Raising Meat Rabbits

[junebuggena]

Lots of people just don't realize that you need to look in the farm & garden section, or don't know how to use the search feature.
We love rabbit here too. Can't breed them fast enough with just two does. Why I held back a couple does from the Christmas litter for breeding. Just had 12 kits delivered this morning.
Favorite recipes are fried rabbit and in the crockpot with a jar of chile verde over rice. Whole roasted with the body cavity stuffed with onion, garlic, and fresh herbs is really good too. I always do at least two rabbits at a time and use what doesn't get eaten for chili or enchiladas.

 

[CertifiedChaser]

Lots of people just don't realize that you need to look in the farm & garden section, or don't know how to use the search feature.

I could have sworn I did a search a couple weeks back. Maybe I didn't check the farm and garden section or maybe it was more than two weeks ago and times just flying by. Either way, thank you for going through and searching! Truly appreciate that. Looks like Ima be getting some bunnies this weekend (I hope)!

 

[itsasmallfarm]

this fall i really want to start looking at rabbit meat, i think i would raise in a colony over cage raising. (would be some work) but i love rabbit meat, bought it once from the store and yes it was expensive, and i suck at hunting rabbits to provide rabbit meat.

 

[CertifiedChaser]

I love the idea of colony raising. But I was told by other bunny owners that it's not safe. Males are aggressive, females will kill other litters as will the males. Breeding could get rapidly out of control. Just a few of the things I've been told that come to mind. Still love the idea.

 

[junebuggena]

I compromise between cage and colony. My breeding stock is kept in cages, mostly for population control, easier handling of kits from the start and to protect from predators. Once weaned, kits are raised in tractors as a colony till they are ready for processing.

 

[CertifiedChaser]

So i have what may be an odd question, but since I plan on letting my rabbits roam around in the yard to eat from time to time, should I worry about fleas?

 

[junebuggena]

Rabbits can get fleas. Topical flea treatments intended for dogs can be fatal for rabbits, since they groom so much with licking. Cat spot on treatments are much safer and very effective. DO NOT USE ANY FRONTLINE PRODUCT ON A RABBIT.

 

[Bunnylady]

So i have what may be an odd question, but since I plan on letting my rabbits roam around in the yard to eat from time to time, should I worry about fleas?

Some types of fleas are host-specific, but the fleas that annoy dogs and cats aren't that picky. If you have a dog or cat that has fleas that goes in your yard, any other mammal that goes in the yard will get fleas, too.

And though the North American wild rabbits are not closely related to the domestic rabbit, some of their parasites and diseases can infect/infest our animals. Any rabbit that goes on the ground is at an increased risk of getting worms and mites, and needs to be regularly checked for them.

 

[CertifiedChaser]

So what do y'all use for fleas and worms?

 

[3riverschick]

we are wanting to build about 8 rabbit hutches for raising above the ground meat rabbits .they are a New Zealand Florida white mix. I've looked at dozens of pictures and plans but don't know if they are proper for the rabbits. they will be living through cold Western Pennsylvania Winters .can anybody share some proper plans with me? I don't want to build these Hutches and then find out I built them wrong. is there a a simple rabbit cage with the breeding area that's easy to build and raise rabbits above the ground?
thank you Karen