Meat Rabbits

[Paully3]

I am getting ready to start raising meat rabbits and the information that I can find is very vague and also very inconsistent. I am leaning towards Californians or New Zealand whites or a cross of the two. I live in Michigan so the weather can get pretty cold in the dead of winter. I'm having a difficult time finding info on the requirements of the Rabbitry and how to cage them. What type of construction does it need to be and what about heating or insulation? Is it required? Where can I find quality rabbits to start as my breeders? Wood nest boxes or bottom drop boxes built into the cage? There are a lot of questions that I have before I purchase my bunnies. I did a lot of learning from the school of hard knocks when I started with my chickens and don't like making the same stupid mistakes twice. Its best to know how deep the water is BEFORE I take the plunge!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You might try the sister site
http://www.backyardherds.com/
They have a big rabbit section.

 

[Paully3]

Wow, I was wondering if this awesome site had any other avenues. We also want dairy goats in the near future and that site seems like a great resource for both. Thanks much.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I found this over there too in the general herds housing section.

http://www.backyardherds.com/threads/rabbit-pen-thred.19276/page-3

 

[McDouHea103]

My family raises Silver Fox Rabbits. They are very good meat rabbits because they are rather large, and have very nice pelts. We have outdoor hutches and just put plastic around the sides during winter, it's more summer you have to worry about. If it gets to hot you will have to dunk them in buckets of cold water to prevent the death of your rabbits. Also if you want to raise Silver Fox rabbits I could possibly sell you some.

 

[Paully3]

I pm'd you...

 

[ChickenCanoe]

My family raises Silver Fox Rabbits. They are very good meat rabbits because they are rather large, and have very nice pelts. We have outdoor hutches and just put plastic around the sides during winter, it's more summer you have to worry about. If it gets to hot you will have to dunk them in buckets of cold water to prevent the death of your rabbits. Also if you want to raise Silver Fox rabbits I could possibly sell you some.

What temperature is too hot for rabbits in the shade?

 

[McDouHea103]

We start checking ours when the temps hit 90*, or if it's super humid. We brought them in the basement when it was over 90* for a week straight. Otherwise, if you are home all day, you can dunk them in a bucket of cool water every couple hours.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Maybe rabbits aren't such a good idea for me. I had a couple in the house years ago but that's out of the question for breeding them. It's often well above 90 and always humid. This summer wasn't too bad but the one before it seemed like it was over 100 most of the summer.

 

[sandspoultry]

We live in Eastern, North Carolina and just about every day July thru August is 90+ and ours do fine. The rabbit hutches are in the shade all day and open on all sides.