If the way my lot play with moooses heads is anything to go by. bunnies' feet would sent them delirious   

  Oxfordshire moose Joules?

[Joules]

If the way my lot play with moooses heads is anything to go by. bunnies' feet would sent them delirious   

  Oxfordshire moose Joules?

I mean Mickey mooses!! 

[Nicola]

If you get offered any venison or pheasant whatever you do do NOT feed it to your dog!!

...eat it yourself!! 

[screamingswifts]

I am trying to get my cats over to raw as well but they are very hard compared to the dogs, but they did have a bit of a nibble on the rabbit - which is more than I can say for Frida, my greyhound - who wouldn't touch it with a barge pole Fargo of course wolfed it down in typical spaniel fashion Frida is getting a bit too fussy recently so I took the tough approach and left her without any dinner and only a small amount of breakfast, so hopefully the rabbit will be more appealing to her tonight !!

Nicola - the geese breast looked quite tempting I have too say - I'm sure the odd bit might bypass the dogs to my belly instead 

[happydog]

I know this is a few months old, but it made sense to tack my query on to the end of this thread, rather than start a new one.

I have just come back from our local butchers with a huge bag of organic meat bones for Fern, chicken backs, wings and lamb ribs mainly which I know she is OK with.  .

There are also venison ribs in there. Do you think she will be OK with these? I am thinking larger animal = harder bones  .

[Cob-Web]

I know this is a few months old, but it made sense to tack my query on to the end of this thread, rather than start a new one.

I have just come back from our local butchers with a huge bag of organic meat bones for Fern, chicken backs, wings and lamb ribs mainly which I know she is OK with.  .

There are also venison ribs in there. Do you think she will be OK with these? I am thinking larger animal = harder bones  .

Oooh, lucky you 

I would feed mine the venison ribs - I would keep and eye on them and probably only give them once a week, but IMO, the occasional meal of harder bone won't hurt 

[happydog]

Thanks Rachel  . I'll just make sure she doesn't feel rushed  .

[screamingswifts]

There are also venison ribs in there. Do you think she will be OK with these? I am thinking larger animal = harder bones  .

Venison has ended up being the main meat at the moment from my 'supplier'. I too wondered about the ribs to start with as they are harder than lamb ribs, but they seem to be coping just fine with them 

I get the venison in whole carcass form with the main cuts removed - you should have seen my postmans face when he saw me with washing up gloves covered in blood, a big chopping knife in hand and a carcass in my kitchen 

[CarolineL]

i just picked up some rabbit about an hour ago - so we will see how the H boy tackles that tomorrow once it has defrosted.

Would love to find a local game supplier