If a natural, healthy rabbit diet is your goal, your job is not a difficult one. Rabbits need a balanced diet of unlimited grass hay timothy, orchard, oat, brome, limited pellets, and fresh greens. Rabbits are fun to raise except when you have to go out and take care of them at 10 below zero. I love raising rabbits, mainly because of rabbit pellets also known as rabbit manure. Rabbits love their food and enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables as part of a balanced diet. Rabbits can make wonderful pets whether you keep them indoors or in an outdoor pen with a shelter. Raising rabbits for meat pdf sion to use the information in raising meat rabbits in. Well be sure to look into our options for professional groomers for them in the future.
Domestic rabbits are highly valued for their low fat, low cholesterol, and high quality proteins. So it is worth noting that one must take caution when offering human foods to these adorable creatures. A beginners guide to raising rabbits mother earth news. Pdf backyard rabbit farming can be a great idea for having healthy meat and an additional source of income for the family without much involvement. While the human body has the ability to produce an enzyme that can break down toxic substances, rabbits dont. The standard way for a rabbitry to be set up is to have row after row of 36. Most of the breeds are suitable for growing to agroclimatic conditions in our country. It was just not the best option for us and thats okay. The thought may have even occurred to you that you can make a lot of money raising rabbits. If you are such an animal enthusiast, raising rabbit for commercial usage will be an excellent opportunity to turn what you love. From cattle and goats to pigs, rabbits, and chickens, people are able to put fresh meat on the table all on their own. Suggested vegetables and fruits for a rabbit diet rabbits in the wild all over the world successfully consume a wide variety of plant material. The guide to raising and breeding rabbits for meat raising rabbits is one of the simplest things you can do on your homestead.
In this article, i show you how to make your own homemade rabbit food. If youre consider starting your own rabbitry, a great source is a book called raising rabbits 101 that has nearly every piece of information you could ever want to know on the subject. Various types of dry and fresh grasses and plants with leaves comprise the largest portion of the wild rabbit diet. I know that storeys guide for raising rabbits recommended some sort of ratio for making your own feed. With a little care, you can easily raise your rabbit without looking much beyond your garden. Ive added a printable rabbit breeding tracker to the subscribers only page.
The home for your rabbits does not have to be too fancy, although very nice selfcleaning hutches exist which automatically water the rabbits for you. Raising rabbits for profit all you need to know about. If youre not willing to embrace a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, the next best change you can make is resolving to eat only ethically raised meat. Part 1 of the series on raising rabbits looks at equipment needed for rabbit raising as well as helpful hints in getting started.
While fruit contain sugars mainly fructose, they are a good source of minerals and vitamins, especially for rabbits suffering from health disorders. Clean and quiet, rabbits are an excellent choice for lots of protein for only a small amount of effort and money. A beginners guide to raising rabbits, including a rabbit barn, pens, feeders and waterers, breeding stock, care and feeding, breeding, butchering, and meat sales. Most municipalities allow rabbits to be kept as pets, but thats a different proposition than raising rabbits for slaughter. With summer heat on the way, raising rabbits can be very frustrating.
The perfect butchering age is around 8 weeks of age. Important points to consider in while starting rabbit farming business. Colony raising rabbits isnt hard, but there are a few considerations that can make setting up a rabbit colony go more smoothly. However, it does take a lot of work to take care of a rabbit. May 05, 2018 meat rabbits what you need to know about raising rabbits for meat. Below you can find a list of common fresh foods along with the suggested feeding frequency.
Still, if youd just rather sell the fiber, its a great way to cover the costs of raising the rabbits. Are you already raising rabbits but believe, like us, that there is always more to learn. We only have one, very spoiled, jack russell, and would prefer to feed her with meat that we know is not full of crap, i am not interested in. May 23, 2012 rabbits are inexpensive and easy to feed, if you are only raising 3 does and 1 buck for a backyard food source, pellets are fine and will raise you lots of good tasting healthy meat. A complete handbook on backy ard and commercial rabbit. Meat rabbits for dog food backyardherds goats, horses. Breeding meat rabbits 101 the imperfectly happy home. Before we can even think about breeding our rabbits we must have a good foundation stock. Raising rabbits for profit backwoods home magazine. Oct 14, 2016 how to raise meat rabbits for food the beginning please leave a comment for any ideas you have thank you find and join our facebook group for australians htt. It is important to know that when raising rabbits for meat that the older the rabbit gets, the tougher the meat becomes. Im using this book myself, and i thoroughly recommend that you look into it as well. When people ask me why i raise rabbits they expect me to say meat, pets or fur. This article will outline how to start a commercial rabbit farming business, and the rabbit farming business plan pdf, word and excel.
