BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[Kassaundra]

Those of you that live in hot dry areas, have you thought about a covered pit? Digging a hole ( about 18ish inches deep) and covering it about 1 cinder block high or so. I wouldn't have thought about it before the rabbits, but the chickens really liked spending the heat of the day in the rabbit colony holes.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Those of you that live in hot dry areas, have you thought about a covered pit? Digging a hole ( about 18ish inches deep) and covering it about 1 cinder block high or so. I wouldn't have thought about it before the rabbits, but the chickens really liked spending the heat of the day in the rabbit colony holes.

Interesting idea - BTW, do you do your rabbits colony-style? (I have considered meat rabbits, keep going back and forth on it... Did a lot of reading on it over a couple years before deciding it was too hot to commit myself to raising them here while I already had my hands full with the chickens.) I have not given up the idea, though...

Not the same. but my shade structures (which double as hawk shelter) are four cinder blocks narrow end up with a 4x4 piece of plywood over the tops. They are extremely effective, and keep the chooks cool(er).

I can't seem to find a photo - I'll try to get one...

 

[Kassaundra]

Yes I kept the rabbits colony style, in our hot weather is seemed the most logical, and Gary wouldn't hear of keeping them in tiny cages. I don't have them now, it was to much work keeping up w/ processing them, they did really well and I was having to process nearly every week to keep up. I work over 70 hours a week (including commute time) so really didn't have the time for all the processing

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Yes I kept the rabbits colony style, in our hot weather is seemed the most logical, and Gary wouldn't hear of keeping them in tiny cages. I don't have them now, it was to much work keeping up w/ processing them, they did really well and I was having to process nearly every week to keep up. I work over 70 hours a week (including commute time) so really didn't have the time for all the processing

Colony style outside? (Did you have parasite issues? It seems that I always was reading about that as the reason not to do that...)

I can relate - I have a full time job (though am not committed to that many hours most weeks). I decided not to start with them until I knew that I could handle the workload of breeding, culling and also any heat modifications...

Did you raise New Zealands? I got as far as making a reservation for a quad of Texas A&M NZs (heat resistant), before backing out...

(Edit to add - the plan was to keep them indoors, with our heat. That was the limiting factor in the end.)

 

[NorthTexasWink]

Following along in this thread since my hens are to be for eggs and the occasional table bird. It's been a long time since I kept birds and never in north Texas. I farmed long ago near Bryan-College Station, near Texas A&M. And yes, I am an alum.

Seeing your question regarding rabbits in the south Texas heat made me think of cuy, aka guinea pigs. I've researched them as an alternative to rabbits for small meat animals. I'm 100% certain I'd choose them over rabbits. I'm 80% certain I'll start trying them for myself within the next few years. I've cooked and eaten them. Pretty close to rabbit, though more delicate in texture. They do fine in heat and also tolerate cold if managed properly. Google cuy if you are interested. If your Spanish is good you will have an easier time finding info. Cuy are a South American staple.

Good luck to you all. Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Following along in this thread since my hens are to be for eggs and the occasional table bird. It's been a long time since I kept birds and never in north Texas. I farmed long ago near Bryan-College Station, near Texas A&M. And yes, I am an alum.

Seeing your question regarding rabbits in the south Texas heat made me think of cuy, aka guinea pigs. I've researched them as an alternative to rabbits for small meat animals. I'm 100% certain I'd choose them over rabbits. I'm 80% certain I'll start trying them for myself within the next few years. I've cooked and eaten them. Pretty close to rabbit, though more delicate in texture. They do fine in heat and also tolerate cold if managed properly. Google cuy if you are interested. If your Spanish is good you will have an easier time finding info. Cuy are a South American staple.

Good luck to you all. Thanks for sharing your experience.

How interesting - I will totally look into this! Thanks for sharing this!

 

[Phill98]

I am so glad I don't live in such an extremes. We only hit 86 yesterday, but we expect to get to just around 100s at the hottest part of the year.

It's too much for us here already, I can't even imagine to live in 110s.

Hope your chickens do well and that you don't lose any.

 

[Kassaundra]

Colony style outside? (Did you have parasite issues? It seems that I always was reading about that as the reason not to do that...)

I can relate - I have a full time job (though am not committed to that many hours most weeks). I decided not to start with them until I knew that I could handle the workload of breeding, culling and also any heat modifications...

Did you raise New Zealands? I got as far as making a reservation for a quad of Texas A&M NZs (heat resistant), before backing out...

(Edit to add - the plan was to keep them indoors, with our heat. That was the limiting factor in the end.)

No parasite or disease problems at all. I really think (and this is just my personal opinion) all the talk of parasites and problems are from people who don't like colony, have not tried colony, and use small raised pens b/c "that's the way it's always been done"

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

No parasite or disease problems at all. I really think (and this is just my personal opinion) all the talk of parasites and problems are from people who don't like colony, have not tried colony, and use small raised pens b/c "that's the way it's always been done"

That's really good to know - using cages was something that was bothering me about the idea a bit...

 

[Kassaundra]

I thought about cavies, they are smaller then most meat rabbits, so more processing.

Oh and no on the NZW, I had mutts, got them for free so decided to start out w/ them work the "bugs" out then move on to "the better rabbits" but my mutts did so well I couldn't keep up w/ them and never "upgraded"