Raising Meat Rabbits

[nayeli]

I got lucky because the woman, Sarah, that I got my bunnies from did not charge extra for the purebred papered rabbits. She charged $25 for the Amer. Blues and $30 for the Chins and is willing to breed them each for me 1 time. Her processed rabbit meat is $30 so it is actually cheaper to get a live rabbit than a processed one.

I have another acquaintance that raises rabbits and she raises crosses for meat and sells to restaurants and markets. She swear the X bunnies make better meat rabbits. I think she said her favorite X is the Satin X New Zealand as they have the best meat to bone ration at 12 weeks. She is investing in more cages and retaining more breeders as she cannot keep up with the demand for her rabbits.

Yes, I kinda jumped in with both feet. I have a two teenage boys so we need to cook two rabbits at a time. I figure we could potentially eat 2-4 rabbits a week so I need an average of 12 rabbits a month just for my family. Since rabbits typically have 8-10 babies and because I am only planning to breed my girls 3 times a year I figure I need to have at least 5 rabbits just to sustain my family, and more if I want to provide meat to friends and extended family.

We only have 2 rabbits but we have a couple extra cages =) I wanted to be sure I had enough!

 

[nayeli]

Now I don't feel so bad.
My start:
Two Californian does, one buck
One doe, one buck champagne d'argent
Two does, one buck new Zealand
Two Nz x silver fox does
Still want a Californian buck and another champagne doe

Most are under 6 months, but the one Californian was bred, so I have three babies about a month old.

I plan to experiment with crosses to see what grows best and fastest, as well as be able in time to create more stock that is purebred to sell and or replace mine in time.

Nice! So you have 10 rabbits? I think thats more than we would want/need! I like your plan though. Since we are using them for meat for our family purebreed wasn't an issue but if we ever wanted to experiment to create a really good line or a new breed it would be!
I wish I could find a doe that was breeding age. Around here most of them are young so you have to wait MONTHS, those that are breeding age go for a premium and you have to worry just how old they are and if they are good mothers or not!

 

[chiques chicks]

Oops, 9. Don't have that Californian buck, yet.

I don't "need" that many. I don't "need" fifty chickens, either

When a couple people heard I might start raising meat rabbits, two people said they wanted 6 a month. I can't legally sell processed meat in my state, but there are legal ways around that.
I didn't start this as a money making enterprise, I want to be able to provide as much of my own food as possible.

For their age, the crosses seem to be the best size of what I have, although I doubt continual crossing is the way to go. I don't know, just guessing. That is why I started with good breeder stock from people who show. (Except the crosses from a meat raiser). Some have pedigrees, a couple are true show quality, I'm told.
Total invested in rabbits - $250. Cages and equipment a lot more.
Just learning, but jumping all in. If it fails, I can eat them and sell the cages!

 

[nayeli]

@chiques chicks that is really cheap if that is all you invested! I have two and I spent a bit. Cages are expensive!

 

[chiques chicks]

That was just stock. Cages and equipment were around $1500,

I look at it as an investment in my well being. I kind of like the chores involved with carrying for my animals, otherwise I wouldn't live in the country so I can have them.

 

[regcal966]

We got some rabbits over the weekend. So excited and already can't wait to get more. We have 1 New Zealand buck and 3 Californian does. 1 of the does should have babies next week and 1 of the does was bred right before we picked her up, so more babies in a month, hopefully. The buck we have is pedigreed and beautiful. My husband wants to buy more pedigreed does and sell their babies, if possible. If not they will be meat for our family.

 

[chiques chicks]

Congrats regcal966! I have a Californian breeder nearby. I hope to pick up a buck from him. My does came from another state and breeder.

You want me to pick one up for you, if I can? That way you'd be getting a different blood line.

 

[nayeli]

Congrats! Your lucky, I have had mine for 2 months and am still waiting to be able to breed them!

 

[regcal966]

Congrats regcal966! I have a Californian breeder nearby. I hope to pick up a buck from him. My does came from another state and breeder.

You want me to pick one up for you, if I can? That way you'd be getting a different blood line.

Thanks!! But the breeder I got the New Zealands from has a different blood line than the buck I got. We are gonna get some does from her. My husband has to make some cages before we can get more LOL. Shouldn't be long but we are out of room already. He is going to make 2 cages that are pretty big so the breeding does will have more room when the kits come.

 

[juststruttin]

We got some rabbits over the weekend. So excited and already can't wait to get more. We have 1 New Zealand buck and 3 Californian does. 1 of the does should have babies next week and 1 of the does was bred right before we picked her up, so more babies in a month, hopefully. The buck we have is pedigreed and beautiful. My husband wants to buy more pedigreed does and sell their babies, if possible. If not they will be meat for our family.

Congrats! Sounds like a great start