Last summer season I bought a breeding pair of California rabbits from a neighborhood farm with a view to start out elevating rabbits for meat. I meant to spice up them in a rabbit hutch, this being the normal plan of motion, nevertheless my husband had totally different ideas. The consequence has been a modified colony state of affairs. The rabbits keep in a pen the place the hutch serves as their feeding station. They’ve dug a spot, which has an entrance and an exit, and that’s the place all the kits have been born. They don’t get trotted out until they’re a few month outdated. At this stage they’re caught and sexed. Males go over the fence into the Buck Bunny pen, which is analogous to the Female Bunny pen apart from a burrow. The males seem to remain fortuitously collectively, nevertheless this bears watching as I’ve heard that they will battle over females. Nevertheless given that females are in a singular pen, I am hopeful that this would possibly not occur.
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The precept drawback with a colony is the burrow. Rabbits not wanting to be caught merely run down the outlet. Should you want prepare, come go to me at butchering time. It takes about quarter-hour to catch a rabbit at my dwelling. By the purpose you’ve been by the chase, you is likely to be good and in a position to have at it with no regrets.
Questioning what to feed meat rabbits? We feed the rabbits Nutrena Naturewise rabbit pellets, modern water twice a day, occasional treats of carrot or apple. They get straw beneath the hutches and in various areas throughout the pen for consuming or lining a nest, or irrespective of they want. We use an outdated rooster feeder to hold the meals, and a gallon rooster waterer. They’ve their very personal assigned house for defecation, and this merely have to be shoveled up and composted. We’ve now used welded wire fencing for the pen, then 4′ h x 1″ gauge rooster wire throughout the bottom of the fence to take care of the little ones in. We’ve not had any rabbits burrow out. They’re happy of their pen and if one in some way will get out, presumably beneath our toes as soon as we enter or exit, they will sit by the gate and wait to be let once more in.
When it obtained right here time to butcher, I adopted a beautiful tutorial from Polyface Farms apprentices. I am saving my skins throughout the freezer until I get ample to work with. At the moment I’ll try to guard them and make a lining for a blanket. I hope this helps you feel assured that you simply simply to can begin elevating rabbits for meat. That’s how we do issue proper right here at Good Adequate Farm. Anyone with questions piece of email me. In case you’re all for elevating rabbits for meat, we advocate you evaluation rabbit particulars, meat rabbit breeds and naturally, rabbit recipes!
Initially printed in Countryside Might/June 2011