Raising our New Zealand Meat Rabbits *Start to finish - Birth to processing* Possible Graphic pics*

[kacklinkelly]

I priced several feed stores and found that an old country store that also sells hay was the best price. I think it was about 23.00. Timothy hay is plentiful around here. I've read where people only pay pennies on the dollar for it. I guess it has to do with where you live and who your source is. Of course Walmart by us sells it but the package is the size of a loaf of bread for $10.00.

 

[Kusanar]

Sorry to bother you again, where exactly do you get hay from? I've been shopping around for places to get hay in larger quantities and can't seem to find anywhere!

I have horses, regular field grass hay is only around 2-3 dollars a 50 pound bale, alfalfa is probably 6-10 dollars a 50-60 pound bale. Dairy cattle eat very high quality alfalfa, you might be able to ask some cattle people if you could buy a small amount off of them. We got a 6x6 round bale, around a thousand pounds or so, for around 30-50 dollars from a dairy farm.

 

[kacklinkelly]

We were out of town for a while handling a serious medical situation for a loved one. REturned this Tuesday to find a baby kit on the floor of our bunny barn, wiggling around. I was shocked because I had no idea anyone was bred. (at least not purposely) Found lots of fur in one of our immature doe cages along with another kit. She and her sister (

I mean brother) were separated too little too late) I felt terrible. I hadn't prepared the cage with baby saver wire or provided a nest box. The person taking care of them while we were gone said there were no babies on Monday. The kits were born the same day we returned. (thank goodness) I only found two, provided a nest box. Have given mom some special treatment as far as feed goes. The next day went out to feed the buns in the morning and three more kits came out of hiding. Also on the floor wiggling. I was and still am shocked. We have 5 kits. 3 days old. Only two seem to be getting fed. I think the nest box is too big and they are spread out too far due to how hot it is here. I have supplemented 3 of them twice. Am hoping that I can shorten the nest box and that will give the kits a better chance of staying closer together and obtaining mother's milk. Will keep an eye on them. I feel that since they survived the fall to the floor and wandering the barn for a day or two, I can do my best to provide them some supplements until Mom can feed them all. She is only 5 months old. NZ X. I would not have bred her purposely due to her young age. Fingers are crossed.

Am not sure I will be able to use them for their intended purpose after all this TLC. May have to find pet homes.

 

[Hansbear]

If I may make a suggestion on pens setup that I build. I use 4 of the 24"X24" havahart cages connected together build a frame for it to sit on that extends 12" beyond the back (24"X 36") the extension is for nest box. I build a roof on top. If you ever have to move the hutches you can remove the legs and roof and walk away with the cages.

 

[Hansbear]

This website has been helpful for us in treating rabbits.
https://riseandshinerabbitry.com/?s=Medicinal+herbs&submit=Search

 

[gabattens]

Hey all! I wanted to ask for some help! We have a rabbit she's a year old my daughter wants to put her in a small local school rabbit show, but we done know what kindve breed she is or her exact "coloring" I need some help from you experts because basically the "Easter bunny," brought us our sweet spoiled rotten girl and she is our house bunny who's litter trained and full of spunk! But I don't know how to fill out this form with the technical terms because we are new about this rabbit stuff and I don't know anything about her breed.

[/IMG]We got her from our local hardware store, and she has an ear tattoo but none of the other rabbits did and she was a dark brown but now she has beautiful coloring and a sweet personality. I hope you all can help us so I can get her forms filled out for my daughter to do the rabbit show with brownie this will be their first event and my daughter is 10 and loves animals. Thanks again

 

[gabattens]

 

[Bunnylady]

I think what you have there is one of the ARBA's most recent additions - an Argente Brun. The name translates "Silver Brown;" like most rabbits with silvering, they start out solid colored and get lots and lots of white hairs mixing into the coat as they mature. There are two similar breeds, the Creme D'Argent and the Champagne D'Argent, that have been around for quite a while, but brown is a new color in this country (they originated in France). Pretty much commercial in type, they generally weigh between 8 and 10 lbs.

This breed's acceptance is so new, it didn't make it into the most recent printing of the ARBA Standard of Perfection, so they made the breed standard available online:
https://www.arba.net/PDFs/SOP_2016.pdf

(hope that helps!)

 

[BantamLover21]

Hey all! I wanted to ask for some help! We have a rabbit she's a year old my daughter wants to put her in a small local school rabbit show, but we done know what kindve breed she is or her exact "coloring" I need some help from you experts because basically the "Easter bunny," brought us our sweet spoiled rotten girl and she is our house bunny who's litter trained and full of spunk! But I don't know how to fill out this form with the technical terms because we are new about this rabbit stuff and I don't know anything about her breed.

[/URL]We got her from our local hardware store, and she has an ear tattoo but none of the other rabbits did and she was a dark brown but now she has beautiful coloring and a sweet personality. I hope you all can help us so I can get her forms filled out for my daughter to do the rabbit show with brownie this will be their first event and my daughter is 10 and loves animals. Thanks again

Looks like an Argente Brun to me, too. Great find at a local hardware store; they are a new and still rare breed in the United States.