YOU ARE TAKING RAISING RABBITS A LITTLE TO FAR. You can also earn money from rabbit pellets (fertilizer) as well as rabbit pelts and fur! Not only does it provide better nutrition for your family but it is also the right thing to do. Males and females must be housed in different cages. As you can see, coccidiosis can be a very serious rabbit disease. They may look a bit strange at first glance, but Flemish Giants are easy to fall in love with as pets. If you wonder how much to feed a rabbit (adult rabbit, baby rabbit or young rabbit) you are in the right place. The "run" may be far larger than necessary but I'd rather have too much space than too little, personally. And as icing on the cake my field gets fertilized the whole while. According to the House Rabbit Society, "one guideline to go by is at least 8 square feet of enclosure space combined with at least at least 24 square feet of exercise space, for 1-2 rabbits, in which the rabbit (s) can run and play at least 5 hours per day." Every mouthful of treats reduces the amount of the pellets your rabbits eat, which increases the time they need to grow to harvest size. While a skilled person can do cervical dislocation with bare hands, a tool called The Rabbit Wringer makes it foolproof, even for beginners. :) Have fun raising some rabbits and understand they have been raised for 3,000 years as food, hunted for thousands more. Those types of cages are also designed for pets... if you have 20-30 rabbits at a time you just can't keep it clean or safe. ft.) for exercise. You cannot sanitize the dirt ! I grew up on a farm and raised a bit of everything. Tony. We have had excellent results using a Flemish giant as a terminal sire, producing a big, fast growing bunny when the mother is a New Zealand. Each doe or buck should have a hutch that's at least 3 feet long, 2 1/2 feet deep, and 1 1/2 or 2 feet high. Here in Wisconsin, it is common for the rabbits to be inside a shed or barn with good ventilation in all seasons. Remember, animals being raised for meat need and deserve a healthy life. I am OK with people eating animals, I just think that if you do eat/use animals it is your duty to ensure that their needs were met beforehand. Old wives tails say that you must not handle the babies because the mother's will reject them. Remember these are supplements, and too much of a good thing can cause digestive problems. I suggest well -meaning Americans discard the methodology of barbarism for which the Asians are notorious. If we as a culture accept that some animals are worthy of having their needs fulfilled (humans) while others are not (non-human animals), we will continue to be a violent culture that fights wars, tortures people and animals, and destroys our environment. I've also tried the solid bottom cage and the poor rabbit has to sit in it's own filth. Rabbits need a proper space to eat, sleep, hide, jump, dig, and play. Reduce the heat and cook for 5 minutes. Since rabbits are among the smallest animals used for meat, space isn't often a problem. For meat rabbits, each cage should be about 3 feet square and 2 feet high to give the animals plenty of room to move around. We keep our rabbits in all-wire cages with a floor area of 2.5 by 3 feet. Also my brood stock are more or less pets as long as they're healthy and able to produce I fuss over them but I won't let animals suffer, and if it comes to an animal having difficulties and sicknesses that leave it diminished i am a firm believer in putting it down. Check out VET RESOURCES. Especially when comparing to larger meat animals such as cattle or hogs, rabbits are much more efficient space users. For two good homemade cages, see the Mississippi Cooperative Extension Service’s plans. Does that sound safe or like a happy life for a Farm rabbit? TO CrimsonRoseDesai: (it won't let me reply to your post below) Rabbits are NOT rodents! That's rabbit factory methods. Incredibly so; the protein content is 21% — and the meat is highly digestible. Feeling safe, rather than wandering around a huge enclosure, is what they need. Clinical signs are reduced appetite, depression, abdominal pain and pale watery mucous membranes, but they can be absent in older rabbits. Roasters are 10 weeks to 6 months old, between 5 1/2 and 8 pounds live, and will dress out to about 3 to 4 pounds. Meanwhile you can research some of the ‘fun’ newer breeds such as Creme D’argents or silver fox or a new breed that is being developed such as Altex. I was unable to find any size guidelines for colony raising rabbits when I first started researching, so I started with all three rabbits in it. Within a few hours, they will not be in the nest box, but this does not mean that they are rejecting the babies. More can be raised per year, but then it becomes a bit tense in the rabbitry and much more work by you!! The severity of coccidiosis depends on the number of ingested oocytes. Rabbits don’t need much space to be