Meat rabbits

[tater65ss]

What are the usual rabbits that are for meat. Any that are better than the others?

[IceFire]

There are several breeds of rabbits that are used for meat. The most common are Californians and New Zealands. Some other meat (and dual purpose) breeds include Cinnamon, American Chinchilla, Palomino, Satin, etc. What you are basically looking for is rabbit breeds that run in the 8-12 pound range for an adult rabbit. The giant breeds will get larger, but their meat-to-bone ratio is not as good.

Hope this helps

[tater65ss]

Thanks it helps alot I knew there were ones in particular that peole got but couldn't recall the name off the top of my head. Im probably going to pick a few up tomorrow.

[SurvivalMike]

Dont forget the Champagne d'Argent among one of the most popular dual breeds.

[IceFire]

I picked up two Californians today. A buck and a doe. Will give them a couple of weeks to settle in, and will probably be breeding them around the beginning of next month. In the meantime, will have to get them used to being handled a little more, so they don't get too nervous when I'm out there tending to garden and "fertilizer removal" chores.

[stairman]

Heres a site with lots of bunny info.http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/forumdisplay.php?f=14

[GeoGuy]

If I'm not mistaken, my buddies and I have decided on the New Zealand. It matures pretty quick and gives you a good amount of meat. We have not raised our rabbits yet, but that's what we've decided on.

[letsgetreal]

Originally Posted by IceFire

I picked up two Californians today. A buck and a doe. Will give them a couple of weeks to settle in, and will probably be breeding them around the beginning of next month. In the meantime, will have to get them used to being handled a little more, so they don't get too nervous when I'm out there tending to garden and "fertilizer removal" chores.

You are on your way , my friend...........does come into heat every 28 days, you put her in the buck's pen( that's a Kodak moment in itself) and then get ready for several babies.......most are good mothers........now, the trick is, to put them in the freezer at 12 wks.....they'll feed off of mom for most of the time......when they begin to eat pellets, it's time.

[letsgetreal]

Originally Posted by ThoughtfulWolf

If I'm not mistaken, my buddies and I have decided on the New Zealand. It matures pretty quick and gives you a good amount of meat. We have not raised our rabbits yet, but that's what we've decided on.

NZ, Floridian, Californian....all are good meat rabbits( meaning food to meat ratio)........the Flemmish Giant is more bone than meat.

[tater65ss]

I am going to piuck up 2 or maybe three californians also. I was going to get a couple NZs but that fell through.

[letsgetreal]

Originally Posted by tater65ss

I am going to piuck up 2 or maybe three californians also. I was going to get a couple NZs but that fell through.

OK, meat rabbits.........the only difference is climate.........NZ are more hardy in cold climates..........so you Northern folks, go with NZ......Californian,,,Cali climate.......but for us Southern folk, the Floridian was bred to handle our hot, humid climate( they cool off thru their ears)......

[stairman]

Interesting about only the parent needeing pellets and once weened the young rabbits are ready for the freezer. Thats very economical!! also rabbit poop is the best manure for fertilizer.

[letsgetreal]

Originally Posted by stairman

Interesting about only the parent needeing pellets and once weened the young rabbits are ready for the freezer. Thats very economical!! also rabbit poop is the best manure for fertilizer.

Oh man, hang the cages off the ground, let the poop hit the ground, worms come up, put in some chickens, they eat the worms, put the rest on your garden, feed the stalks( from the garden) to the rabbits, you have a complete eco-sytem.

[LuniticFringeInc]

Dont forget to consider Florida Whites. They are simular to NZ but slightly smaller in frame compared to the NZ's, but they produce nearly as much meat due to the much smaller bone structure resulting in more meat per a pound of feed over the larger breeds. Smaller Rabbit, requires smaller housing and less feed yet produce a comparable amount of meat.

[IceFire]

Originally Posted by letsgetreal

... you put her in the buck's pen( that's a Kodak moment in itself) and then get ready for several babies.

Yeah, since the weather yesterday did NOT cooperate with finishing the refurbishment of the big double hutch, I had to put the buck in with the little 4-year old neutered dwarf rabbit (who is about 1/2 the size of the 4 1/2 month old Californian buck)...the first thing the dwarf did was try like heck to hump the bigger newcomer! It was hysterical! So much so that my husband just HAD to take pictures of it and send to our daughter. Well, about all that accomplished was to teach the newbie what humping was all about...so the two boys spent the next two hours trying to hump each other They've FINALLY stopped, but at least the buck will know what to do when breeding time rolls around

[wootie]

Build your hutch off the ground at a height that is convienent for you. Make sure it has a good roof. The doe will need a nest box for the babies. Run a ring of conc (4" thick) blocks around the hutches and stock red fishing worms. They will compost the manure. The hides can be tanned if you want to try to make fur. Dig a post hole in your garden, add a 2" pvc pipe to the bottom. Square up the hole and backfill with layers of manure hay and soil. plant tomatoes, cukes or melons and water through the pipe. Luck.

[mmwb]

"NZ, Floridian, Californian....all are good meat rabbits( meaning food to meat ratio)........the Flemmish Giant is more bone than meat."

That sums it up. All will produce meat, but your best feed to meat ratio will come form the three listed above. You will butcher before they reach their largest size as there comes a point where you are putting too much feed in for the return. If you are buying feed, this adds up in cost. If you are gathering food, it adds up in labor. There are some good books on raising meat rabbits. Go to the local library and start searching other forums.

[random_weed]

Rabbit meat is most tender around 6-8 weeks old. I think they only get tougher after that. We raise NZ's only.

[tater65ss]

got three california whites today. 1 buck and 2 does.

[IceFire]

Here are some pictures of my hutches and rabbits. The "breeding pair" are Californians, and they are 4 1/2 months old. Good solid meat rabbits. The doe is in the double hutch, in the right-hand compartment. She likes to hide out in the nest box, though. The double hutch is the one where I had to replace all the wire, hardware, and paint. You can see the original color inside the nest box.

Double hutch.jpg
Doe in nestbox.jpg

This is the buck that will be the babydaddy. Sorry you can't see more of him, but he's busy stuffing his face.

Buck.jpg

This little guy is Snowball. He's (we think) a Dwarf Netherland. He's 4 years old, and is just a pet. He was part of the "package deal" when I got the double hutch.

Snowball.jpg