Gradually increase the ratio of the new pellet until the rabbit is eating only the new pellets. I do love my rabbits and i love their meat, but rabbit pellets are invaluable. This means you will need a larger breed so it will be a decent size by the 8week mark. Raising rabbits for meat is a lucrative business, providing income for millions of people, but there are some essential things you need to do before you venture into the rabbit farming business. List of fresh food house rabbit toys, snacks, and accessories. While ethical is an admittedly fuzzy standard when it comes to commercial meat production, few would argue that lovingly handraised rabbits arent ethical to. Raising meat rabbits for foodthe beginning youtube. I was hoping to feed them raw, since ive heard feeding raw is what nature intended for them. They can be home grown as pets and for meat in backyard, farm house, and terrace. The majority of information found in that handbook was an adaptation and revision of commercial rabbit raising agriculture handbook no. If youre just starting out, id recommend starting with a trio 2 does and 1 buck.
After all, two rabbits will be 200 in a short amount of time. A more humane rule of thumb would be 5 times the size of the rabbit. How to raise rabbits from a to z the survivalist blog. When i brought home our american chinchilla breeding trio, i had researched raising meat rabbits extensively. Suggested vegetables and fruits for a rabbit diet house. Profitable rabbit farming business plan raising rabbits.
My dogs weigh around 20 pounds for one, and about 30 pounds for. For rabbits outside in a hutch even in a shady area this can be a death sentence. My wife and i are interested in raising fiber rabbits as a side hobby, and wed like to know what expenses go into it before we get started. Its been a success and now we have enough free food for everyone to have an extra bite every day and its lowered our overall feed bill. The guide to raising and breeding rabbits for meat.
Here, a pot of basil is suffering the ultimate sacrifice. Raising rabbits for meat and fur is a good way to make money but only if you do it on a large scale, and it should be done as supplementary income only. Safe food list for rabbits rise and shine rabbitry. The essentials of raising rabbits for profit step by. This series has been in the works for six months as they have tried to capture video of kits at various ages and stages of growth. How to raise rabbits for meat raise, feed, house, butcher.
Rabbit farming business is a very profitable business, and many people are making money all over the world by raising rabbits for meat. Dry food concentrates ready mixed dry food might seem like a convenient way to feed your rabbit but, in reality, it should only make up a small portion of your rabbits diet. Raising angoras is a lot of work, and while making use of their fiber takes yet more effort, it gives you a finished felted or spun angora garment to wear. On a more specific context, it improves the important aspects of life such as economy, health, ecology and survival. Chocolate contains a substance that is toxic to rabbit. After we process the first litter if i want to keep raising rabbits for food, i definitely want to expand the colony quite a bit. My rabbits are loving the new variation in their diet, and a few treats thank you very much. Types of rabbit production fanciers pets, breeding stock, and show animals laboratory furhair angora rex meat largest rabbit market. Considering this is the exception rather than the rule, well assume that, generally speaking, they are fun to raise. Sarah kicks off this series with an in depth look at how we breed our new zealand and californian cross meat rabbits. Most brands of commercial pellets are locally available and you could feed your rabbits just a good quality pellet for life and. Tips for raising rabbits in the heat rise and shine rabbitry.
Nutrition of the rabbit, second edition wabbitwiki. Youre not just one of the few because more and more people across the united states are raising their own food. The feeling of putting on something handmade from your own pet rabbit is priceless. I have grown the large red roots in the past, but a friend says the golden eckendorf variety is even better. Your safe food list for rabbits was extremely helpful. In the summer, it is wise to place frozen water bottles in the hutches with the rabbits to help keep them cool. Choosingabreed thereareover30breedsofdomesticrabbitinnorthamer icabutonlytheheavieronesareusedforcommercialmeat production. So this year my garden is going to help feed my domestic rabbits and cut my feed costs. Raising angora rabbits for fiber practical self reliance. Ffeeeeedddiinngg t tth hhe ee hhooouuusssee rrraaabbbbbiiitt.
Rabbit compares very favorably to chicken, turkey, and some fish for its. A backyard meat rabbit operation can be a great idea for someone interested in producing their own healthful, drugfree meat. I hope you guys have learned a little bit about raising rabbits. When raising rabbits for meat there are many options for food. Some say pellets are completely nutritionally balanced and you need to feed nothing else. There is a lot of conflicting information out there about the best ways to feed rabbits.
Aug 09, 2019 the guide to raising and breeding rabbits for meat raising rabbits is one of the simplest things you can do on your homestead. Have you been wanting to learn how to raise rabbits for meat. Raising and eating rabbits in the big city katie cannon heavy table karen cross, liz hare, peat willcutt, and their neighbors are living a revolution, but it would be near impossible to notice unless you sneak into their shared backyard on nicollet island. May 5, 2018 by debra ahrens leave a comment this post may contain affiliate links which wont change your price but will share some commission. If your rabbit mainly eats fresh grass, then the items listed under occasionally may be. Feb 02, 2015 this video is an overview of how and why we raise rabbits.
