Going to pick up my first pair of New Zealand Whites tomorrow!

[Rin]

I'm looking to get myself started off with just a breeding pair of New Zealand white's tomorrow after work. The breeder I'm getting them from has about 26 babies for me to choose from for my buck and doe. I will be making fryers of their offspring and want more bang for my buck. Is there anything specific I should be looking for in the parents to determine if their offspring will work as fryers? Or should I just go for the male and female that are most friendly/cooperative since they wont be eaten and need to be worked with for breeding/cleaning/health/etc?

I have had a pet New Zealand in the past and frankly wish we'd eaten it - sucker was big and nasty - could knock the wind clean out of ya with a single kick to the chest. Instead my mother sold him on me which I was fine with, was after a pet at the time and she bought that monster without me being there. These two wont be pets per say, they will be kept in hutches outdoors, but I will be sweet on them until their time comes for retirement.

I need just enough production to feed me and possibly make my own cat and dog food out of later if there's excess. I'm huge on eating meat and making my own is a /massive/ step in self-reliance for me. I imagine I could easily eat a single fryer over the course of a week or two, even more once my hens start laying as alternative protein.

Any extra tips as well? Will add pictures once I get them home.

 

[cluckers&quackers]

I have raised a lot of rabbits, and in my personal experience I would pick the largest babies, a skittish baby will most generally become very friendly and easy to handle as long as it is handled regularly. In my experience the biggest babies obviously are growing faster, but in the end they usually end up the biggest rabbits, and produce fast growing offspring.

 

[Rin]

cluckers&quackers :

I have raised a lot of rabbits, and in my personal experience I would pick the largest babies, a skittish baby will most generally become very friendly and easy to handle as long as it is handled regularly. In my experience the biggest babies obviously are growing faster, but in the end they usually end up the biggest rabbits, and produce fast growing offspring.

Thank you so much, that helps a ton. When I tried to look it up they went into charts and logbook information and just... generally too much in depth for determining the right rabbits for me. I can understand the logs and numbers if you're wanting to /really/ crank out huge masses of meat but I'm happy with /just/ enough and oddly the idea of grabbing the biggest babies went over my head a bit. He said they varied in sizes but they're all babies and some are drastically bigger than others.

Thank you :> wish me luck.​

 

[5acrefarmer]

I used to raise a lot of rabbits too and I like the New Zealand also for the meat production. I also raised Dutch rabbits and even though the meat seemed to be more condensed on them and thay done pretty good for meat, I still prefer the New Zealand for meat production.

 

[Sachasmom]

I'd ask if any of the does are nasty attack bunnies.

But you're looking for good size, nice bright eyes, no nasal discharge, no poop butt. Ask about litter size and how many survive to weaning too.

But you *can* work with them, when you feed them, pet them even if you have to crawl in the cage and reach waaaaay in the back to do so. They'll mostly come around. Some does can be awfully hormonal, but you really don't want one that is just plain nuts