Raising Meat Rabbits

[nayeli]

I'm getting a free rabbit cage so excited about that. Now I will have 2 true rabbit cages and a dog kennel that will do in a pinch although it is a little small! My husband will also be making some cages so that they will all be uniform eventually =)

I finally found good local(ish) breeders. I'm thinking I will get NZ and standard chinchillas.

 

[misbhaven]

free is always good

 

[nayeli]

My thoughts exactly!

 

[nayeli]

Bunnylady, misbehavin, what about raising standard chinchillas for meat rabbits? I was thinking of doing both them and NZ.

 

[misbhaven]

you can eat any rabbit..if you want and can get chinchillas rabbits go for it, the bottom line is they are your rabbits..i thought you said your were getting nz's also you could always cross them and see what you come up with..if you are able to get ahold of purebreds (which nobody within 100 miles of me raises other than mini types) i would get a pair if not a trio of each.. then you could sell the extra kits.. then if lets say one male or female is infertile then you wouldn't have to start from square one all over again...you could always crossbreed if you had too until you could aquire the right male.

 

[nayeli]

I was going to get purebred NZ buck and doe then a third doe of a different breed but now I'm considering also getting a purebred chinchilla buck and doe. I guess I'll check prices and then decide. I don't want to bite off more than I can chew or keep extra un needed bucks around but I like the look of the chinchilla and if I decided to sell I think they might sell better.

 

[misbhaven]

Rabbit care is pretty easy ..and I actually take mine out of there cages and pen them in my daughters playhouse while the cages are getting clean. They just stay in there eating grass etc. For feeders I use small ceramic dishes I got from a dollar store and a old bread pan..I had the galvanized rabbit feeders my male chewed it up. Food is cheap like $12 for 50lbs of plain pellets then I give a small amount of Boss about 1 tablespoon a week for heathly coats and I buy 3rd cuting mixed hay timothy/clover alfalfa for treats . I probably spend. $15 a month to feed my 5 in winter. I give treats also a couple times a week.

 

[nayeli]

Thanks misbehavin. I'm finishing up my plans for the house and considering downscaling in some ways upscaling in others. I'm thinking of more rabbits, actually breeding ducks to get meat and eggs, and possibly nixing quail and chicken because I don't like having to incubate and I think that I might have to get a permit where I live (still trying to figure it out).

 

[misbhaven]

Well. You could get a couple bantam cochins even silkies would are good broody hens and small.. google bantam chicken runs there is one that is from here that actually has a planter on top utilizes for yard space..could use one for quail also then your not loosing yard space and. The bantams do lay eggs you can eat about half the size of a large egg ...but the hens could sit on your quail eggs..so if you biuld your rabitt cages stacked you still have room for everything and the neighbors would not really know..for the quail you may need a permit I know in IL it costs like 20 and can get it online. I had seen you post in another thread you would only have .25 acre. Build your bird cages on wheels small tractor the you could move it if you needed to . I will see if I can find the bantam cage. I will post the link.

 

[nayeli]

I see that quiet a few members in Arkansas have them so I think you only need a permit for the ones not considered poultry... meaning I wouldn't for the cournix? or however it is spelled. If I don't require a permit I will probably do them. I was nixing the chickens so I could have a drake without worrying about him raping my hens. I read that drakes can kill hens or injure them and nixing the chickens I would still get eggs from ducks and could get meat that way =)