Some people colony raise their rabbits with great success. This year, we decided to do something different we planted a garden to grow greens for our rabbits and chickens. Naturally feeding the meat rabbits the elliott homestead. A plan to raise rabbit for profit has to be flexible and it should cover all details. Starting a rabbit farming business can be very lucrative, especially for businessminded people who have a passion for working with animals. Bunnies are lively, engaging, and endearing, and you can often tell how theyre feeling from their body language. It will help you decide if raising meat rabbits is right for you, and how to manage every aspect of husbandry involved, including feeding, breeding, health, processing, and selling. If youve been raising rabbits for a while as a hobby, the thought may have occurred to you that you could make a little money raising them. Meat rabbits what you need to know about raising rabbits. However, to build a successful, sustainable commercial rabbit farming business, you require sufficient knowledge of how to efficiently raise the rabbits, good management skills, and a good rabbit farming business plan.
Wellorganized and detailed, raising rabbits for meat is an excellent resource for anyone considering meat rabbits as a family food source or farm enterprise. The first step in rabbit farm is to see how much investment it will need. Rabbits are small animals in size that they need less space, feed, and care. If youre feeding dry dog or cat kibble, this pet food might be the source of health problems. How to raise quail for eggs and meat survival life. I am looking into raising meat rabbits almost exclusively for dog food along with chicken, and maybe quail. Pellets and nutrition for meat rabbits rise and shine rabbitry.
The problem with dry food is that it is a very concentrated form of nutrition it packs a lot of nutrients into a small volume of food, the exact opposite of a rabbits. The guide to raising and breeding rabbits for meat mother. There are many species in the rabbit family but all domesticated rabbits are believed to have descended from a single species known as the european rabbit. Whether you live on a full blown many acre homestead, or on a town lot in the burbs, rabbits are a viable option in your selfsufficiency and survival planning. I learned, the hard way, that breeders dont generally sell a doe that is producing well. These pellets are filled with protein and will help add the necessary weight to your rabbits in a short amount of time. Not a grain or muesli style mix rabbits can eat carrots and fruit etc but it is best for them to have these as treats due to them having a sweet tooth. This new series is about raising rabbits for meat, i. Rabbits eating requirements are simple, consisting mostly of fresh food. Raising rabbits is a centralized source for purchasing nearly everything needed for your rabbits.
We also raise meat rabbits giving them a more natural feed is one of my hopes in the near future. Jul 20, 2012 if your rabbits diet mainly consists of hay and pellets, then certain precautions have to be taken when you choose your pets daily vegetables. It will help you know when to complete breeding related rabbit chores, and help you see at a glance which rabbits are your most productive and what to expect. Rabbits are extremely hot natured so it is important to place their shelter in a shaded area. A couple years ago, we wanted to know what would happen, and if it was even possible, to feed rabbits on yard scraps alone to find out, we placed a pregnant doe into a very large outside cage 36 inches by 48 inches and fed her on our yard scraps and grass clippings. Raising meat rabbits is one of the most space efficient means of growing livestock for meat. I keep a copy on my kitchen notice board and a copy in my purse for when im shopping.
Like all pets, rabbits need a clean, healthy environment and the right. A primer on backyard meat rabbit raising practices. Rabbits as a sustainable food source survival life. My rabbits are 8 pound adults, so im looking at potentially 120 square feet as a minimum size for my current herd. Not only do they require little attention, but they also provide a. If you work on a small homestead rabbits might be a great. Others insist rabbits should be eating mostly grass hay as their diet.
As an occupation or hobbywhether for the young, the elderly,or any family member raising. Ive been thinking about what im gonna do when or if i can no longer buy dog food. A couple years ago, we wanted to know what would happen, and if it was even possible, to feed rabbits on yard scraps alone to find out, we placed a pregnant doe into a very large outside cage 36 inches by 48. Homegrown rabbits raw homemade pet food provides absolutely perfect nutrition for your dogs and cats, according to a mountain of research. The main part of a rabbits diet should be unlimited amounts of fresh hay preferably timothy or meadow hay, grass, and plenty of clean water available. Rabbits handle the cold better than the heat, so they need shade, ventilation, and access to clean water and food.
Sustainable food source sustainable food provides a number of benefits to humans, the environment and life as a whole. Rabbit raising also teaches responsibility, budgeting costs and returns, care and concern for animals, and the acceptance of livestock as a source of food for human beings. I think that having a fresh supply of greens and such is good for rabbits and we do give them some stuff from around our yard on occasion. Raising rabbits overview rabbits for food production. The same characteristics that make rabbits good backyard pets also make them good to raise. I started thinking about raising meat rabbits for them. Methods for raising meat rabbits the green acre homestead. You need to determine whether its legal to raise rabbits for food on your property. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. So lets have a detailed view on the rabbit farming business plan. A complete handbook on backyard and commercial rabbit production replaces an earlier publication of the same name that was produced by the peace corps in 1982. Raising and eating rabbits in the big city the heavy. Fruits and berries rabbits have a taste for sweet food. Safe foods suitable for rabbits save a fluff find rabbit.
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