Rabbits

[Brent S]

I got some new zeland rabbits a few months ago, two females and a male. The first female had her first six pups about three weeks ago, and tonight my 2nd female had 8 pups. Both litters died as the new mothers didn't know enough to feed them, but the second round does better normally from what I've read. It was still pretty cool, at least now I know they can breed and I see barbecue in the future!

 

[Gazrok]

Yeah, most of a rabbit's first litter will die, if not all. Just one of those things....
Did you ever read where they can get pregnant WHILE pregnant? They have two uterine horns. However, this isn't recommended, as typically then both litters won't make it.

Doesn't cost much to feed them (especially if you have a garden to supplement feed), and a pretty renewable source of protein, provided you don't mind making the transition from pet to food item there....if keeping them as pets.

For us, they are pets until the SHTF anyhow....

 

[Clyde]

I got some new zeland rabbits a few months ago, two females and a male. The first female had her first six pups about three weeks ago, and tonight my 2nd female had 8 pups. Both litters died as the new mothers didn't know enough to feed them, but the second round does better normally from what I've read. It was still pretty cool, at least now I know they can breed and I see barbecue in the future!

Yeah, most of a rabbit's first litter will die, if not all. Just one of those things....
Did you ever read where they can get pregnant WHILE pregnant? They have two uterine horns. However, this isn't recommended, as typically then both litters won't make it.

Doesn't cost much to feed them (especially if you have a garden to supplement feed), and a pretty renewable source of protein, provided you don't mind making the transition from pet to food item there....if keeping them as pets.

For us, they are pets until the SHTF anyhow....

turning a rabbit in to food around here would go over like a fart in church! The kids would lose their minds. I figure if you don't name them it should be easier.

 

[Gazrok]

We named ours, but my family is pretty realistic (or says they are, come SHTF). We'd likely name cows if we had them too, but we see them differently, and as food animals, vs. true pets. The idea of eating one of the dogs though? Unthinkable. I'm sure they'll name the chickens when we get them too, but same idea as the rabbits.

 

[Clyde]

We named ours, but my family is pretty realistic (or says they are, come SHTF). We'd likely name cows if we had them too, but we see them differently, and as food animals, vs. true pets. The idea of eating one of the dogs though? Unthinkable. I'm sure they'll name the chickens when we get them too, but same idea as the rabbits.

I agree.... I'm not eating the dog or a cat for that matter....
That being said you get hungry enough I'm sure anything will start looking good.
The problem I have is that I haven't a clue as to how to clean an animal to eat.

 

[Gazrok]

 

[Clyde]

It looks like he may have contaminated the meat......
unless cleaning a deer is different....

 

[Brent S]

turning a rabbit in to food around here would go over like a fart in church! The kids would lose their minds. I figure if you don't name them it should be easier.

Yeah, my wife won't even go look at the rabbits. I haven't named them, but these three are my buddies, there safe as breeders, now there offspring, well not so lucky. All the young will have an 11 week life expectancy. Now, all this is still theory, I'll let you know how it goes when I try it out. Killing a cute bunny is probably going to be a little tougher than the chickens, but it's been done for centuries, I think I can handle it.

 

[Brent S]

I agree, I don't think he did a great job at cleaning the intestines out. But otherwise it looked fairly straight forward.

 

[jayjay1]

Same with my bunnies - got 3 f & 1 m mini & dwarf lops. Females built nests, gave birth ( I think, as they suddenly had lost a LOT of weight), but nothing!!
I wanted to name ours 1-BBQ, 2 - Roast, 3 - Jerky, and 4 - Stew, but got howled down by the cook and kids!!

So, will see how the girls go 2nd time round!!

 

[WILD MAN]

Doesn't cost much to feed them (especially if you have a garden to supplement feed)

I bought some rabbits about a little over month ago to start raising them for meat I got a New Zeland buck with two does and a Califorina buck with two does they are still too young to breed and they are already eating me out of house and home I've gone through almost 100lbs. of feed already, I've decided to cut out the feed pellets and give them hey instead will this work or will I have to keep giving them feed pellets with the hey, or is there a cheeper alternitive to the store bought $15 a bag rabbit feed.

