Raising Meat Rabbits

[balloonflower]

I use all wire cages, with a nestbox for mine. I think you're looking for different, but if I can assist I will.

 

[3riverschick]

Hi balloon flower,
I was thinking of "off the ground hutches with four legs" that have like a wood house with a wire run or something. one house for each rabbit .does that sound like a good idea?
The rabbits are a New Zealand /Florida White mix.
Best,
Karen

 

[balloonflower]

Personally, I went with the wire style because of the ease of cleaning. Urine, fur, pests, mites etc can't get into wire. I can powerwash, burn, sanitize, air out everything. I also built stackable ones, so I can utilize more space. Some I keep in the garage and some I keep in the yard, and am in the process of building a roofed leanto out of pallets to protect from elements. Downside is dumping the catch trays, but they give me lots of flexibility on where I put the cages.

I think your thoughts would definitely work, though I'm not sure about how to truly sanitize the wood portion. If I were, I would use a wire bottom for sure, and still install metal urine guards around the perimeter of the wood box portion to keep things a bit cleaner. I think I would use wire bottom in the box part too--you can always add a resting board if you want solid for winter, but it would help w ventilation. I would maybe go 24" deep (you don't want to try and reach further) by 24-30" on the run part. Maybe 12" for the box part. 18" tall.

Honestly, the other nice thing about using a nestbox is that it can be removed to check on kits, or even brought in during inclement weather if needed. If they just nest in the box portion of a hutch, you would have to transfer them.

 

[3riverschick]

Thanks a lot balloon flower, this is really helpful!
Best,
Karen

 

[hensareus]

We have wooden frames with steel roof that the the wire cages slide into. As @balloonflower said, you can clean the cages easily, and if you need to move somebunny, you just take the whole thing out; and the frame is off the ground on legs as you mentioned.

 

[CertifiedChaser]

I'm sure this has been asked before but I don't have time to scroll through all messages right now but how often do you breed your rabbits? I'm on the guinea pig board here and apparently it's safe to breed them constantly and I was wondering if rabbits were similar. I know that a lot of people give their rabbits breaks between litters but what's your guys' input on this? Should I give them breaks between or is it okay to let nature take its course?

 

[balloonflower]

Lots of different opinions. It really depends on your purpose for breeding. If you're breeding to sell, then it depends on the market and how many are needed. If breeding for meat, then you'll probably go a bit more often, as long as you have grow-out space. For show, or specific traits would be a whole different thing. And then it depends on the doe--health, weight, Etc....

Personally, I started for meat, though have found such a strong market for silver fox that we haven't harvested any yet. I breed my doe when the kits are 5-6 weeks old, as long as she seems in good condition and her weight is maintaining properly. To me that's most important. My original plan was to have two does, alternating. But one was so cranky that I sold to someone without kids who just wanted a breeder. I have two juniors that should hit breeding age/weight soon and then my senior doe will probably get a break. I only have so much grow-out space.

 

[Higher Ground Rabbitry]

As I understand it, the shorter the break, the quicker the doe wears out. Some commercial meat breeders rebreed before weaning the previous litter, even as soon as 2 weeks after kindling, and just plan on needing replacement does in a couple of years. Others, especially show breeders, will leave the babies with the doe longer, maybe 6 weeks, and still give the doe some time after weaning before breeding.

Since our barn isn't climate controlled, the summer heat is too hard pregnant does and the dead of winter is too hard on the newborns. So we try to get a litter or two in spring and again in fall, then they get a break in the "off" season. It depends on your particular setup. And how much grow out space you have!

 

[FMF1986]

Those of you free ranging or providing time out in the garden, how do you deal with parasites? I plan on trying to raise a litter of rabbits this summer and I'm concerned about how to balance their quality of life with parasite control. I've heard rabbits kept on the ground need dewormed. Is this necessary in your experience? If you deworm, how to you factor the time in for withdrawal and processing?

 

[Athena2344]

I am raising a pair of breeding meat rabbits. they are on our front porch (4ft from front door) and they are in two story hutches. On 1/30/18 i had my first litter born of 5 kits. All of them are alive and growing like weeds. As far as i can tell, they are flemish giant x checkered giant crosses, both parents are about 10lbs, and the kits are wighing in at about 2-2 1/2 lbs currently. I plan on getting another hutch and doe after i sell this litter, i have so far bought 2 50lb feed bags in about the last 6 months to a year. I also buy Slims carrot treats and offer them as much timothy hay as they want. When i get my new hutch, i will be moving the buck off the porch into a fenced in area on wood. My male and hutch i found for free, and my doe and her hutch cost $30.