It is our firm belief that whomever coined the phrase "Breed like Rabbits" was not actually breeding rabbits or we, as a culture, misinterpreted their meaning.
With the rise in interest for a more self sustaining lifestyle, MicroFarms, Farmettes, and Homesteads are growing at a rapid pace. The small farms movement is going strong. A
MicroFarming Overview can be found here. Rabbit is making a slow but steady comeback to the American diet. It is sold in many grocery stores across the country and was once as prevalent as chicken in the weekly meal planning of American families.
Livestock is a component to most farms and rabbits are a perfect fit for MicroFarming. Rabbits require much smaller habitats compared to most all other livestock including poultry. So once one decides they want to raise rabbits as a meat option what's next?
Habitat
There are several options for housing rabbits. How one is going to house their rabbits is a very important decision and needs to be established before moving forward. Some traditional options are
cages and
hutches. If you have a barn or similar enclosed structure then cages may offer you the most space. Rabbit breeds that are used for meat production will be on the larger side so the largest cage size is most desirable. Outdoor hutches are another option - ideally they need to be large enough and have an area that allows the rabbit to completely escape the elements as needed.
Colony style raising is becoming very popular and has its pros and cons.
We highly encourage everyone to do a lot of research on the different housing options to see what will serve your situation best. It is very important that the space needed per rabbit is respected in order to have healthy and happy rabbits. For larger rabbits ranging from 8-12# a minimum of 4-5 square feet of floor space with a minimum of 14" in height is the recommendation. A cage that is 36"x24"x18" will make for a very happy rabbit.
If bedding is needed, pine shavings are the go to choice. Cedar is a no no and saw dust can cause respiratory issues. Rabbits can be litter box trained as well using pine pellets - no cat litter, as again it can cause respiratory issues.
Location for weather purposes should be thought out as well. Rabbits do not tolerate high temperatures. Having them in a shaded area rather than open sun is going to help to an extent. In the harshest summer months frozen water bottles and cold ceramic tiles will go a long way in helping them stay comfortable and healthy. Heat can be a literal killer.
Just as high temps will have an ill effect so will freezing temps. Most breeds will acclimate as the seasons change but high winds can create a hostile environment that is not survivable. Rabbits must be able to escape the winds and any type of precipitation. Wet and cold will be a lethal combination.
Choosing a Breed
There are so many options when it comes to what breeds to chose from. Research, research, research is the key. Choosing a breed that matches your climate is important. Traditionally New Zealand Whites (NZW) and Californians (Calis) are the most recognized breeds for meat. When crossing these two you get a NZ/Cali and a fast growing meat rabbit. Many new to raising rabbits start with a pair or trio of these. We raise NZ/Calis and will be adding Creme d Argent this year. We raised them in the past and loved them.
You can find out about many breeds of rabbits suitable to raising for meat here
Livestock Conservancy Rabbit Breeds. Heritage breeds also offer the chance to be part of conservation efforts for endangered breeds.
There is a trend with a lot of small farms to add "Giant" blood into their meat rabbit breeding programs. Be careful if considering this - bigger is not always better. Giant breeds grow slowly and consume a lot of feed. The meat to bone ratio also does not match that of traditional breeds. The cost to raise to processing weight may not be in your best interest. Another consideration is if you have any future plans of selling to a processor they may state very clearly "no giant blood".
Feed
Rabbits dietary needs are easily met and there are couple options. Most common is pellet feeding. Choose a brand of feed that is both high in quality and readily available to you. Rabbits do not respond well to sudden changes in feed. Gradual transitions are needed to ensure health. Rabbit pellets typically come in 16% and 18% protein content. Most successful "rabbiteers" will suggest 18% for a better growth rate. Fodder feeding is another option for those wanting to cut down on feed costs or get away from a commercially processed feed. There is a great resource here if interested in learning more:
Beyond the Pellet
Keep in mind that feeding a fodder diet slows growth in comparison to straight pellets - so you likely will not make processing weight of 5-6# in the optimal 8-10 weeks. We plan on incorporating fodder this spring as part of the daily diet while still feeding pellets.
Hay is a very important
daily requirement of a rabbits diet. It helps with their digestive tract and with keeping teeth growth at bay.
Having a piece of wood to chew on is also important for healthy teeth.
There are some supplements that can be added to the diet routine for specific reasons.
Black Oil Sunflower Seeds (BOSS) is a great supplement in cold weather. It is a "hot feed" and a Tbsp daily in winter months is a nice practical treat. Just be careful to remember to use sparingly if at all in summer months.
Calf Manna is a welcomed supplement to pregnant and nursing does. 1 Tbsp daily is sufficient so a small bag will last a long time.
Papaya Tablets are helpful in reducing internal hairballs. Papaya tablets can be given daily for 1 week out of each month.
Of course leafy greens and vegetables are always welcome to a healthy rabbit's diet - here is a comprehensive list of foods that rabbits can have and ones that should be avoided:
Safe Foods List.
Breeding
What age one should start breeding a young doe will vary based on who you ask. Larger breeds take longer to mature than smaller/dwarf breeds. Many say around 8 months for larger (meat) breeds and we also hold to this practice here. Some will point to commercial operations that breed very young and "back-to-back" as justification for early breedings. My argument is that commercial/factory farming practices have already been proven to be epic failures and horribly inhumane.
Does do not "come into heat". They ovulate after mating. It is considered best practice to bring the doe to the buck's cage. This way he will focus on the job at hand instead of exploring new surroundings and she will not be territorial of her space. They may engage in a "round and round we go" chase before getting down to business. Bucks sometimes take a few moments to get the right end of things based on his experience level.
