So this is something I've been giving a lot of thought to over the last few years.
I almost did it a few years ago before we rented the land next door. But then came the sheep and our meat supply was sorted. Although it only happened once a year.
Since selling them I've been thinking about ways to replace that.
The idea of meat rabbits keeps popping up, especially as I follow lots of homesteads and farms in the US that do it and a few over here.
There are a lot of different set ups but the one that I really like the sound of is to pasture them in mobile pens. Much like I do with the chickens.
I was quite pleased with these pens, I have three I'm making at the moment. The idea being that you need multiple pens to keep the does and bucks separate.
I'll do a proper post on the pens if I find they work well. But basically they have a wider wired bottom to stop them digging out but allow them to eat grass, a sleeping compartment and a roof that lifts up to allow access to the rabbits.
I'm really not sure how this is going to work, rabbits aren't without their problems but I'm hopeful it should be an interesting project. The kids seem really keen on the idea and want to get involved.
The main trouble I'm finding is sourcing breeding stock that isn't the other side of the country. I have found a few connections now though so watch this space!
What do you think of breeding rabbits for meat?
Have you ever done it? Any advice?
Im biased as we have 2 pet rabbits that lead the life of Riley! Rabbits are hard work - unlike most people's assumptions. Keeping up with their wee and poo is a never ending job - they're susceptible to fly strike - their litter trays fill up daily. They may be prone to sore feet in your small wire bottomed cages too. I know yours won't be pets but obviously they'll still need to lead a comfortable and healthy life.
ReplyDeleteThe wire on the bottom is really quite wide, enough to let them have their feet on the ground hopefully. Moving them daily should help mitigate some problems but I'm sure they;ll be a learning curve that I'll have to adapt to pretty quickly. WE used to have rabbits growing up as pets many years ago and I can still remember cleaning them out.
DeleteMy mum served us rabbit as a child, I don't like the taste, but they are a lean meat.
ReplyDeleteI've had rabbit that tastes amazing and equally some rabbit that does not! I'm hoping that farmed rabbit means we'll get to choose the age and so we know then how it should be cooked to suit it.
DeleteDon't do it. I was under 11 when Mom got talked into raising rabbits for one of the local restaurants. Now, rabbit is lovely to taste, easy to cook & all that but they have problems. They're temperamental & will easily kill their own offspring.They get diarrhea diseases & intestinal blockages so easily. They make lovely pets but poor livestock in my opinion because they are poop eaters & spread disease quickly. They also don't produce the type of meaty carcass we like - they're divine for soup but your usual rabbit gives you two thighs & one big meaty breast. That's it. Oh, and on butchering day, when you tie them up by their back feet, they will cry like little babies because they know what you're doing. It only took one butchering day for Mom & the kids but Dad was tough - he made it trough two. We loved rabbit but never raised them again. Mom decided chicken was a much better deal.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping these would eb easier to process than a chicken. I can skin a rabbit in minutes but it takes me ages to pluck a chicken and even then my wife pulls a face as if to say I haven't plucked it properly!
DeleteI think it's one of those things that I'll have to try as I've been thinking about it for so long. If it all goes wrong I'll let you say I told you so!
Dan mentions meat rabbits from time to time so I'll have to show him your hutch design. We saw one where they kept the hutches over compost piles, which seemed like a good idea. But being able to graze a is a better option.
ReplyDeleteI just don't like the idea of them being off the ground, although I can see why people do it that way. Hopefully this should cut feed costs and let them have a more natural diet as well.
DeleteI agree with Sharon. Best take her advice. They're prone to illnesses and less meat output compared to chicken. One thing not specifically mentioned is the cute "fuzzy pet" factor. Much harder for a child to experience the harvesting of a sweet looking bunny. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree. I definitely feel that rabbits aren't good pets for children anyway. They're strong, lively, fast and can bite. Most children wouldn't be able to handle them safely. The animal shelters are full to bursting with ones needing homes. Such a shame that people think they're an easy option. Most get stuck in hutches 24/7 at the bottom of the garden - so cruel.
DeleteI'm not worried about what the children think on this one, they are remarkably adapted to this lifestyle and even surprise me in knowing what things are for. They always want to be involved on processing day and are excited about the rabbits and what that'll mean. They already knwo these aren't pets.
DeleteI do worry about their friends opinions though and remember my own childhood and justifying my shooting with people who didn't understand the need to control pests.
Good luck with this. Rabbit used to be raised quite commonly for home meat. We used to get wild rabbits that had been shot as pests quite often, that may be an easier source of free food without the commitment. I found them easy to clean and skin. I still have a few skins in the freezer; thinking of tanning them 'someday'.
ReplyDeleteI do shoot but find it hard to find the time. I'm hoping that in this way we get to have the rabbits at the right size and as they're meat breeds they should be bigger. I've always found them much easier to process than chickens as I just hate plucking them and never seem to get them really free from feathers.
Deleteoops...a rabbit tractor and not a chicken one. i read the comments and i'm staying out of this one. haha!
ReplyDeleteHaha! Maybe for the best!
Deletemy mum grew rabbits for the table in the 50's. and kept hens which we eat after they went of the lay. She stopped when we started being old enough to know were the meat came from and started to refuse to eat it. I have been a veggie for over 50 years.
ReplyDeleteThe kids are under no illusions of where our meat comes from at the moment and get involved at every step. Whether their opinion will change over time I don't know but I hope they see that our animals have a good life and are respected.
DeleteI used to buy meat from a local rabbit purveyor called Alison Moon. She partially raises her meat rabbits in 'portable field shelters' much like what you've built. I think she's since moved her operation out of California and up into Oregon, but still sells meat here locally as I regularly receive missives about the meat rabbits in my email inbox. A bit more information on 'The Rabbit Lady' & an email address for her here: http://maltese-americanscsf.org/docs/About%20The%20Rabbit%20Lady.pdf
ReplyDeleteOhh, interesting. I'll give it a look. There is a few doing these rabbit tractors now so I hope its something that will work. Thanks for the link!
Deletekev if you don`t get rabbits have you thought of quail they sell very well here there is an industry getting off the ground and there are eggs too.they don`t seem to have too many problems just a thought nana from down under
ReplyDeleteQuail is another one I keep thinking about. I used to keep a few when I lived on my parents farm but they always had death wishes! more from banging their heads. It's another one I keep saying I'm going to try so watch this space - maybe in a year or two!
DeleteCheck out Living Traditions or Cog Hill Farm on Youtube. They both raise meat rabbits successfully. A plus is that rabbit manure can be used directly on beds without composting. I am not a meat eater myself, but I think it is a great choice in combination with chickens for those that do.
ReplyDeleteThose are two of the channels that I've watched on this subject! It seems to work well for them. Living traditions did a great series on keeping rabbits and put everything really clearly. both great channels and a great recommendation thank you!
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