 

[Brent S]

I bought some rabbits about a little over month ago to start raising them for meat I got a New Zeland buck with two does and a Califorina buck with two does they are still too young to breed and they are already eating me out of house and home I've gone through almost 100lbs. of feed already, I've decided to cut out the feed pellets and give them hey instead will this work or will I have to keep giving them feed pellets with the hey, or is there a cheeper alternitive to the store bought $15 a bag rabbit feed.

From what I've read the hay is great, but they still need the pellets as the primary. The best hay for them is Timothy and alfalfa. Yeah, seems like they are costing me a lot too, but am hoping it will get better when they start producing. Each female will produce a litter with a three to four week rest in between, and the litters can be best eaten at 11 weeks old. Once your rolling you should get a decent amount of meat that's healthy and nutritious, and free of all the antibiotics and steroids.

 

[Kenprep1979]

Did you make stew out of the dead babies?

 

[Swen_in_ca]

I got some new zeland rabbits a few months ago, two females and a male. The first female had her first six pups about three weeks ago, and tonight my 2nd female had 8 pups. Both litters died as the new mothers didn't know enough to feed them, but the second round does better normally from what I've read. It was still pretty cool, at least now I know they can breed and I see barbecue in the future!

I actually had to look it up. But it did teach me that baby rabbits are actually called kits or kittens.

 

[Gazrok]

I get my rabbit feed (50lb bag) for $8 a bag, but I've easily seen 25lb bags go for $15 too. You have to look around (and ask about it at feed stores). In a pinch, I'll give them horse feed until I get to the feed store. I typically give them Tifton 44 hay to nest in and chew on. (more when it's cold like this). Also, when cold, I have some blankets I put around the bunny pen to keep wind out.

I'm designing a new, larger pen though, for them, that will be designed more for their comfort, etc. including easy to put up tarps for inclimate weather.

 

[Brent S]

Did you make stew out of the dead babies?

That's pretty hardcore! I'd have to be pretty hungry but if that's all I had I'm sure I could. I froze them and gave me to the girl I gave my boa constrictor to. At least they didn't go to waste.

 

[Brent S]

I actually had to look it up. But it did teach me that baby rabbits are actually called kits or kittens.

I've read that too, just had always called them pups and it kind of stuck.

 

[Brent S]

I get my rabbit feed (50lb bag) for $8 a bag, but I've easily seen 25lb bags go for $15 too. You have to look around (and ask about it at feed stores). In a pinch, I'll give them horse feed until I get to the feed store. I typically give them Tifton 44 hay to nest in and chew on. (more when it's cold like this). Also, when cold, I have some blankets I put around the bunny pen to keep wind out.

I'm designing a new, larger pen though, for them, that will be designed more for their comfort, etc. including easy to put up tarps for inclimate weather.

I will look for cheaper feed! It got to 7 degrees here last night, I put the rabbits in the laundry room, mostly so their water wouldn't freeze. I've read that the rabbits are pretty good with cold, but if they can't drink it won't help em much. I have a pole barn with hardi panel siding on it. I'm putting a 36 ft cage along the north side, with the siding as the back of the cage. The cage is one long hardware cloth cage with slots every three feet so I can open and close off sections when I want to separate them. I started with separate cages on legs, and they do fine. I'll probably keep them so I can move em in the garden area to fertilize some.

 

[Gazrok]

I think we're going to simply get some small dog cages to use when it's really really cold, and likely bring them inside. Here, we only get a few such days each year like that.

 

[Brent S]

We named ours, but my family is pretty realistic (or says they are, come SHTF). We'd likely name cows if we had them too, but we see them differently, and as food animals, vs. true pets. The idea of eating one of the dogs though? Unthinkable. I'm sure they'll name the chickens when we get them too, but same idea as the rabbits.

If hard pressed I could eat dog or cat, just not my own!