Does are not always "in the mood" and if she chooses to not lay still and "lift" for him this date may have to take a rain check. More experienced breeders might hold a doe or do a table breeding.
Ideally, at least three "fall offs" are desired to ensure a good breeding session. A "fall off" is unmistakable as the buck will literally fall over. If you have to ask then it probably did not happen.
Experienced breeders all have their own methods of breeding based on what works for them. Some say first thing in the morning and others say evening is best. Some will tell you to breed the pair again the next day as extra insurance. It is not advisable to leave a doe in with a buck unattended. Does have been known to literally rip off a bucks genitalia once she has had enough of his company.
Temperatures and daylight hours play an important role in successful breedings. High temperatures can make bucks temporarily sterile and breeding a doe in high temperatures could lead to a complicated birth and loss of litters. Many breeders adopt a no breeding policy in the heart of the summer months.
Shortened daylight hours can cause a doe to not be interested. She knows it is winter and not ideal circumstances to be having kits. If you choose to breed in winter months it is vital to make sure the doe has everything in place to be successful. Starting with, out of the elements housing and unlimited amounts of hay for nest building. Due to potential risks many breeders also opt out of winter breedings.
We feel that does who kindle in winter months should not have strikes against them for losing kits and even entire litters. We as humans are asking them to do something that is completely against their instincts and that causes stress. Rabbits have an extremely low tolerance for stress and can cause them to behave in ways that they may not under better circumstances. This behavior many times gets does labeled as "bad mothers" when in fact she may only be doing what nature dictates she do for survival.
Does "pull fur" usually right before kindling. The amount of fur a doe pulls will vary. Temperature plays a role - less fur in warmer - more fur in cooler. Sometime they will also pull more fur a day later.
Kits
If breeding was a success, then kits will arrive 28-31 days after, so mark your calendar. Some does will start nesting far in advance of due date. We have a Lionhead doe that starts a week after being bred. She chooses a corner and continuously works on it. So we make sure she has plenty of hay. It is not unheard of for does to start nest building 1-2 weeks prior to kindle date. So if she starts gathering hay or digging in the same spot - provide her a nest box. On the other hand many literally build a nest just before giving birth. If you are providing a nest box it is a good idea to provide it at least one week prior to due date. There are so many options for nest boxes - do your research and decide what might work best for you.
Not all does want to use the provided nest box. I have always felt it is somewhat presumptuous of us humans to dictate where a doe must give birth. There are so many stories of "she would not use the nest box and had the kits on the wire and they all died! She is a bad mom and we are going to cull her." The issue could simply be that she did not have an alternative to the nest box. Rabbits have very strong instinctive survival drive. We have found that making sure an expecting doe has plenty of hay will allow them to have the alternative of building a nest where they choose. If they choose to build outside of the nest box you can move her alternative nest into the box later. When we have a doe that we know chooses to not use a nest box we move her to a solid bottom cage a week before kindle date. With pines shavings and plenty of hay she can make a nest as she chooses and kits are not on wire. For us it is about having a successful outcome of a healthy litter of kits. There are many breeders who will not agree with this thought process and that is of course okay. Everyone must research and do what they feel works best for them.
Once the kits are here it is okay to check on them. It is a myth that the doe will reject them. These are domestic rabbits - they are used to all the scents in their environment including their caretaker. Take a quick count and make sure there are no stillborns that need removed. This is not uncommon.
Does only feed a couple times a day and they do not "hang out" with their kits. You will know they are nursing as kits will have firm little round bellies.
Kits can sometimes be "dragged" out of a nest while attached to a nipple. Having a kit guard on the front of the nest box can sometimes help with this but not always. A kit guard will keep kits from wondering out of the nest too soon though. A kit guard is simply a small piece of wood attached at an angle to the nest box entrance.
Kits can start venturing out of the nest as early as 2 weeks. They will start exploring, nibbling on mamma's food and learn to drink water in the ensuing days. If a nest box was used - turning it on its side so kits can easily go back to is helpful as they may not be able to climb back in.
Does will, of course, naturally wean their kits. Anywhere from 6 weeks on is typical. There are breeders that choose when to wean kits. We let our does decide. Sometimes a doe will tolerate her kits after weaning and others will not. She will let you know based on her behavior towards them. We always remove kits by 8 weeks and separate bucks from does into grow out pens.
So you have 8 week old kits - now what? Weigh them to see how close to processing weight they are - they may need more time. Make sure you have researched how to dispatch/process or find someone to show you if you are not experienced in this side of things. Another option is to find a processor in your area who will - for a fee - process them for you.
When to rebreed the doe is also going to vastly vary in opinion. Some will breed a doe back right after they kindle, some while kits are still nursing, some will right after weaning. This is something each individual needs to research and decide on their own. We give a break to our does in between litters.
This entry is meant as an overview - not a comprehensive guide by any means. It may raise more questions than it answers and that is a good thing. Doing your own research is the best way to learn and is much encouraged. Raising rabbits can be a fun adventure or a heartbreaking one depending on who you talk to. We have found it to be fun and rewarding and look forward to expanding.
Legal mumbo jumbo:
We are not Veterinarians - we are sharing information that we have
learned from those we feel are qualified as experts and what works for us. We strongly suggest that everyone do their own
research and decide what will work best for them
This post was shared with
Homestead Hop #13
so hop in over and take a peek!
I like to pre-measure all the ingredients. That way when I am interrupted umpteen times by the little saplings I do not forget what I have done. This will allow ingredients to reach room temperature and soften if needed. Also, everything is put back away and I feel like clean up is half done before I even starting! You will need 3 sets of ingredients for 3 separate steps. So here is the first set:
1/3 cup Butter (or margarine)
Cover with a tea towel and allow to rest for about 10 minutes.