comfortable. Compared to hogs or cattle, rabbits use much less space! Rabbits need at least 12 square feet of enclosure space. Compare that to the dressed yield of 400 pounds for an average year-old beef steer. And he should be able to stretch out, even have a little hop around. Debra lives with her family on a five acre hobby farm in northeastern Wisconsin which she often describes as ‘short on hobby, long on farm'. Using sound judgment to be more self-reliant. I just dropped 500 in my first coop for my first chickens. If you decide that you really do not like rabbits, after all, you do not have an overwhelming investment. Wouldn't you be high strung if you were forced to sit down your whole life in a tiny cage of sharp wires without any shoes and weren't able to stand up or run around, ever? The metal tool attaches to a wall and provides a hands-free way to secure the rabbit. Hope others might find this useful. And, just like all rabbits, Flemish Giants need a bonding partner, so you should ideally have the space to accommodate 2 rabbits. However, it will take work and you will need a profitable business plan. What should you feed your rabbit? Is rabbit meat flavorful? It IS cruel to keep a rabbit in a small wire cage all of it's life. Hope others might find this useful. How large should a rabbit hutch measure? I grew up on a farm and raised a bit of everything. Rabbits need the space to turn around and stretch out, even in a cosy hutch. I recommend starting with a good quality pair or trio of a standard breed until you get comfortable with the process. 3. It makes then feel safe to have a small protected space. I have a goat that is trained to do tricks and she snuggles with me. Before you start producing rabbits, you must identify your market. I HAVE RAISED RABBITS FOR MANY YEARS AND NOT ONE OF MY RABBITS HAS BEEN MISTREATED OR ABUSED LIVING OUT SIDE IN A WIRE CAGE. For instance, Austin’s ordinance limits slaughter to one animal per week, per tenth of an acre. I have seen it time and time again in my years volunteering with rabbit rescue. Archaeologists have found proof that the Romans raised meat rabbits 2,000 years ago, so people have known for centuries that rabbit meat is delicious. They need the extra vitamins and fat content of the pellets to be a good production doe. I breed my does in the spring and then again in later summer or early fall, giving them time to get back into shape after nursing hungry kits. Also, if the rabbit is able to access or is allowed to be in his or her own wetness or droppings, you have a problem. Rapp should know: He’s been raising rabbits since he was a child. I didn't think I needed to state the obvious. Flemish Giant rabbits are much bigger than your average-sized rabbit. Check out the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy’s (ALBC) list of breed associations and clubs. So if rabbits need a good amount of space to live in, how much space does a rabbit need? Cold weather will invigorate your… You may also use the Bill Me option and pay $17.95 for 6 issues. hutch or cage, is 12 square feet (1.1 square meters), for example 6'x2' (1.8mx0.6m), with the addition of a larger area (32 sq. Rabbit-Safe Litter Because of their fur, hutches can be placed outside, as long as they are protected from prevailing winds. Rabbits also use feed more efficiently than cows do: According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a rabbit needs 4 pounds of feed to make 1 pound of meat. My does will be bred in February for March kits. 7. Any farmer will tell you you have to interact with your animals no matter the space you designate for them to live in, and you do what you can to keep them healthy. Rabbit meat has very little fat so takes a delicate touch not to overcook the delectable meat. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until sauce is reduced to 2 cups, about 6 minutes. Waterers and feeders are best purchased commercially. A more detailed explanation can be found at Michigan State University Extension. For ease of cleaning, build troughs from 55 gallon plastic barrels cut in half to hold both the droppings and urine, or you could use a shovel, rake and wheelbarrow to clean the floor under the cages. they also need to have at least 16 square feet. Bravo Mother Earth News!!! It has a 56 to 58 percent ratio of live weight to finished weight.”, Silver Fox (Critically Endangered): “A nice, meaty rabbit. https://thepaleomama.com/2015/09/22/how-to-raise-pastured-meat-rabbits Butchering can be intimidating, and I will leave that for other posts. Rabbit meat is very low in cholesterol and is low in fat. (Just like chicken treats are a supplement to a healthy chicken diet.). I myself do not eat meat, but I wholly respect people who harvest their own animals and who do so consciously, with respect for their birth-right of living a life that is true to their species. Rabbits *will* use a litter box, on their own, so it is quite easy