Rabbit's DON'T belong in cages!!!

[SternRose]

Use them as breeders for dog meat. And show at the same time, but if u did that could u still get more dogs?

 

[Americano Blue]

maybe. I don't know any butchers and I don't know how too do it myself. Plus my male if fixed so I will have to buy another boy breed for meat

 

[SternRose]

Well, bye bye bunnies. That's what I'd do.

 

[insanity]

Here are my baby pics.
Mini lops

And French lops

All being raised free range

 

[Americano Blue]

they are cute

 

[Joe Gonzalez]

As idealistic, this might sound not everybody who has rabbits can afford this approach either due to finances, and or space.

That's why for their safety, and their health they are kept in all wire cages. Now that's how I raise my rabbits, and once a day I let them roam the yard for excercise and so they can forage, on natural greens. They have been perfectly fine. And have you considered how hard it is going to be come harvest time, if your doing the colony set up for meat rabbits? ( all of them just scurry in their burrows)

Now I believe contrary to the statements above that a rabbit can have a quality life in a hutch, if you have things in their that stimulate their natural instinct. Like having some kind of shelter for them to substitute for a burrow. Just something to consider, not everybody can have a rabbit colony set up.

 

[insanity]

No not everyone can but this thread is for those that do or wish to free range. Here we can exchange ideas on how to care for and keep them safe. I have kept hutched rabbits before and for show animals I believe it is a necessity. Thankfully I no longer show rabbits so my buns can have more freedom. I'm sure there is a thread on BYC for keeping hutched rabbits happy as well.

 

[Joe Gonzalez]

No not everyone can but this thread is for those that do or wish to free range. Here we can exchange ideas on how to care for and keep them safe. I have kept hutched rabbits before and for show animals I believe it is a necessity. Thankfully I no longer show rabbits so my buns can have more freedom. I'm sure there is a thread on BYC for keeping hutched rabbits happy as well.

Just to make it clear I'm in the middle , like I stated above I raise them in cages and try to let them free range at least once a day. I started doing so when I noticed the boredom that my one doe would build up. She would just find things to tear up in her cage, like the feeder water. So to keep her happy I started letting her out.

 

[insanity]

I spent all day yesterday redoing the French lop runs. New tarps for winter and I added a 4x6 separation pen for does with small babies. Chicken wire around the bottom walls so the little ones can't slip though the chain link fencing in the 8x10..

 

[SternRose]

I might start breeding Netherland Dwarfs. I'm considering doing colony life(inside of a 10x10 building) or doing wire cages with a playpen. I'm starting off with a trio. And I'm on a tight budget since I have to save up the money. No more then $600. Any tips or ideas. Thanks