Raising our New Zealand Meat Rabbits *Start to finish - Birth to processing* Possible Graphic pics*

[Angelicisi]

So our rabbitry project has begun I started this thread to help me keep track, help find info or tips and share me bunnies! Jump in anytime, share yours please! I intend to follow this thread though from births to processing with photos. I LOVE photos lol.

We raise meat rabbits, sell plenty as pets because we sweeten them up lol but they are raised to be eaten. Please don't take offense.

So, as this thread progresses there may be pics of Graphic nature to some, from birthing/injuries (hope not)/butchering/dressing/what to do with extra parts...etc.

I have NZ whites we've been working with. I love them. Large and meaty, great meat to bone ratios, large litters, they socialize very well making the whole process go a lil smoother.

We have half of a large workshop that is being used at the moment. Built racks, nest boxes, perches (to give them a spot to chill off the wire) and cages ourselves. This saved us a ton of start up money.

The cages sit on racks with tubs below them. The tubs slide out to be easily dumped into bags/gardens/compost piles-we use it constantly.
Ground is concrete indoors. Windows all the way around building and half are open to allow fresh air in with the sunlight but not get drafty. Sometimes we set up a brooder nearby (chicken math sometimes sneaks up on me lol)

We feed organically grown- right here from seed, veggies in moderation. High quality pellet feed is offered 24/7. ACV is added to their water currently. Recent recommendation to add canna instead. Haven't found it in stock when I'm at a feed store but they carry it!

So this is our adventure in meat rabbits.

We wanted quality breeders from multiple lines. We got some with some patience. We are very pleased with our start. We chose NZs.

Our 1st trio to come of age has been successful so far . The 2nd trio is still a bit young so we're waiting awhile longer.

I spent a lot of time socializing these breeders to make working with them easier.
It was worth letting them settle in and warm up to people. Treats and scratches and music. Lol don't laugh. Ok, go ahead...but I will say at least its Rock music! No worries, no heavy metal! Just low volume tunes for noise to be around. They seem to really enjoy it.

I'm going to use different posts for different rabbits.
It's just easier for me because they all look almost the same lol. I keep good written records tho on each rabbit because I'm sorta OCD about that lol


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[Angelicisi]

We have #1 (Ghost).
Pure white new zealand. 7 month old doe.
Had 8 kits on 12/12/13. Her 1st litter.
Bred to Pure white NZ Buck from another breeders stock.
No issues at this time. She's been an awesome mom from the get go. Hubby has a video of her cleaning up placentas from her birth ew I know lol...I'll spare y'all I suppose, tho its neat to see a huge bloody mess then an hour later all is fluffy and white again O.O

This litter is 1 week old as of yesterday. Eyes are still closed but it looks like they're peeking lol.

 

[Angelicisi]

#2 (names Cracker-when she met the dog she made this cracking sounds, so very loudly rejected our pup that it stuck)
She's 7 months old. Bred to our Pure white 8 month old NZ buck (names ODB). Her 2nd attempt at breeding. Patience is needed even with rabbits!
Had 6 kits on 12/19/13. big as hamsters! Oh my!
We didn't think her mating had been successful. She hid it well until we walked in and it looked like a rabbit exploded in her cage. Huge pile of fur in the nest box. 4 babies in the pile of fur. 2 babies set aside, still in nest box tho. I gave the new Mum some love, a treat and picked up the 2 outcasts with a chunk of her fur pile and they snuggled right into the pile. Checked on her a few more times and she's feeding them all and cleaned up the pair I put back so hopefully they'll be ok.

Better pics coming, I like to let new mamas get settled in a lil bit

 

[Angelicisi]

We have a pure white NZ Buck. Pic later...sorry bad WiFi at the moment lol
He's 8 months old. Got an "A" for effort his first try with a girl lol but needed a 2nd round to properly finish. He's young tho and it was his 1st try (other than a stuffed penguin...shhhhh, we don't talk about the penguin)

 

[Angelicisi]

Some quick videos of the week old babies.

Doe #1 feeding kits

Doe #1's 1st litter.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Good luck! I have NZW rabbits too! One is having her first litter as I type this... Raising rabbits is so exciting!

 

[Angelicisi]

Thanks I'll need it I have baby everything coming out of my ears lol I love it though

I want a couple hold backs from the week old litter, she's a great mama, is a vocal doe, had a decent size 1st litter and is friendly, all qualities I like. We're just getting started but hopefully we can get some good future breeders from these early births.

How do you keep track of yours? Calender? Notes? Do you? I'm so OCD I write down everything and observe regularly. I know I go overboard but I like a lot of info on my creatures.

Good luck! I have NZW rabbits too! One is having her first litter as I type this... Raising rabbits is so exciting!

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I have a small, black spiral bound notebook. On the right page I write the month, breedings, kindles, kit numbers, deaths (and causes) and weigh-ins for the month. On the left page I write other, more particular, notes that may come up such as "X rabbit didn't eat for a whole day" or "x rabbit had runny poo" or "X rabbit is sick, treating with Y". Mind you, none of my rabbits have ever had runny poo... But you get the idea. Aside from that I keep a lot of mental notes. It's really easy for me to keep bits of info in my head and hard for me to write them out. XD

 

[Angelicisi]

Kewl beans, ya I have my notebook, most of its in head too lol

We started on the grow out pen for Doe #2's litter of 6 today. Outta the 14 kits we have we hope we get 2 or 3 holdbacks for ourselves and I already have people reserving kits for class pets at two schools come spring & Fall breeders. I didn't realize they were so popular, just knew they were tasty! Was expecting to process some but unless they're all bucks lol (could totally happen to me- I've had rooster hatches) I might be delayed in processing until the next set of litters before I'm able to process any uuuhh nom nom?

I have a small, black spiral bound notebook. On the right page I write the month, breedings, kindles, kit numbers, deaths (and causes) and weigh-ins for the month. On the left page I write other, more particular, notes that may come up such as "X rabbit didn't eat for a whole day" or "x rabbit had runny poo" or "X rabbit is sick, treating with Y". Mind you, none of my rabbits have ever had runny poo... But you get the idea. Aside from that I keep a lot of mental notes. It's really easy for me to keep bits of info in my head and hard for me to write them out. XD

 

[Dreyadin]

Mine had hers on the 10th- doe came inside and husband was sent to the doghouse. He's in big big trouble for this.

Great pics of the little ones & the pair of proud parents.