Raising Meat Rabbits

[Amy Foster]

 

[Amy Foster]

Sorry i am a terrible photographer!!lol!!

 

[Chicken Techie]

This is a great thread, I too have been thinking about doing rabbits. Over the past two years i have done egg chickens, meat chickens, ducks for eggs, and turkeys for meat. So i have some experience raising animals and i did have a pet rabbit for many years but i never considered eating him at the time. I am just wondering if its worth the effort to raise them for meat? I have never had a chance to eat rabbit but at one time it was compared to venison by the FDA. I think i need to start by eating one, then going from there. I was thinking i could use wire bottom cages with catch pans underneath and raise them in my barn. I can adapt my chicken watering system to make that easy too. One thing that is good is that there are plenty of videos on youtube that you can watch about how to process them, which looks easy enough. I just don't know anyone around here that either has eaten rabbit or raised them for meat. thanks for any input.

 

[misbhaven]

they are easier to find than you think... several breed new zealand.californian and harlequins(sp) are good meat rabbit the harlequin is a little smaller the the giant breeds lop rabbits usually are pretty good size also...but like chickens a rabbit is a rabbit . cages are pretty cheap mine are a little more substantial than the ones shown but it is way to cold to show you what we did basically the same thing with a nest box out of all wood on the side that the rabbit can get out of the wind...and actually your feed store may get them in around easter a lot of times "easter bunnies " are of the right body type. usually california or some cross. they tend to show up free the next month when they are not friendly little fluff balls anymore and people realize they scratch worse than a cat.

 

[starchicky]

This is a great thread, I too have been thinking about doing rabbits. Over the past two years i have done egg chickens, meat chickens, ducks for eggs, and turkeys for meat. So i have some experience raising animals and i did have a pet rabbit for many years but i never considered eating him at the time. I am just wondering if its worth the effort to raise them for meat? I have never had a chance to eat rabbit but at one time it was compared to venison by the FDA. I think i need to start by eating one, then going from there. I was thinking i could use wire bottom cages with catch pans underneath and raise them in my barn. I can adapt my chicken watering system to make that easy too. One thing that is good is that there are plenty of videos on youtube that you can watch about how to process them, which looks easy enough. I just don't know anyone around here that either has eaten rabbit or raised them for meat. thanks for any input.

I went a got a whole rabbit from a specialty meat market we have, it was ridiculously expensive but I was determined to try it, lol. It is kind of like chicken only less flavorful and slightly gamy but not much, just different. It has very little flavor at all. It is also very very lean, so if you wanted to make sausage or something you have to add fatty meat to it like pork. But it is supposed to be good for BBQ and tacos

! So it can take up many flavors and seems to be a very healthy meat since it is so lean.

 

[Chicken Techie]

Thanks, I actually found a local farm that raises them for meat so i should have some by the end of the weekend to try.

 

[chiques chicks]

Wow, this is timely! Just got my five cages and everything I need to start, now I just need to find rabbits! I have a few leads, but overall having trouble finding any without driving an hour each way. I'll be checking back often hoping to find new information.

 

[Chicken Techie]

Where do u live?

 

[chiques chicks]

Lancaster county, Pennsylvania

 

[misbhaven]

ask the Amish... my grandfather was amish and left before he joined the church soo i got to go to great uncles etc for faimly get togethers etc while he was alive...Just remember they don't work on sundays even sell eggs rabbits etc..i would stop at a farm that sells eggs someone hasto have some good info.