Starting with Rabbits

[Ron]

Have been raising chickens for meat and eggs for a couple years. Want to start with rabbits. Where's a good place to start.

 

[CrimsonRose]

in my opinion rabbits are really one of the easiest farm animals to start out with...

Here are a few great video's on youtube about raising rabbits for meat...

(Raising Rabbits for meat part1)
This guys goes through the steps of just starting out all the way to how to butcher them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1sEpGxeTsg
part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR2Ink1ovE0
part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PZh_gadbDY
part 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXAhzfqhMNE
part 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7tJO-IP0Jk

another guys views on raising rabbits
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LIXETt5M-c
part2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVYH0P8m0Aw
part3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60h-Eze6uKU


Another good starting place is the book Story's guide to Raising Rabbits

Hope this helps!

 

[Ron]

OK, the wife just 86'd rabbits. Said she will not fix or eat "bunny rabbits"!! <lol>

 

[Bunnylady]

A lot of people identify more with a big-eyed little furry thing than they do with a chicken (which looks at you as if it would prefer to eat you, given half a chance!) I can see her point. I tried eating my culls when I first started raising rabbits, and just couldn't quite get over it, either. Not really thrilled with what I now do with my culls, but, hey, ya do what ya gotta do!

 

[Cargo]

Story's guide to Raising Rabbits is a great book.
Love these videos as well.

 

[Sama_Lama]

A lot of people identify more with a big-eyed little furry thing than they do with a chicken (which looks at you as if it would prefer to eat you, given half a chance!) I can see her point. I tried eating my culls when I first started raising rabbits, and just couldn't quite get over it, either. Not really thrilled with what I now do with my culls, but, hey, ya do what ya gotta do!

What do you do with them? I doubt i could eat the bunnies but to be fair I can't eat the chickens and have just barely started to eat the eggs, the whole idea kinda freaks me out. But the dogs love their dinner!

 

[Ron]

If not rabbits, what other type of animal can I raise on 5 acres AND butcher myself?

 

[Hooligan Farm]

If not rabbits, what other type of animal can I raise on 5 acres AND butcher myself?

I have quail, chickens, ducks and rabbits. i don't even have a acre of land

 

[Ron]

I like the idea of raising quail, BUT I don't like keeping animals in a small enclosed cages. My chickens are "cooped" at night, but they free range during the day. I know this can't be done with quail so I have mixed feelings about raising them

 

[Hooligan Farm]

Well you can build a decent size pen for them. I've seen some setups where they use dog pens with covers on them.