Livestock Raising meat rabbits

Sterling

Contributing Member
I searched and couldn't find anything, unless I missed it.

I'd like to raise rabbits for fun and profit, or at least to add an additional protein source into my diet and be more self reliant.
I haven't a clue where to begin, but i got a book ordered from thrift books which is supposedly really good Sperry's guide to raising rabbits.
Other than that, any ideas where to buy rabbits to beeed? Tips and suggestions?
Love to learn from the experts around here what works and what doesn't.
Thanks!
 

Cardinal

Chickministrator
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Just remember that rabbits don't have a lot of fat on them. So they are more of a supplementary source of food.
 

Jackpine Savage

Veteran Member
We've raised New Zealand Whites, just got rid of them last fall before some traveling.

Contact your local 4H club, they can probably point you to some breeders.
 

mecoastie

Veteran Member
We are in the process of getting a trio of them. They are in fairly high demand right now. Look at it more for fun than profit unless you have a readily avail market. I know of several rabbitries around us that tried and failed due to lack of customers. Also make sure you can process them. They are pretty cute. The deal with my daughter was she had to process a couple before we seriously got into looking. There are a number of good books on the subject and as above ping your local 4-H. We got our 2 rabbits that we processed from a local 4-H kid. He was thrilled to sell a couple. We are looking at Silver Foxes.
 

John Deere Girl

Veteran Member
We've had Cali's, new zealand, Flemish, rex, dutch, and Florida whites. I like the Cali's the best for meat to bone ratio, but I like color so we usually have a mix of breeds. Talk to someone in your local feed store, and they will probably recommend someone. I'm definitely not a expert, but I'm happy to answer any questions.
 

mecoastie

Veteran Member
THe cages we built are all wire and each is 2x4. Good news is we may have found some!! Got a line on 2 does and waiting to hear back about a buck. THey are the breed my daughter wants and are all papered!! Fingers crossed.
 

DustyOpal

Contributing Member
I have been raising meat rabbits for about 10 years. We have NZW crosses right now, but I'm in the process of getting a breeding trio of purebred since ours are getting older. I have 3x3 cages so they have plenty of room, but I'm so short I cannot reach the back of them. :lol:

I hope your new adventure goes well!
 

Sterling

Contributing Member
Cool! Good luck! I just got the wire and clips to build my cages... Still got to build the hutch to hang them in.
 

mecoastie

Veteran Member
Cool! Good luck! I just got the wire and clips to build my cages... Still got to build the hutch to hang them in.
Our long term goal is a combined chicken rabbit house. Chickens 1 side/ rabbits the other. Probably not until next summer at the earliest. Our stop gap for the rabbits is a Harborfreight 10x10 Portable Shed. They are 130.00. I could probably cobble something together with the stuff I have lying around but this gets it done and is one less thing to worry about. We have one as an extension to our current coop for the chickens to have more room in the winter. It has held up great through 2 winter so far. Only down side is it cant be locked but if it gets that bad the rabbits will be in the attached garage.
 

mecoastie

Veteran Member
Well we have them in the Portable Shed. With the 3 cages it is cozy. We are definitely going to have to stack them once we start breeding. Already making me rethink the size of the combined shed. Was hoping to stay under 200 sq ft to avoid a permit but I don't think that will be possible.
 

briches

Veteran Member
Well we have them in the Portable Shed. With the 3 cages it is cozy. We are definitely going to have to stack them once we start breeding. Already making me rethink the size of the combined shed. Was hoping to stay under 200 sq ft to avoid a permit but I don't think that will be possible.

I’m just seeing this thread. What kind of setup did you end up doing? How’s it going?
 

briches

Veteran Member
I searched and couldn't find anything, unless I missed it.

I'd like to raise rabbits for fun and profit, or at least to add an additional protein source into my diet and be more self reliant.
I haven't a clue where to begin, but i got a book ordered from thrift books which is supposedly really good Sperry's guide to raising rabbits.
Other than that, any ideas where to buy rabbits to beeed? Tips and suggestions?
Love to learn from the experts around here what works and what doesn't.
Thanks!

What did you end up doing?
 

mecoastie

Veteran Member
I’m just seeing this thread. What kind of setup did you end up doing? How’s it going?
Still in the portable shed. No issues. We have built a rack that holds 4 cages. We will be adding a second rack on the other side for a total of 8 cages. The portable shed is going to become less portable as we are going to put a meta roof and sides on it this spring. The shed covering has taken a beating. Held up through the winter which is good. Had our first litter so the second rack is a priority now.
 

Freeholder

This too shall pass.
I want to make a point about 'rabbit starvation,' which is something that seems to come up every time rabbit meat is mentioned. The people who died of rabbit starvation were lost explorers, in the middle of the winter in the far north. They were starving before they even started eating rabbits, and -- perhaps more importantly -- the rabbits they ate were at the worst condition of the year, in the hungry part of the winter, so they had no fat on them. Furthermore, they weren't even the same species as domestic rabbits (can't interbreed). Second furthermore, the explorers had nothing else to eat.

We, on the other hand, are not starving to death, nor are the rabbits we eat (domestic rabbits I've butchered all had gobs of fat on them). And it's pretty rare that we have nothing else to eat besides rabbit -- if that did happen to be the case, it would probably only be briefly, not for months on end. And our domestic rabbits are not the same as the arctic hares those explorers had to eat; they tend to carry a lot more fat.

So hopefully we can put the 'rabbit starvation' myth to rest for once and for all!

Kathleen
 
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