Rabbits for food

Daleo8803

Daleo8803

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Has anyone raised rabbits for food? I'm looking into a cheap easy meat that I can raise at home and the rabbit seems to fit the bill. Any advice? Breeds? Easy housing? Thanks
 
Rabbits good. Makes good jerky and Indian candy too. I like the livers. I raised silver fox for the fur and meat.
 
You want New Zealand Whites. I had a buck and 3 does where we used to live. We didn't eat chicken for years and had more rabbit than we could eat. Very tender and all white meat. They are low maintenance and only need a hutch to live in.
 
Awesome. Sounds like a plan. Does anyone have a pic of the hutch they used? Do you have to keep the females separate? I plan on keeping the buck separate and breed the doe's as needed.
 
Daleo8803 said:
Awesome. Sounds like a plan. Does anyone have a pic of the hutch they used? Do you have to keep the females separate? I plan on keeping the buck separate and breed the doe's as needed.
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Yes, adult rabbits will fight and kill each other.

Predators can kill rabbits while still in the cage. The rabbit becomes so scared it will run around the walls of the cage and break it's back. Had one die this way from a dog.
 
I have drawn up a plan for a rabbit hutch. The "runs" would be 3 foot by 2 foot. The nest box would be 1 foot by 2 foot. The box would have floor area of 4'x2'. If that makes sense for one female rabbit. Would that be enough? Can't find a solid space needed for each rabbit online...
 
Search 'how to raise rabbits'. There is a ton of info - not like in the dark ages when I had to buy a book. I don't remember what size my cages were. I do remember that the wire for the floor was a different size than the sides & top. Commercial hutch kits are available but I bought 'rabbit wire' and made my own. Hung them about 3' off the ground. Feed & seed stores will have some supplies and may be able to point you to a place to buy your bunnies.
 
My neighbor raises Giant Chinchillas as a business selling to fancy restaurants. Best bang for the buck they say.

I am in the planning stages of getting started raising some for personal consumption and dog food supplements. Will be interesting to see how this works out as the wife is raising our chickens like pets..
 
I'd be open to this but I think I would have a hard time getting my wife and kids on board. Try explaining to a 3 year old girl where half the rabbits went. If anyone has some extra meat, I'd like to try it though.
 
I found a plan online for a hutch that would be easy to build. It's in the shape of a triangular prism. The floor is mostly metal so I could place it on the ground in summer for them to get fresh grass if I wanted too. Also found that it is very easy to raise wheat grass for them to supplement their diet. A buddy is getting me some wood. I will have to wait and see what he gets so I know what I need to buy. I also found that alot of people use a hopper popper to put the rabbit down easy, breaks their necks cleanly. This is shaping up to be a cool project. I hope next year to plant a small garden and the rabbits would help with the fertilizer :)
 
Yeah, we raise them for food.

But you are gonna be feed dependent. Sometimes you can help out with garden scraps and trimmings.

If you raise rabbits as a hedge against a SHTF type scenario, you have to make sure you have an alternative feed plan. They are not like chickens. You can NOT free range. They'll all be dead in day. You can't even use a "chicken tractor" type mobile cage. They'll dig out within minutes.

Our alternative feed plan is taking a scythe to the hay field.
 
thrillhill said:
Yeah, we raise them for food.

But you are gonna be feed dependent. Sometimes you can help out with garden scraps and trimmings.

If you raise rabbits as a hedge against a SHTF type scenario, you have to make sure you have an alternative feed plan. They are not like chickens. You can NOT free range. They'll all be dead in day. You can't even use a "chicken tractor" type mobile cage. They'll dig out within minutes.

Our alternative feed plan is taking a scythe to the hay field.
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How much meat can you get off them? Maybe I should ask it this way....I have a family of 5. How many rabbits would I need to support that size family?
 
I'm getting ready to post a rabbit cleaning thread in the "kill and grill it" section tomorrow. That may explain more.

But, you have to remember there is virtually zero fat on a rabbit.

Google "rabbit starvation".

Hence, rabbit should only be part of your protein intake during normal times and of course more so during hard times.

Meat per rabbit varies. One 8 week old can make a good full meal for 5. Especially (but not necessarily so) if you like liver.

If you keep at least 4 or 5 breeding does and 2 bucks you can explode that after the balloon goes up. New liter every 30 days. IF IF IF IF your does are experienced breeders. Ostensibly, within six months, 6 rabbits could be made to feed 300-400 folks monthly if you could feed them.
 
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I have virtually nothing intelligent to add to a rabbit thread but this...

There is a restaurant in SanFrancisco called the Stinking Rose. Everything on the menu has garlic. Lots of fresh garlic. I always ordered 'Bugs' when I lived out there. Rabbit cooked with tons of fresh garlic. Yum.
 
spittinfire said:
I'd be open to this but I think I would have a hard time getting my wife and kids on board. Try explaining to a 3 year old girl where half the rabbits went. If anyone has some extra meat, I'd like to try it though.
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I asked @thrillhill kids about that when they were younger. They said it was ok, they only eat the ones that bite!
 
My wife is the prepper, not me.. She's been talking about raising rabbits for meat, but come to find out? She's never eaten rabbit, I have but dont remember what it tastes like since it was back when I was a kid. Went to Harris Teeter today for stuff, and they used to stock rabbit chunked up into large stew meat size pieces, but not anymore.. Guess I can google what its tastes like,, I know both her and and I dont care for venison.
 
helpertoo said:
New Zealand would be my recommendation based on my previous life in Idaho - they are tender and they "breed just like rabbits." When I had them, I used a tractor that was basically 2' tall by 6' wide and deep with chicken wire on the outside (except for the bottom). Move them every couple of days and make sure they have water. Harvest when they get above three to five pounds.

