Im so glad I chose to purchase her rabbits to start our rabbitry the buck is extremely friendly and the two does are fantastic mothers. Yes! If the breeder cant do that, look elsewhere. If possible, learn to butcher a rabbit yourself, or at least be shown the process before purchasing breeding stock. Pellets and Nutrition for Meat Rabbits If so how much? Can you feed a more natural diet to rabbits? I highly recommend that you process a fryer rabbit and feed it to your family before you start. Never use chicken wire because it can cause injury and will not protect rabbits from predators. Beginner Mistake: Most homemade cages and hutches have hardware cloth for the floor instead of 1/2x1 welded wire. Good luck in your rabbit raising journey. New arrivals are going to be a bit nervous for the first few days. There are many reasons people decide to raise meat rabbits food security, pet food, sideline hobby, and dietary concerns are just a few. Scruffed rabbits often become hand shy and will cringe or flee when you reach in the cage. The typical serving size of rabbit meat is 3 ounces, so if you buy a 2.6-pound whole rabbit and roast it, you can feed a family of 4 (provided you add some veggies and potatoes or rice). Offer pellets in J-feeders or straight-sided crocks. A lot of research has gone into formulating rabbit feed in order to provide the best balance for all stages of a rabbits life. Always double-check gender and teeth before buying a rabbit. Dont feed fruits or vegetables to rabbits under 4 months old. Dont buy the first rabbits you see. If the doe is receptive, she will lift her hindquarters when he mounts. In general, you should expect to feed 2.5 pounds of feed per pound of meat. Meats the best! What can I do differently? Unlike cages, there are infinite variables in a colony. Come feeding time (which is between 7-8 a.m.), I grab a large handful of the weeds, grasses, and scraps. They will probably be fine if you use a dehumidifier. Research alternative food sources. However they seem to be a good breed. After a week alone, you can put all the bunnies in a cage together on the pasture. It seems everything likes to eat rabbit. My daughter is bringing home a bred doe tomorrow, to begin a meat rabbit 4H project. Providing pellets or fresh greens during the . Broadcast the seeds in early spring and cover with a thin layer of straw. Rabbits sometimes stop eating pelleted food for a day or two when acclimating to a new home. Meat rabbits can produce 6 pounds of meat on the same amount of feed it takes to produce 1 pound of beef. Grass, weeds, twigs, and herbs are healthy additions. Ty!! One doe was proven but the other was a juvenile when I got her and has had two big, healthy litters now. If you plan to sell rabbits, this may be helpful:Rabbit sale laws in the US. I love good food and seeing things grow. Alyssa, Thank you for such an informative and professional website! can you help? Im a little less apprehensive to start my meat rabbits and feel a lot more confident now!!! Add a handful of hay or long grass for the rabbit to snack on. 1/4 pound of rabbit meat has 24 grams a protien vs peas have 8 grams protein per cup. Most homesteaders raise 4-5 litters a year per doe. If you are new to raising animals for meat, the final question you need to answer is whether you can bring yourself to go through with butchering. Cheap rabbits are rarely a bargain in the long run. Be prepared to cull heavily to weed out bad traits. It's a 16% protein, 2% fat, 17.5% fiber formula. Line hutch floors with 1/2x1 welded wire, not hardware cloth. Newborn bunnies are not dead until they are warm and dead. In that time frame, both our bucks have been snatched and we lost one of the two kits my other doe had. Give mom a treat and remove the nest box from the cage. All-wire cages for bucks and dry does measure 24x36x18H. Baby rabbits are called kits. Then, assume the doe is bred. Baby rabbits are very unpredictable. Afterraising, showing and breeding meatrabbitsfor 38 years, I still (like Mary), find I learn something new all the time. I have had problems with does immediately abandoning their kits, letting them die. We LOVE our Champagne dArgent rabbits. How Much Rabbit Meat Per Person? Rabbit Guide 2023 Rabbits become more relaxed and confident over time with gentle words and petting. Feeding Meat Rabbits Pt. 1: Overview of Rabbit Feeds, and How to Feed I do not recommend going pellet-free. Wonderful article. Then, they get the same amount of hay (sometimes they nibble on this, sometimes they eat all of it, and sometimes they just use it as bedding). You finally understand what it means to be part of the circle of life. Since I live in New York, I searched the internet for NY state law rabbit and NY state law rabbit meat. However, you can only work with what is in the genetic pool to begin with. How to Raise Pastured Meat Rabbits - The Paleo Mama Some good commercial strains do well at five months for first breeding. Dont breed two rabbits with the same fault or you will concentrate it in the offspring. 