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rabbits - care and feeding | (Read 348 times) |
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Nina
Posts: 18
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April 29, 2008, 04:52:04 PM |
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Raising rabbits for meat...
Presently I have Rhinelanders and today added a California buck for bigger size.
I use the wire ( with hay layer over it) , solid floor method of housing.
Since I have rabbits that are suppossed to grow to 8- 10 lbs I do not want them walking only on the wire
cage bottom and hurt their feet.
I house males with males and females with females. Pregnant does get their own private area
in nose touch reach with the rest of the females.
I feed them a diet of gathered wild fresh greens, vegetable pieces, good hay and plenty of clean water.
Maintaining a clean area under their cages insures no foul oders...
Rabbits are a good healthy souce of meat that can be produced in small yards...
yet there is a lower consumption rate of this meat souce in the US than in other countries...
I raise for our own table... any one else out there raising rabbits, for food or anything else?
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paul wheaton
Administrator
Posts: 1338
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April 30, 2008, 06:48:28 PM |
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I have never raised rabbits, but I did do a lot of reading about it.
Rabbits have the best feed to meat conversion.
One of the things I did a lot of research on was raising rabbits without the traditional cages. A common technique was to have an area about 50 feet across with a 2.5 foot high chicken wire fence and a trampoline.
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Nina
Posts: 18
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May 02, 2008, 09:26:44 AM |
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I have been investigating using other methods than traditional cages also,
especially for the bigger breeds that I hope to breed up to.
Since I live in a high predator area, I have been doing research on making an indoor warren
with covered runs going out into nature.
The Permaculture Activist mag. ( winter 07/08) has a good article in it by Katherine Kirby
on the subject.
I do not like having to house animals in cages... but until I get them a building safe to
live in I will have to keep them there.
For those new to raising rabbits, this is the time to stock up on food for the winter for them.
Dandelions, Stinging Nettles, new leaves ( not big old ones) from trees, and other wild greens can be
gathered , dryed and stored for consumption in the wintertime.
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paul wheaton
Administrator
Posts: 1338
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May 02, 2008, 12:58:59 PM |
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Do you have a livestock guardian dog?
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Nina
Posts: 18
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May 03, 2008, 08:39:15 AM |
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Paul,
on this property..
I raise sheep, goats, ducks and rabbits in this area it is a must to have at least one LGD.
I have 5 dogs.. all expected to work..( also all beloved members of our family!!)
I have a dog for my orchard to keep out the deer and protect the duck house situated inside the
orchard, I have an LGD for my sheep ( and home ).. she is very large and protective.
I have an Icelandic sheep dog for herding, and two rat terriers for mice ( mole and vole ) control .
However.. with all of these dogs, not one of them will protect from eagles, hawks, or owls..
and these are the predators that I fear when it comes to open runs for rabbits.
But since I want to get into the much bigger rabbit breeds, I do need to figure out a way to house them
in a humane and comfortable and safe way.
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Nina
Posts: 18
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May 12, 2008, 10:18:05 PM |
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Ben,
what kind of rabbitt do you excuse me, your daughter have? 
I have ( now) Rhinelander ( 8/9 lb), California and California X ( 9-11 lb) - and a Flemish Giant X New Zealand Buck and Doe ( 11- 15 lb).
I find the Rhinelander the wildest- least handleable- , the FL G.X NZ the gentlest and the California and the Cal. cross
somewhere in the middle oin temperment.
If I was choosing a pet rabbit the Flemish X NZ would be my choice.
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Ben Souther
Posts: 27
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May 13, 2008, 02:54:02 AM |
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Not sure with this one.
In the past, we've bought dutch bunnies.
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Leah Sattler
Administrator
Posts: 593
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July 20, 2008, 06:38:36 AM |
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I raise one for fertilizer.  My daughter would never permit him to be eaten.
me tooo....and my daughter too. I have thought someday we might raise a few for meat. what is the meat like from a domestic rabbit? I have only had wild and I haven't been terribly impressed but maybe I just need better recipes. do you have any?
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Put a bit of sunshine in each day;
Others need its cheer and so do you-
Need it most when outer sky's dull gray
Leaves the sunshine-making yours to do.
-"scatter sunshine" Jaunita Stafford
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Charley Hoke
Posts: 66
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July 20, 2008, 10:25:12 AM |
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There used to be a restaurant near me that served rabbit, the domestic variety, not sure what kind. As I remember it was very tasty, maybe similar to dark chicken meat.
I haven't eaten wild rabbit since I was a boy, I do remember that like squirrel we usually had it in a stew. I seem to remember that by stewing, it not only tenderizes the meat but also removes much of the wild gamy taste.
The only other ingredients I remember being added were carrots, potatoes and onions.
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