Californian Meat Rabbit Grow-Out Thread... **Picture Heavy**

[mgw]

Sorry, I showed up late. I have just started with meat rabbits so I will be watching this thread with interest. We obtained 5 NZ blacks and 1 NZ red off of CL for free. I have them in quarantine for now trying to figure out which to keep and what to butcher. Problem is I have no idea what characteristics to be looking for. I'm glad someone is keeping records of all this it is very informative.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Mine came out of the nestbox for the first time today. Only problem is I think the cage is much too small and want to move them and the mama and the nestbox to a bigger cage. Do you all think this would be ok or do you think it would stress the mama out too much? The babies are 17 days old.


Edited to add; the doe is eating about a pound of pellets plus veggies everyday, does this seem right? It seems like a lot to me...

 

[Hooligan Farm]

Quote:
When I checked on mine this morning they all had jumped out of their nesting box but I put them back in. They aren't even 2 weeks yet

 

[speedy2020]

I want to raise rabbit for meat, but don't have nerve to butcher them.

 

[terri9630]

Quote:
Any way you can butt the cages up together? Lock the doors open and have them up against one another so momma can go back and forth for a few days? I wouldn't think it would bother her much to change cages unless she is a really sensitive doe. I had to change out the nest box. The sides of the cat box are 7 inches high and the babies were having a hard time getting in and out so I took the bottom of the cat box out and put a short cardboard box in. Momma just hopped in it and scooted the shavings around. No big deal for her.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

It'd be tough but I could probably put them together. The new cage is much bigger than the old one and I think they will be much more comfortable in it. I didn't realize the cages would be so small with the nestboxes, and the rabbits so big! I don't think she is overly sensitive, she doesn't mind me messing around in there and likes being petted and is a great mommy. Maybe I will just try moving them and set up the cage exactly the same as the old one. And of course give her lots of treats to distract her...

 

[terri9630]

Quote:
I had my buck in one of our dog crates (2 1/2ft x 4ft, we have mastiffs) because he was so smushed looking in the "rabbit" cages. I kicked him out and put the doe in there before she kindeled so she would have plenty of room. Now I have to find another dog crate for my poor buck. He is so cramped in that little cage. He likes to stretch out or sit on top of his cat box "house". I feel so guilty for putting him in there.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

I have roughly 20 cages, some medium, some large. The mediums are nicer, but the larges are larger.

I only have stands built for the mediums, (thats what they are in now) But I have one large one I set up so I can move the babies into after weaning, but now I am thinking I should just build stands for the large cages and move everyone.

It just sux because the cages aren't nearly as nice.


Here are the mediums, with the nestboxes they are just so cramped...

 

[terri9630]

I think the cage my buck is in is smaller than those. Poor fellow. I think next pay day i'm going to buy another dog crate for him. That way I have a large cage for all my big bunnies.

 

[sandspoultry]

Quote:
I move mine from a small cage to a large grow out cage on day 10 to 14. When they start hoping out of the nest box and need more space. I have never had any problem with moving them to the new pens. I leave the Doe and litter in there until the kits are 6 weeks old, then I move the Doe out and put her back into her normal cage and leave the kits in the big cage until they are sold or processed.