Rabbit farming

[shellyanne1987]

Does anyone have experiences with farming rabbits for food, it's something I've been thinking of recently.


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[bearded bloke]

I think most on here would think of rabbits as pets,that said there is ome info here >> Meat Rabbit Farming | eHow UK . Might be a good idea if you were to look at the DEFRA site incase there are any hoops you will have to jump through

[shellyanne1987]

Thanks, I would most defiantly check with RSPCA or someone as to if it's allowed and if so does it have any regulations, thank you for the link


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[Potstubsdustbins]

Are you thinking of producing just for your family or as a commercial venture as the difference in requirements is quite enormous.

To give you an idea a friend of mine Brian had a commercial unit some 40 years ago and his main shed was 20ft wide and nearly 60ft long.

[Nicos]

* WARNING* DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE UPSET ABOUT EATING RABBIT MEAT!

If it's just for your consumption and 'selling' a few onto friends, then one or two does would be plenty- obviously kept in separate hutches. Plus one male , or the 'use ' of a friend's male bunny.
The gals will probably produce around 6-8 babies per litter and after 8 weeks will need their own hutches. Usually the gals can be kept as a pair for a while, but the boys would need to be kept seperate as they will fight .
If you are on a buget then having to feed a male for 3 'quickies' a year doesn't make sense...but he would probably end up being your pet bunny.

'Dispatching' is done between 16-20 weeks generally. So you'd need enough separate hutches in the unfortunate enough event of bringing on 8 - or more -males per doe.
It's always a good idea for the breeding male to be slightly smaller than the female so she doesn't have problems delivering huge kits.
Over here bunnies tend to be allowed 3 litters a year and then a short winter rest.

The hutches out here are about 90 x 80 x 50cm and are deemed enough for one breeding doe and her kits up to 8 weeks old when they will be weaned. Clearly UK and French ideas do tend to be completely different!

Be aware of how many hutches you would need- how many females ..and if you would need a male.
They would need to be secure against fox attacks- the scent of all those bunnies and their soiled bedding would be in incredible draw to a hungry fox with cubs to feed.

Regular cleaning out takes time- and they need to be kept very clean as they are for eating ( probably more so than pet bunnies)
Do you have somewhere to dispose of the soiled bedding?

Also- you need to decide if you are going to create a secure run for them to experience some freedom ( with enough space the gals could run together- although I'm not so sure about at night???
Two female will double you hutch requirements.
Kits from different litters are more than likely to fight.

You'll also need to choose a 'meat' breed. Most meat bunnies without their heads and feet will weigh about 2kg.

It's a lot to consider taking on. An ill bunny can't then be eaten unless you know it's totally disease free- antibiotics will make it inedible for quite some time. Vets fees will cost more than the value of the meat.

So- a lot for you to consider!

Having said all that I read recently that the majority of bunnies on sale in the UK come from China where they live in a tiny cage- like battery hens- so if you do enjoy the flavour of the meat and are happy to work hard for the animal's quality of life ...and prepared to cull them yourself ( or maybe pay a butcher to do it for you) then you may well feel prepared to try it out?


...just a few things to consider

[Two_Sheds]

Guinea pigs are edible too (my OH says they taste like hamster)

Whatever you choose, please keep them in company, not all alone in a hutch with no playmates

[Scarlet]

Guinea pigs are edible too (my OH says they taste like hamster)

That's a new one on me!

[veggiechicken]

Here are some guinea pigs waiting to be served up in a restaurant in Peru .............and No I didn't

[KarlB924]

Guinea Pigs were bred in Peru to be eaten, I heard somewhere that the heads are quite the delicacy.

[Scarlet]

I suppose there's more meat on them than a pigeon. Bet they're fiddly to prepare...

[shellyanne1987]

Thank you all it would just be for family consumption and I most certainly won't be rushing into it until fully educated and prepared for the time and care that goes into it, my aim is to one day be as self sufficient as possible


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[Glutton4...]

I knew a fella who farmed Waaaabits for meat - he said it was a nightmare. As Nickers said, bedding/manure disposal is a big issue nowadays, not so much back then, but it was still a problem. I seem to recall him saying the smell and the noise were far greater than he expected, and it was almost a full-time job to look after them each day. He had two children at the time, and they would help at weekends and after school, but it was too much in the end.

Fox strike is common, and secure fencing is very expensive. Foxes will keep trying once they know you're there, too, so daily checks, at least, on the entire perimeter are essential. He had a major strike one night that resulted in total carnage, and he just piled everything up and burned the lot. Very sad.

I think he changed to rearing Fowl in the end, as the husbandry was far easier and cheaper.

Sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear.

[shellyanne1987]

Thank you any opinions are good it gives me better information to make my decision with


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[Methe]

I've never had rabbits but can tell you that guineas pigs are in no way cheap or easy animals to keep well. They eat a phenomenal amount for a start and that means the poo a lot...and I mean a LOT, it's quite astonishing how much poo one guinea pig can create. I've got 4 and they eat the best part half a bale of hay a month, 5kg of hard feed and as many veggies as I can get for them. I have to clean them out every 3 days or so and buy the huge bales of shavings and straw for that. They cost me about �35 a month all in I recon. And their run and stuff cost a fortune! I love them to bit some sometimes it's a good job they're not supposed to taste very nice as they can be a real pita... Especially in the depths of winter

I expect rabbits need a similar level of care to be happy, rabbits needs vaccinations too I think (GPigs don't)

Rabbit does taste nice though to maybe it'd be worth it. It might be easier to find a local gamekeeper or something, at least then you know they animal has had a decent life.

[LillyRoseGarden]

We had rabbits for meat more 20 years ago, started small with 2 female and 1 male, foraged for tree branches and grass in the nearby fields, grew topinambur ("Jerusalem artichoke) to sustain them in winter, sawdust was some from timber warehouse, used poo for compost and cleaning was somewhat a chore when the numbers grew. Meat has less fat and is good in casseroles. Kept them inside a big brick shed to avoid foxes (didn't loose a single rabbit).
Will I do it again? Probably when retired and don't need to go anywhere anymore.