300 degrees for 1 hours). And small amounts of good quality commercial rabbit mix or pellets up to 25g per kg of the rabbit's body weight. As for a buck, search for local breeders on our Meat Rabbit Breeder List: https://breeders.homesteadrabbits.com/ Good luck! Small Pyrex bowls work great. Just make sure that there are no animal cruelty laws in your area that could land you in hot water. Any grass, timothy, or orchard grass hay that is safe for horses can be fed to rabbits, as long as it is free of chemical residues. Use pans or angled dropping boards to divert manure in stacked cages. Hanging cages provide better protection from rats and snakes which often climb the legs of hutches. Add a cage tag or calendar trigger to remind you to put in the nest box on day 28. This can lead to GI stasis or bloat. Best of luck to you and your husband in your rabbit-raising endeavors! Possibly. Rabbits are highly intelligent, loving little creatures. Our kits get weighed, sexed, and tattooed at 8 weeks. the problem is thisI have not found any good solid information on DOE cage size, Buck cage size and plans for nesting boxes for large sized rabbits. If using stacked cages, put bucks on the bottom so urine hits your legs instead of your face! Most folks feed a 16% pellet, which works alright if you are not pushing your does too hard. Florida Whites birth large litters of 6-8 kittens, reaching market-readiness faster than a lot of other breeds (probably third fastest on this list). What Needle Felting Supplies Do You Use for Sculpting? Loud noises and quick movements may startle them. Never feed wet, moldy, or fermented rabbit food. Im guessing the sweet feed Mary is feeding is somewhere at 9-10% protein. Wait two to three days and repeat if necessary. A pair of meat rabbits will produce 224 pounds of meat per year in a highly intensive breeding system or 112 pounds of meat per year in an average breeding system. Whew, that was a lot of info but I hope you are excited to raise meat rabbits. Never use water bottles in freezing temps. Provide multiple water bottles for cages of grow-outs. Thanks for the kind words. My husband and I are in the process of deciding if we want to add meat rabbits to our backyard homestead. Shame on anyone who raises meat Be very specific. Having a veterinarian, who is rabbit trained, is not an easy person to find. There is much to learn about raising rabbits for meat, but they are a perfect fit for any size homestead. I dont recommend using any chicken wire in the cage. Check the does vent for readiness before attempting to breed. Any rabbit can have a pedigree. This was awesome thank you we are just getting started! I hope you will be able to move forward with the help of this guide. Give her a nest box in on day 28 is theres any possibility she was bred. You will need to spend $355.75 for the cages and equipment and purchase an adult breeding trio (one buck, two does) that will cost between $100-150, which takes the total start up costs to $455.75-505.75, depending upon the cost of the breeding trio. Is Raising Your Own Meat Rabbits Worth It? - Family Farm Livestock Mom should nurse them fine after that. Angora rabbits require 18% protein to maintain good fiber growth. Meat rabbits are old enough to breed at 5-6 months. This shows the rabbit that you are in charge. Carefully remove the kits to a towel-lined bowl. You get more uniform growth and type, especially if you purchase good meat bloodlines. I give one teaspoon to one tablespoon, depending on the breed and individual needs of the doe. Keep good records and have a solid plan in place to keep track of breeding dates, nest boxes, weaning, etc. All sides must be at least 6 high to scrape off nursing kits when mom exits the nest. Glad to hear they are doing well. Small chunks of carrot, banana, or apple can be fed to nursing does to give them extra calories. What do you mean by abandoning them? What will my other rabbits think? Once you have some experience and successful litters under your belt, then you can look into other options. https://breeders.homesteadrabbits.com/. Rabbits should be fed in a similar pattern in captivity for optimal health. Earthworms love rabbit manure and quickly break it down into rich humus. Once she has kindled, you need to clean the nest. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I am a homesteading mom of 7. If this is the case, remove her after a few minutes. Flexible wire brushes or silicone brushes work great to remove dead hair. You shouldnt have any tooth problems as long as your rabbit has proper tooth alignment (top teeth overlap bottom teeth) and you offer free-choice hay. Usually sold or eaten if theyre a meat breed. Raising Meat Rabbits - The Complete Beginner's Guide Cage floors should be made of x1 welded wire. Some breeders add hay or straw to cages on very cold nights for insulation. Cover with vinegar or wine and water, equal parts. Good luck! I have heard mixed anecdotes on whether it is a good idea. Rabbits are prey animals. Choose heavy straight-sided crocks, water bottles, or bowls that lock in place. Commercial breed rabbits are bred for large litters, plump bodies, and fast growth rates. We wean our kits at 6-7 weeks old. Is a Pedigree Important When Buying Rabbits? Dont try to sneak rabbit meat into meals to trick your family it will only backfire. A cardboard box or dish pan will work fine. Rabbits will quickly destroy a box. Some cow hay is sprayed with a preservative that is toxic to rabbits and horses. Dump out all bedding and fur. Caged rabbits depend on you to give them a well-balanced diet with all the trace nutrients and minerals they need. Making Natural Clothing Dye From Vegetables. Scruffing is painful and tears the skin away from the muscle. Some breeds are dual purpose, thus maximizing their value. #3. If some are weaker and need food, remove the nest box and put the larger kits in a towel-lined bowl. They have white pelts and red or pink eyes. My hubby and I are planning on raising meat rabbits next spring particularly the Champagnes. Because rabbit is such a lean meat, cook it low & slow with a sauce or marinade. People raise them for meat, fur, hides, breeding purposes, exhibition, and as pets. Raise a few litters successfully before growing your herd. You can eat a 2 pound Polish or a 20 pound Flemish Giant. Required fields are marked *. They work great! Does with litters do well in 30x36 or 24x48 cages. Glad