Raising Meat Rabbits

[nayeli]

Hello,
I'm a "new egg" and while this website is mostly for chickens or poultry I was hoping that there are some homesteaders on here that have experience with rabbits. I have a month until closing and moving into our first home and I'm wanting to produce as much of our food their as possible. If you have raised rabbits for meat please tell me about your experience and if you could answer a couple questions.

1. What cages/hutches did you use. I am having a hard time finding a tutorial with pictures on how to build a rabbit cage and I don't want to start out with a minimal investment.

2. Can dog kennels be used as cages.

3. Where did you buy the meat rabbits

4. Was it worth it?

5. How many should I start out with?

 

[misbhaven]

I have had rabbit since I was a child. Our are currently 50 ft or so from our house. Wire cage bottom is a must. We put hay or shavings under the cage then rake them up 2 times a month. march to oct. I live in a non incorparated town with just under an acre but I have large house 55ft by 35 a 28ft round pool. 40 by 60 garden. About 30 x 40 chicken coops. And a one car garage.. I put my animals mostly downwind from my home ....if you aren 't going to have. 30 rabbits. You can house females together if they were all young and got at about same time. 1 male cage, and a cage for whatever pg female and kits. Like chickens rabbit need daylight for fertility they don't want to mate in winter. The females you could put in with your chickens for exercise but not the males he will hump anything. Chickens and rabbits are a good combo they share many foods BOSS etc. Btw my favorite trick for treats for both my kids love broccili I cut the heads then let it keep growing the little side heads come on and leaves keep growing big dark leaves so I pick some of those off. 2 or three times a week.cold loving veggie so it is gone and replaced. But very dual purpose for feed

 

[regcal966]

I took some pictures of our set up today, thought I would share.


We have six cages, only 4 adult rabbits right now. We plan on doing the same system on the other side of the garage eventually.

Here is our Californian doe with her 3 week old kits, there are 8 of them. They just started coming out of the nest box a couple days ago, the mama hates it I think. They always bug her for milk when they are walking around the cage.



Here is our New Zealand buck, he just turned 6 months old. We will be breeding him next week for the first time. He is my favorite, he loves to see us and has a great personality. I plan on getting a New Zealand female this week also.

 

[junebuggena]

LOADS of craigslist adds in your area for meat breed rabbits. Mostly New Zealand and New Zealand mixes.
https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/grd/d/white-rabbits/6223700143.html
Look like they are New Zealand mixes
https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/grd/d/rabbits-and-hutch/6230357899.html
If you want the hutch and the doe
https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/grd/d/big-female-rabbit/6231718660.html
If you just want the doe
https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/grd/d/female-rabbits/6201075269.html
https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/pet/d/bunnies-so-so-cute/6195451933.html
https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/pet/d/colorful-baby-bunnies/6199218269.html
https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/pet/d/new-zealand-rabbits/6169229471.html
https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/pet/d/hand-raised-bunny-rabbits/6186424118.html

 

[Amy Foster]

nayeli i raise meat rabbits and i can tell you the cages are the most important part! i prefer a wire bottom cage for buck two wire bottom cages for separating and growing off babies

[/IMG] and a wire bottom cage with a drop down nest box for does i prefer hanging mine for cleaning purposes if you do hang them remember to make sure you can reach the back of the cage from inside of it also i choose not to allow them on the grass because it can cause scours and worms and i dont use chemicals on my rabbits never house two adult rabbits in the same cage they will fight or overbreed rabbits prefer being alone i hope you find the cages and bunnies and have much success here are some pics from my rabbits amy

 

[PatriotofFlorid]

I have New Zealand, California, & Flemish Giants. All have different traits. The California rabbits seem to have smaller bones. The New Zealand and the California rabbits are my preference for meat production. But I love the large back-straps off the Flemish Giants. Never the less I will be parting ways with my breeding pair of Flemish Giants because of the faster turn around on the New Zealand and California rabbits. I think they are trying to over fill my freezer at the present time. Litters are large and growing fast. It is a never ending cycle. Fresh white healthy meat. Note: to all the Automatic Water nipples I got off Ebay are a life saver.

 

[PatriotofFlorid]

My wife and I have been de-boning and canning rabbit all day. I have to admit we froze the back straps this time and are going to make jerky out of the flanks. We did loose two of our breeding does recently. One while giving birth to 19 tiny still born kits and one moved her nest box in front of her automatic water nipple and it got bound up and she could not move it in the mid day heat. This caused the loss of 8 kits as I had no rabbits that were willing to adopt them. Bitches... We also let one of our older does have her freedom. We still leave food and water out for her. Kinda fun to watch her run around enjoying her freedom after all the rabbits she gave us for dinner and does for breeding. I guess even Marines have a heart. Semper Fi.

 

[noble]

So, does anyone supplement pellets for growing meat kits? My first doe is due soon, silver fox breed. Their pellet feed is a 17% protein, plus they will get timothy hay for roughage. The mill I get their feed from also offers a 26% protein pellet to supplement, and recommends for lactating does as well as growing kits. I asked the guy at the feed store when I ordered last about it, and he said it is a product similar to calf-manna. But he was unsure whether there would be enough benefit from the supplement to offset cost, etc. Is it worth getting?

Also, I have not thus far added salt spools to their cages because I had read that most feeds contain enough. Should I offer them?

Hi,
I have been breeding my rabbits for 2 year's now maybe longer. And I feed my does supplmeets when they are pregnant. I feed them more veggies from the garden all throughout the pregnancy (As the do provide my compost /fertilizer )only fair and two week's befor due date I start the supplement milk. It keeps the girls happy and I don't see weight loss after birth. For long term I think it's better. My rabbits are new Zealand Whites. I average 8 kit's per litter, and I now have 10 breeding does and 3 buck's. So far no loss of life other than an a kit here and there. I do have one doe that eats some of the kit's tho and haven't figured that one out, she has done it 2x out of 4 times bread . I been mine as I want meat, so not back to back .

 

[nayeli]

Thanks Amy, someone on here recommended Storeys Guide to Rabbit Raising so I'm reading that now

 

[spangledcornish]

Bunnylady, since rabbits are your specialty what would you recommend as the best meat rabbit? I have heard conflicting things and storey's said that medium size rabbits can be better than the bigger new zealand or californian that are so popular. Thoughts?

I know I am not Bunny lady, but as I have stated before, we have been extremely happy with our crosses. one thing to keep in mind is your desired market weight and desired growth rate. For us our three way backcross, had yielded a fast growing rabbit which on the feed side of things is good for us and we can get a very meaty 4-5 pound dressed rabbit with very little waste.

On the mothering side the pure Californian has been our most frustrating, and or satin influenced crosses have been the best mothers. I have used newzealands on the paternal side, but have not kept any on the maternal side (no particular reason).