to keep their pen clean. As you gain experience, you can find further information from breed registries and commercial sources. Compared to hogs or cattle, rabbits use much less space! Thanks again for a wonderful article! RABBITS ARE NOT PEOPLE AND THEY CANT LIVE AND HAVE THEIR BEING LIKE HUMANS DO. Once born, we usually leave the nest alone for a few days. A rabbit colony is where rabbits are raised in groups, sometimes on pasture, with all the rabbits, including the males, living together. However, be aware that the stress of continual breeding to achieve more than six litters per year may shorten the life of your does. Remove the rabbit and, in the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low and brown 2 tablespoons chopped shallots, stirring occasionally. Local co-ops’ feed may also be fresher. According to RabbitBreeders.us, a single commercial doe can produce offspring to yield 300 # of meat per year! I have NZWs and Flemish Giant. People can justify it all they want, but they are not seeing the rabbit with clear eyes. YOU NEED TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK ON RABBIT RAISING OR ASK A RECOMMENDABLE BREEDER. I appreciate anyone listening. The cages should be protected from predators and the weather — in a garage or outbuilding, for example. A sustainable lifestyle is one that can be maintained and controlled through work you do yourself and is an eco-friendly way to live in conjunction with the world.. One way to embrace a sustainable lifestyle is to grow and raise your own food sources. How you decide to raise your pigs depends upon what you have to work with, land and facilities wise, and … They should also have at least 24 square feet of exercise space. The Rabbit Wringer holds the animal securely so it can be quickly and correctly dispatched. The perfect butchering age is around 8 weeks of age. Otherwise, wonderful article! Even experienced owners have some difficulty with this, so expect some mistakes. This is the one season when you may not want the ceramic or pottery crocks because the freezing and thawing can break them. There are 52 weeks in a year.A litter every 8 weeks means 6.5 litters a year. I do put in a resting board for them to sit on so their feet don't get sore. Great article, but a lot of misinformation here. Rabbit Breeds, Basic Rabbit Care and Interesting Rabbit Facts, Introduction to our Runner Duck Crew at Ice Station Duck Patrol, Homestead Geese – Easy to Care for Barnyard Protectors and Weed Eaters, Best Laying Hens – For Beginners, White Eggs, Brown Eggs, 6 Ways to Get the Musty Smell Out of Clothes and Towels. as rabbits are very playful and smart and get extremely bored and depressed when not intellectually stimulated. Now the fun can begin! If a doe is pregnant, she will vigorously avoid the buck. I tried to be a vegetarian because of my love of animals but got deathly ill. It's okay (and healthy) for your rabbits to eat their droppings. All is good on those wire cages as long as there is a resting area. We prefer goat meat to sheep, but at the moment either is too expensive for us to consume. That's if all goes perfectly and you wean at 4 weeks.. That's an early age to wean, and your doe needs to kindle a litter at the same time as one is weaning. there is nothing wrong with that. You can discern the type of cooking by their names! Before you rush out and buy your rabbits, you need to figure out where you’re going to keep them. “We studied pasture-finished rabbits under a Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) grant, looking at New Zealands and other breeds,” Rapp says. Ordinances that limit slaughter frequency may do so as a function of farm or lot size. Ceramic or pottery crocks are easy to clean, and wire feeders have screens at the bottom to get rid of dust from the feed. That’s much higher feed costs, and lengthening the time that your investment might die. Can you bleach it or spray it with Lysol? At MOTHER EARTH NEWS for 50 years and counting, we are dedicated to conserving our planet's natural resources while helping you conserve your financial resources. As for the article having a lot of misinformation, not sure where that comes from, overall a reasonable primer aticle for rabbits, maybe not exactly how I would do it but nothing fundementally incorrect. At first it can be difficult to imagine that a rabbit would be content living in an all wire cage. The lip on the nest boxes kept the babies from accidentally ending up on the cage floor, and the nest boxes were much easier to clean. As for keeping them indoors and using a litter pan some rabbits use it and some don't... especially the boys who like to mark their territory. THEY WERE CREATED TO LIVE OUT SIDE. Braised rabbit dishes like this one, served on creamy polenta, are classics in many cuisines. If high production is not a goal, they can be fed kitchen scraps and forage food. i agree with you on all of it. If you should choose