Processing is pretty easy - watch out for them claws (like cat's claws) and do not mind the little scream - knock them in the head with a hammer. Dressing - there are many methods and wives tales... Start here: http://www.artofmanliness.com/2014/04/16/how-to-field-dress-and-butcher-a-rabbit/

Make sure that you get all the hair off of the meat and vacuum pack before you put in the freezer and you should have continuous meat for all year with a couple of bucks and does.
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OK, that was interesting. have to tell you right now.. Im not a hunter, call me a Nancy boy all you want? But Im not pulling guts out of an animal. The rest of it Im good with. Talked to the wife,,She's ok with the guts part, but doesn't want to kill or skin it.Sounds like between the two of us we can make this happen..
 
Sneakymedic said:
I think @MacEntyre raises them for food. Maybe...
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Definitely!

thrillhill said:
But you are gonna be feed dependent. Sometimes you can help out with garden scraps and trimmings.
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My daughter and I have fed them 100% from plants foraged from chemical free yards in the neighborhood for years. Dandelion, broad and narrow leaf plantain, wood sorrel, white and red clover, kudzu, thistle, backberry vines, rose vines, mulberry branches with leaves, wild grape, wild violet, wild strawberry, chicory, plus garden greens like kale, spinach, carrot tops, beet tops, lettuce, but no nightshade plants like tomato. Feed yer does plenty of cilantro and dandelion to enhance milk production. We also get scraps from grocery stores. I only just started supplementing with pellets (she's gone to college). One full plastic grocery bag per rabbit per day... it can be a lot of foraging!

thrillhill said:
You can't even use a "chicken tractor" type mobile cage. They'll dig out within minutes.
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Only the does... bucks don't do that. Anyway, I use 2"x4" welded wire on the floor of rabbit tractors, works ok. Flattens down the plants you want 'em to eat, but they will eat.

spittinfire said:
I have a family of 5. How many rabbits would I need to support that size family?
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Assume average litter is 8 kits, and average dressed weight of rabbit (no head, skin or guts) is 6 to 8 lbs.
If'n ya want cook a rabbit twice a week, you need to breed one buck and three does.

Each doe is bred on Day 0, gives birth on Day 30, feeds kits for 2 weeks and rests another 6 weeks, to be bred again on Day 90. Each doe gives you 4 litters a year. You could breed 'em the day after they give birth, so that one doe would have 12 litters a year. If'n ya do that, they will wear out fast.
 
Lager said:
OK, that was interesting. have to tell you right now.. Im not a hunter, call me a Nancy boy all you want? But Im not pulling guts out of an animal. The rest of it Im good with. Talked to the wife,,She's ok with the guts part, but doesn't want to kill or skin it.Sounds like between the two of us we can make this happen..
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When you are hungry, you'll get past a lot of things. Don't worry about it now.
 
spittinfire said:
I'd be open to this but I think I would have a hard time getting my wife and kids on board. Try explaining to a 3 year old girl where half the rabbits went. If anyone has some extra meat, I'd like to try it though.
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Need to go hunting..... or Harris Teeter... your choice...
 
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I'm working my neighbors rabbitry while they go on a hunting vacation. 11 or so does, most with week old litters and 4 bucks. Pretty net learning the biz and it will certainly make it less intimidating when we start our ops here at home, hopefully in the spring.
They have a barely growing op putting out enough to feed all the rabbits and supplementing 9 head of cattle. I bet 85% of the labor is in the grow room but it is really cheap and very nutritious feed.
 
Alot of awesome info guys! I'm picking up wood now to make the hutch. Can't beat free ;) now to get the fence... Man that stuff is expensive! Lol
 
Bailey Boat said:
...wild rabbit is better, firmer meat and better taste.
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Wild rabbit is malnourished compared to colony raised or 'domesticated' rabbit. They are much smaller and leaner. It's a tough life, bein' a wild rabbit!

BTW, I strongly object to raisin' rabbits in cages. They thrive in a small 10'x10' run connected to a hutch, especially the kits. I have plans for a complete 10'x10' wire hut, totally enclosed, of me own design, that costs less than $300 depending on where you get materials.
 
thrillhill said:
Google "rabbit starvation".
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I was going to point this out. I remember watching a Survivorman (Les Stroud) where he cautioned against eating them exclusively. Sounds weird/counterintuitive, but it's a thing:
"Protein poisoning (also referred to colloquially as rabbit starvation, mal de caribou, or fat starvation) is a rare form of acute malnutrition thought to be caused by a complete absence of fat in the diet."
 
MacEntyre said:
BTW, I strongly object to raisin' rabbits in cages. They thrive in a small 10'x10' run connected to a hutch, especially the kits. I have plans for a complete 10'x10' wire hut, totally enclosed, of me own design, that costs less than $300 depending on where you get materials.
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Any chance you might-wanna-maybe-would share your plans? Maybe a hutch thread of it's own.
I am very interested in something different, my recent exposure is with wire raised. Coming from only having pet rabbits 40 years ago I don't much care for wire but they appear healthy and content for their short lifespan but it sure as heck isn't any fun for the breeding stock.
 
Yes I would like to see your plans for a run. I think it would be a good idea but I think you would have to put 2x4 fence on the ground to prevent dig out.
 
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