when can rabbits be put outside?

[kylen2007]

Thanks! We are starting with just the one but plan on moving up to meat rabbits once we get all of our stuff set up for our meat birds. This past year we kept them in the coop with the layers but they definitely need their own area. Trying not to take on too much at once. Baby steps. Question if they are in a wire cage in the barn do I need to put something inside the cage for them to sleep in or to put hair or something with them for warmth?

 

[Weehopper]

New Zealand's, and Californians, or a cross of the two are about the best for meat. Good meat to bone rato, and good growth rate. There are several other breeds of rabbits that are used for meat, and fur also, but the New Zealand's and the Californians are at the top of the list. These are the breeds the commercial breeders use. I used to raise Rex rabbits. They are a meat/fur rabbit. They were slower growing than the commercial breeds, so it cost accordingly to raise them to butcher weight. Also, just so you know. You won't find a healthier type of meat to eat than rabbit. No fat, no chloristrol.

 

[Weehopper]

Also, most rabbit breeders keep a flat board, untreated, that's about 15 inches long, and about 8 to 10 inches wide in the cage for the rabbit to sit or lay on when they want to get off the wire. Otherwise their feet get sore. You also must clip their toenails. Some people just want to keep a nest box in their cage, but the problem with that is the rabbit will more than likely not only hang out there, but will use it for a bathroom too. So the only time you use a nest box is when the doe is ready to have her babies. Then it's nice to put some white shavings with straw on top of it for the doe to make a nest. She will pull fur and blow it into the straw to make her nest. It goes on and on..I love rabbits as much as I love chickens.

 

[Weehopper]

I strongly recommend that yoy Google your Ohio State Rabbit Breeders Association. I would join the club. Through them you will be able to locate other breeders in your area. I would buy from a breeder. There may even be a breed club near your home. These clubs are great resources for you. Loads of information to be had. Also, you can go to the American Rabbit Breeders Association on the net. Lots of breed info. There also. Rabbit people are nice, and like chicken people, once they start talking about their animals, you can't shut em up. Lol. American Rabbit Breeders just finished their annual National Convention. I believe they had over 18,000 rabbits shown this year. A popular hobby.

 

[kylen2007]

Wow thats incredible. That is exactly how I found this breeder. They breed new zealands. They have black, white, and broken. They have a few other breeds but mostly for show not meat. They have been winning all kinds of awards at fair and are sold as 4-h quality. They also state their rabbits meet ARBA guidelines. Their website is really impressive and packed full of information. They seem to know their stuff. They charge extra to get the pedigree paperwork for rabbit. Do I need that for any reason?

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Wow thats incredible. That is exactly how I found this breeder. They breed new zealands. They have black, white, and broken. They have a few other breeds but mostly for show not meat. They have been winning all kinds of awards at fair and are sold as 4-h quality. They also state their rabbits meet ARBA guidelines. Their website is really impressive and packed full of information. They seem to know their stuff. They charge extra to get the pedigree paperwork for rabbit. Do I need that for any reason?

If you plan to show in 4h, then you shouldn't need the pedigree, but it may be best to check with a club or county extension office because rules do differ from state to state. If you plan to show at any of the larger shows, you may need the pedigree. Some people feel pedigrees increase the value of the offspring but if you are selling for meat and not show, that won't matter too much. I do think it's kind of annoying when people charge more for papers. It happens in the dog and horse world a lot and I never agreed with it!

 

[Weehopper]

Agreed. You really only need paperwork if you plan to show. But.....if you plan to do any serious breeding, even if it's just for meat, it is nice to keep records, just so you know how well your rabbits are performing. Makes it easier to keep track, since they (especially white and black) tend to all look alike. But, you could start your paperwork yourself. Showing the rabbits you purchase as the foundation stock. I have never heard of anyone charging extra for the paperwork, but then, the times they are a'changin'.

 

[Weehopper]

Something to watch that shows proper handling of rabbits. in it he is talking to judges about a new breed of rabbits that have come in from Holland. Just notice how quietly he handles the rabbit. http://www.atrba.net/thrianta-information.html

 

[kylen2007]

I love how that rabbit just sat there. It was really well behaved. My daughter is almost 4. So we have a few years before she can join 4-h. In Ohio you have to be in 3rd grade and 8 y/o. I have an 8 y/o son but he is into soccer and scouts and not wanting to join 4-h. Looks like time is on our side to allow us to figure out if rabbits are something she will be into and willing to dedicate the time to show them and take care of them. Currently I cant keep her out of the chicken coop. I think I may have a future vet on my hands. Another question... if I am keeping it in the barn until spring can I just purchase a wire cage until then or will it need an enclosed area for sleeping? Also if I decide to get my son one as well can they live in the same cage until spring or do I need separate living quarters? If I get two it would be a doe and a buck so I know I will eventually have to separate them.

 

[Weehopper]

She may decide she wants to get into chickens. Lol, or both! I will assume your babies will be at least six weeks old. I am unfamiliar with the weather in your area, so it is hard for me to advise as to how you keep them during the winter. As a rule, by the time kits are six weeks old, they are ready to be self sufficient; which means, a cage to themselves with a board to sit on. Rabbits have fur coats, so winter weather does not bother them much. As long as they are dry, with no drafts on them, they should be fine. If you are worried about cold, then a nest box of some sort can be added.. Shavings with a nice layer of straw to cuddle in. They also love to eat straw, which is fine. The more fiber, the better. They also gnaw on their sitting boards..that too, is fine. These days, I think they sell plastic sitting boards, which are more sanitary, and easier to clean. Just try to avoid placing sitting boards or nests in the corner they choose to use for their bathroom. Rabbits tend to go back to the same place to do their business when confined. Also, a rabbit is far more likely to die during the heat of summer. They can't take those fur coats off. So shade them well.
Personally, I would not house the babies together. A female Is capable of producing offspring when they are six months old. Sometimes sooner. And that is, really, too young. You should wait until they are closer to a year old. By putting them in seprate cages you are avoiding problems down the road. Bucks also spray when they are mature, so if they are side by side, you will want to put a board between the cages. That way the doe doesn't have to put up with that. I kept my bucks in a seprate aisle in my rabbitry. And I kept boards between my bucks, too. They will fight through the wire otherwise.
If you decide to breed for meat, I would suggest one buck, and two unrelated does. That way, one doe can rest while the other is having a litter. They are fully capable of producing anywhere from 4 to 10 kits every thirty days. The doe is ready to breed again as soon as she kindles. Lol another reason to keep them seprate. They breed like rabbits! In the wild she will kick the kits out of the nest at thirty days, and pop out another litter within a day or two.