Raising Meat Rabbits

[chickadee5002]

Here is a video of our black New Zealand kits.

 

[LeslieG87]

Hi everyone,
Just bought my first pair of meat rabbits. I already have two indoor diva bunnies (a lionhead and a mini lop)
My buck I believe is a broken red New Zealand and my doe appears to be a NZ or cross. Honestly I wasn't too picky on pedigree since the meat from offspring will be for my family's own table. As a newbie I have a couple questions for the rabbit community....

Do rabbits need free choice hay? I've talked to two well established breeders in my area now who don't offer it at all and never have. Both of these peoples' rabbits all are healthy and in excellent condition.

Ok...now for the biggie...how did you do emotionally with your first rabbit dispatch/butchering? I have had no issue stewing a mean rooster or preparing venison my husband and I ethically kill while hunting, but I am a tad nervous about how I'll do with this new adventure.
Any input greatly appreciated
Leslie

 

[Double Kindness]

My bun Grace absorbed her pregnancy so we rebreed her this past Saturday with Jilly the 16lb nzw buck. Her lower teeth are not set straight, so probably after she delivers her kits I'll get her teeth fixed.

She likes the timothy hay and calf manna pellets, not the gro or sho pellets. Agh. I really hope for baby buns in 4 weeks.

 

[bwindell]

We just started raising meat rabbits in March of this year. Our breeders all have names. Our feeders are not not named. I guess keeping them on a no name basis helps when it comes time to butcher. They are looked on and thought of as "food" and who names their food? LOL. It's not easy with rabbits I know, because they are so "cute", but you just have to keep in mind that they are food or $$ if you are selling your meat.

As to the hay... the person who gave us our breeders did not feed hay. From what I have read during my "learning" phase, rabbits NEED the hay to help with their digestion. I have found ours love hay and jump right on it when it's replenished in their cages. If you are feeding pellets to your rabbits you want to use timothy and/or orchard grass hay as most pellets are made from alfalfa and feeding them more alfalfa is not good for them. They tend to gain too much weight and a fat rabbit is not always a healthy rabbit. We buy our hay directly from a local farmer for $4 a bale. Don't fall for buying the little bales in Rural King or outrageous prices!

We also try to feed fresh food when we can, but there you need to proceed with caution as not all all greens are good for rabbits and if they are not used to eating fresh greens it can upset their digestive track. Try a little at a time and check their poo when adding to their diet.

Hope that helps. Good luck!

 

[LeslieG87]

Thanks so much for the help! This definitely helped. I'm gonna track down some local horse quality hay for them. Ugh...yes I could not believe how pricey those little baled up plastic wrapped hay was at the store

 

[chickadee5002]

Thanks so much for the help! This definitely helped. I'm gonna track down some local horse quality hay for them. Ugh...yes I could not believe how pricey those little baled up plastic wrapped hay was at the store

You will have to be careful with quality horse hay as it is usually alfalfa and like bwindell said too much alfalfa is not good. If you have a local equity or feed mill they usually have hay and cheaper than most. You could also contact some local 4-h clubs sometimes they have connections. I buy mine from a neighbor that has orchard hay for $2.50 a bale.

 

[Double Kindness]

I got my buns a huge bale of timothy hay and idk how long it will take them to go through it.

My bun Grace absorbed her pregnancy, so we just rebreed her this past Sunday to the 16lb nzw buck Jilly. I hope this time she kindles and does well.

I only have my 2 does so far. We may add a californian and a male at some time, but for now I just prefer to take her to get breed until I get my rabbitry management style to where I'm more comfortable.

I'd like to try to not depend on pellets for their feed. It's going to be a bit first though.

 

[RedRidge]

Horse quality hay simply implies no weeds or mold. Most is usually timothy and/or orchard as opposed to fescue.
Dairy quality usually implies alfalfa.
We never feed alfalfa to any livestock except dairy animals.
The rabbits get a timothy mix.
What is important for rabbits is not the "kind" but that they are acclimated to it gradually and that it doesn't contain mold. Alfalfa is usually too rich to free feed if it's got a high RFV. Anything else, even with a relatively high RFV, can be free fed as long as it isn't moldy.

 

[chickadee5002]

Horse quality hay simply implies no weeds or mold. Most is usually timothy and/or orchard as opposed to fescue.
Dairy quality usually implies alfalfa.
We never feed alfalfa to any livestock except dairy animals.
The rabbits get a timothy mix.
What is important for rabbits is not the "kind" but that they are acclimated to it gradually and that it doesn't contain mold. Alfalfa is usually too rich to free feed if it's got a high RFV. Anything else, even with a relatively high RFV, can be free fed as long as it isn't moldy.

It must be different were you are because here horse hay is usually alfalfa or alfalfa mix. Different areas must have their own version of "horse hay". I guess we learn something new everyday!

 

[AmericanMom]

We rebred both our does last month, they are due on the 7th of this month and I can happily report both are gathering hay and trying to make their nest, both of my females have dropped 10-14 kits with atleast 10 surviving with each doe. Our rule is we butcher the males and unless there is what looks to be a unique female in the litter we sell the girls, helps pay for feed and other supplies. We feed Orchard grass and fresh vegies and 18% protein feed. You want to be careful to not over feed as a heavy female will have trouble kitting. Our rule is they get a carrot in the morning with about a cup of feed, water is freshened. In the evening they get a large handful of hay and feeders are refilled, usually only taking around 1/4 cup.. They do most of their feeding at night. If I have lettuce and other vegies I might replace the carrot with that. They aren't getting any ground time right now as half the rabbit house has been turned into a chick grow out pen, We plan to once again expand it next spring.. Its about 16x30 now

Butchering hasn't been an issue for us so far, we do the deed at around 3-3 1/2 months, we like the rabbits at around 3-4 pounds dressed out. We did butcher one of our older female breeders last time around as she had slowed down and was only dropping 2-3 kits. That was alittle harder but must be done, I try not to get emotionally attached, its not always easy but we are homesteaders, the only "pet" we have is the cat.