to bone-out your butchered rabbits, expect between 1 to 1-1/2 pounds of meat from a 4 to 4-1/2 pound rabbit. Thank you. There can be huge profits made in raising rabbits. I am deeply offended that you say I'm cruel to my farm animals because I don't keep them in the house.... well if that is the case how many cows ducks goats pigs do you have in your home? I understand that people eat meat and I'm not going to tell anyone they can't, and certainly raising meat yourself is far more sustainable than buying it at the store. Sounds to me Heidi should learn a little more about rabbits before she spouts off against a well written intro to raising rabbits. Also, please do not inbreed or overbreed your animals. They do a little better in hot weather. NOT IN THE HOUSE. There are lots of breeds of rabbits and their size can vary greatly, but according to the Michigan State University Extension Service, you should allow anywhere from about 1.5 square feet per rabbit for those animals under five pounds to five square per rabbit for those … I also have to wonder how rabbits survive in the wild if it is so impossible to raise the rabbits without all the wire's and cages and under such close supervision. Don't expect that much meat unless you plan to replace does yearly. She is not ready for breeding. Eventually, the manure may be one of the most surprising benefits of your rabbitry. Rabbits require a hutch for shelter. Timothy hay as a treat helps stimulate bunny tummies, and they love treats such as carrots, apples, and whole sunflower seeds. The wire hutches can cause sore feet, so a plank or a piece of carpet can provide a place for your rabbits to rest. First off the arguing in the comments is both hilarious and childish. Alternatively, in more permanent colony pens, hardware cloth can be buried straight down on the sides of the pen to prevent the rabbits from digging out or predators from digging in. Brown the rabbit pieces in a large skillet with 3 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. A quick downward pull on the hind legs and the rabbit dies immediately. Mary states, “I mix rabbit pellets with dairy sweet feed that we give to the goats.” It has been shown that lactating does (especially with the size litters Mary talks about), need a good 18% protein pellet to support adequate milk production. A bacteria found in dirt or an area where there is a lot of unsanitary ground. I would say that non-human animals can surpass human intelligence in many ways. I will leave you with this: one of my rabbits was rescued from a breeder, living in horrific conditions. This means you will need a larger breed so it will be a decent size by the 8-week mark. Hinge the cage doors so they swing inward, so your rabbits can’t accidentally push them open. They are easier to handle, and you are able to better observe them if something is wrong. I was unable to find any size guidelines for colony raising rabbits when I first started researching, so I started with all three rabbits in it. Pregnancy is from 28 to 32 days for does. They are lagomorphs. This can easily be done and there are many plans available on the internet, however I oppose keeping rabbits outdoors. SINCE WHEN IS CRUELTY SUSTAINABLE? NOT TRYING TO BAN RABBIT BREEDERS. "Hotot" [breeds are] very high strung?" I love this I need to see different types of rabbit cage, Your email address will not be published. don't have an online I do have farming experience and I do have a lot of rabbit experience. Meat rabbits are an excellent animal to teach you about a life of animal husbandry. Inspection of the feces often reveals blood and threads of mucus. Rabbits have extremely nutritious milk and only nurse two to three times per day. Rabbit meat has a very clean, mild taste. It is a favorite meat of the French. This means you will need a larger breed so it will be a decent size by the 8-week mark. Coccidiosis. Kept in cages is good if you want clean healthy rabbits. They must be in the shade, especially in warmer climates. And as icing on the cake my field gets fertilized the whole while. Not great mothers. I feed rabbit pellets, hay and have mineral salt licks attached to each cage. Like to read more content, Join the Mother Earth News Community Today! I also would feel guilty not letting them live in their normal habitat, with access to fresh foliage and room to move. It is available in much the same range of colours as the Netherland Dwarf. Sad part is they are wonderful creatures but they are not my pets. I move these hutches twice a day in my field giving the rabbits fresh hay to graise on along with their pellets. Most rabbits are very calm and easy mannered. Having raised rabbits for 45 years, never had a rabbit with sore hocks in that time, and always raised them on wire floors! replenish available hay a few times a day) so that your rabbits get all the fiber and roughage needed.
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