Wanting to get rabbits any tips???

[GentFarmer]

I only sell mine as meat or breeding stock to other ARBA rabbitries/members. And I do the processing. I won't sell a live rabbits.

Don't get me wrong, there are hazards and regulations there, too. But owning/selling rabbits come with a lot of technicalities and loopholes. There are caveats to a lot of regulations, but in most cases, you'll be more informed than the people enforcing the laws.

 

[cockoftherock]

Are Flemish giants and either White CA. FL crosses a good choice fir personal meat rabbits? Also should I go fm white x m flg or fm giant x m white or does it matter?

 

[chicken farmer]

I only sell mine as meat or breeding stock to other ARBA rabbitries/members. And I do the processing. I won't sell a live rabbits.

Don't get me wrong, there are hazards and regulations there, too. But owning/selling rabbits come with a lot of technicalities and loopholes. There are caveats to a lot of regulations, but in most cases, you'll be more informed than the people enforcing the laws.

Alright,well kinda like I said I'm just wantin to get a couple rabbits in a hutch in the backyard as pets and might do a little breeding every now and again. So pretty much pets but of course I'll breed them every now and again and sell the kits when they get weaned and bigger of course as pets/meat/breeding/4-h or what ever and I know someone thats has a few different breeds of rabbits I know her real well and she said she has some new zealand whites and they are pedigreed because pretty much all she sells is for showing. And of course there not gonna be like a couple rabbits in a hutch behind the garage you forget about I'm gonna have it in the backyard and have a big hutch with a wire wall in the middle and there box in the back with there wire cage/pen in the front then for each cage I'm gonna get 2 bowls,a couple toys,salt wheel,hay rack,hay ect so they will be good pets and like I keep saying probably do a little breeding and selling.

 

[cockoftherock]

Anypne???

Are Flemish giants and either White CA. FL crosses a good choice fir personal meat rabbits? Also should I go fm white x m flg or fm giant x m white or does it matter?

 

[SA Farm]

I'm not a fan of flemish giants so much myself. Takes too much feed to get the weight I want. CA/FL would be better in my opinion. If you are going to get different crosses, it really doesn't matter what the crosses are, more so what the size of their parents and potential offspring.

 

[4HDad]

If your aim is for meat rabbits, I would not mix the Flemish with the New Zealands. The Flemish Giants are very large rabbits, but the bone to meat ratio is very poor as is the food to meat conversion rate.

The New Zealand breed has been a specialized meat breed for a very long time. It has been specifically bred for a high meat to low bone ratio. It has also been bred for creating as much meat as possible from the feed.

Unless you are an experienced breeder trying to get a specific trait from one breed to another, why mix breeds? I don't mean to preach. I know alot of people randomly breed mixed breed rabbits, but I have seen what happens to a kid when they think they are going to show the rabbit they get in 4H or ARBA shows, but what they have doesn't match anything that can be shown. All I ask is give it some honest thought.

 

[cockoftherock]

No I appreciate ur feedback as with any hybrid its to get the best of both breeds It is good to go in educated that is why were here Thx

 

[GentFarmer]

If your aim is for meat rabbits, I would not mix the Flemish with the New Zealands. The Flemish Giants are very large rabbits, but the bone to meat ratio is very poor as is the food to meat conversion rate.

The New Zealand breed has been a specialized meat breed for a very long time. It has been specifically bred for a high meat to low bone ratio. It has also been bred for creating as much meat as possible from the feed.

Unless you are an experienced breeder trying to get a specific trait from one breed to another, why mix breeds? I don't mean to preach. I know alot of people randomly breed mixed breed rabbits, but I have seen what happens to a kid when they think they are going to show the rabbit they get in 4H or ARBA shows, but what they have doesn't match anything that can be shown. All I ask is give it some honest thought.

You really need to listen to what he's advising here. One of your stated goals is produce a rabbit you can sell as breeding stock. Any sort of cross is going to result in a rabbit that no one will want as a breeder.

No I appreciate ur feedback as with any hybrid its to get the best of both breeds It is good to go in educated that is why were here Thx

I think there's a disconnect here. It sounds from what you say that you are wanting to get two breeds of rabbits in the hopes of breeding ONE rabbit that has the best traits of both. As has been stated, though, I think you're going to end up disappointed. A Flemmish Giant crossed with a meat producer (like the NZ White or Californian) isn't going to simply result in a giant meat rabbit. Yes, the rabbits will display positive traits from both parents, but they'll also take on aspects you do NOT want. The Flemmish will reduce the meat/bone ration that makes the NZ White so desirable in the first place.

In my opinion, what you've expressed wanting from the beginning is a rabbit that is nice to have as a kind of pet, and a breed that you can also use as a source of meat. You've also expressed a desire to sell breeding stock. As a rabbitry owner, I'd just reiterate what I and others have said before: you've got hundreds of years of experience in these recognized breeds. Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, choose a single breed you truly like, and purchase your breeding pair there. You will still have the opportunity to breed desirable traits (you'll instantly see that some rabbits grow faster and fuller than others, so you selectively breed for those qualities), but you'll do so within a breed standard yielding much more desirable results.

 

[GentFarmer]

I'm sorry. I just realized the questions above were from two different posters. The writing styles were similar, and I attributed comments/goals from the OP to the previous poster. I'm sorry for the confusion.

 

[cockoftherock]

I was just going to apologize and point that out Im here to learn is all thx