you found it helpful. The parent stock of that crossbred needs to possess good meat type (if that is the goal), and good productive capability. Thank you so much for this information. Just as you need to protect poultry from local wildlife, you must keep rabbits safe from raccoons, foxes, dogs, snakes, weasels, and rats. You are flooded with gratitude and respect for the beautiful creature which gave its life for your nourishment. Wet bedding leads to sore hocks and urine scald. Adult rabbits need about four ounces of food per day, while does with young require approximately eight ounces. Thinner fur and larger ears to facilitate heat loss. Grains such as these can be given as a top-dressed treat (I give a pinch of rolled oats to my bunnies in the morning.) Refer to our Nest Box page for more info: https://bharabbitry.weebly.com/nest-box-info.html. They have lots of meat on them and cook up nice and tender if the meat is handled correctly. Our kids love having lots of babies to cuddle but once fryers become scratchy hormonal teenagers, they completely ignore them. Check periodically during the day to see if she has delivered. Their gorgeous plush pelts come in a rainbow of colors. Thank you so much for your time and consideration. Check that both testicles have descended on bucks. Many people pay good money for pedigreed stock only to find that the breeder never gets around to sending them pedigrees after the sale. When making cages or hutches, avoid using wood if at all possible. Raising Meat Rabbits on Pasture: Intensive Grazing with Bunnies It keeps the digestive system in good tone. Store rabbit feed in a clean dry location and use within 3 months. In winter, rabbits handle cold temps fine as long as they are protected from wind and wet. Rabbits love to chew and will quickly decimate your efforts. Buy a few extra so you can easily swap them out for cleaning. First off, you have a decision to make: do you want the highest production possible or a more moderate production plan? The first doe had 3 kits that died in 3 days, but she had a double pregnancy (not planned) and had 8. If a doe is hard to breed, has tiny litters, a nasty temperament, or is a bad mom, either buy a new doe or replace her with a fast-growing girl from a successful does litter. If possible, offer hay in racks to keep it off the floor and minimize waste. 1/2 to 1 cup every day for a meatbreed (depending on each individualrabbit). Watch for 2-3 fall-offs then remove the doe, using towels if necessary. THANK YOU for putting this together so well!!! Be kind never put your rabbits on hardware cloth! Once they taste how good rabbit is, they are usually much more open to the idea. They harm no one. Though, make sure your hands are clean and free of perfumed lotions or strong scents before touching kits. Rabbits over 4 months should receive a daily ration of pellets. A successful fall-off this is what you are looking for. If you can't buy feed for your meat rabbits, you can feed them timothy hay, oat grass, a mix of other types of hay, weeds and lawn trimmings, and fruit and vegetable scraps. Typically, feeding 1 to 3 cups of leafy greens a day, along with an unlimited amount of hay, will be sufficient. They just need the nutritional support to take those kits to the weaning stage. If she begins nesting at that point, shes probably pregnant. Commercial rabbit breeders often palpate their does at 10-14 days to verify pregnancy. A swollen dark pink or purple vent means she is ready to go! Should you feed pellets? This reduces or stops bucks from spraying their pee. Im prepared for survival of the fittest in the most humane way possible, but would you recommend attempting hand-rearing for the rejects if moving them back with the main group doesnt work? Reduce the portion if there is still some left the next day. Published in Countryside May / June 2004 and regularly vetted for accuracy. Find a breeder with goals similar to yours. Rabbits quickly learn to dig out their feed in search of the elusive treats. #1. Unfortunately, cold chills run up your spine at the very thought of killing a rabbit. If a rabbit consumes too much fur, it can cause a blockage resulting in GI stasis (medical emergency). This was awesome! Many thanks for any information! The rabbits can have some common ancestry, but there should be plenty of differences as well. I know exactly how you are feeling. Always bring the doe to the buck for breeding. I breed to improve the type and fur on my animals. We use Fine-X feeders from Bass with screen bottoms. If you see blood pooled in their nails after warming, they are gone. Rabbits become territorial as they reach sexual maturity. Involve them in the cooking process. Female rabbits can have false pregnancies. Baby-saver wire or urine guards around the bottom 3 of the sides will keep newborn kits from crawling out of the cage. Avoid flip-top bottles with a pin in the nozzle and cheap bottles with skinny tubes. Unlike other livestock, you dont need land. What are we going to feed the meat rabbits? - Shaye Elliott They take up valuable floor space and young bunnies always manage to use them as a toilet. Good moms will give birth to their kits in the nest box then spend most of the day ignoring them. New York meat rabbit laws: You can process rabbits at home for personal use. Rabbit meat must be processed at a USDA or 5-A facility to be resold. Rabbits can be sold live from the farm direct to the consumer or butchered on-farm by the consumer with the farmers permission. You can substitute rabbit meat for chicken in most recipes. I also hope this helps answer the question what to feed meat rabbits for anyone who is new to raising meat rabbits.
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