How we Raise are Californian Rabbits……….. in Theory.

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UpTown Family Rabbitry 2

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Oct 26, 2021
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Cages & barn set up

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Diet


Are rabbits are fed a pellet only diet. (I personally would prefer to do a natural diet, but we live on a 50’ x 100’ lot with two buildings and 3 cars, so we don’t have enough room to do that ☹). They are occasionally fed veggie scraps and apple slices when we have ones that are safe for them to eat. They get hay if we have any left over from breeding season, or as a treat nonce in a while as well, but they do not get it constantly as a part of their diet.

Rabbits under 5 month (I really don’t know exact age, but I think that’s about it) and pregnant and nursing does are given unlimited pellets. Full ground rabbits are given enough food to last them the day, which is usually one ounce per pound they weigh, which is usually one cup.

X-Cel rabbit feed (location)

Crude protein, not less than…………………….. 18%

Crude fat, not less than…………………….. 2.00%

Crude fiber, not less than……………………. 16.50%

Crude fiber, not more than…………………….. 21.5%

Calcium, not less than……………………. 1.10%

Calcium, not less than……………………. 1.20%

Phosphorous, not less than……………………. .3%

Salt, not less than……………………. .3%

Salt, not more than…………………….. .6%

Vitamin A, not less than……………………. 8800IU/LB



Ingredients

Forage products, plat protein products, processed grain by-products, grain products, cane molasses, vegetable oil, salt, mono dicalcium phosphate, choline chloride, calcium carbonate, manganous oxide, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, niacin, copper sulfate, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, vitamin D-3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, calcium iodate, menadiones sodium bisulfite complex, vitamin B012 supplement, d-biotin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride and folic acid.



Daily Routine



Although all 6 of us benefit from the rabbits, it is I and my brother’s jobs to take care of them. In the mornings, (I would love to say like 8:00 am but we are home schooled with no jobs atm, so its more like 10:00am or later.) after brake fast we head out to feed and water, as we feed, we take a quick look of each rabbit just to make sure they all look ok. When we have time, we will bring are showman ship animals in to practice with them for about 30mins a day. If the weather is nice, I put the rabbits out in the ground pens (they have a rotating schedule day to day since we only have two pens, to make sure they all get roaming time.) At night we head out again to top off water and make sure very one is doing ok.



Weekly Routine



On Saturdays we do heath checks on all the rabbits and treat any ailments that may be affecting them, we then make record of this. Sometimes I also check to see if there are any shows, but since we are not avid showers I usually don’t bother to. Other than that, nothing really changes from day to day.



Monthly and yearly Routine



Every month the barn is completely cleaned. Cages are torched, manure is bagged, dishes/feeders/bottles are scrubbed and bleached, etc. we also take inventory and check condition of are equipment/if we need anything. Throughout the year we keep an eye on the condition of are equipment and “barn”, but once a year we heavily look over the “bran” especially the roof as it is a canvas car port and gets brittle fast.



Rabbits with Ailments



If a rabbit has mites they are isolated from the herd and treated accordingly, the rest of the herd is treated as well as precaution (fur mites with kitten flee powder and ear mites with garlic infused canola oil.) If a rabbit shows signs of internal/contagious illness they are immediately separated from the herd and their cage/supplies are bleached. We then research the symptoms they are having to find the illness and treat accordingly Depending on the severity and type of illness the rabbit will most likely not be bred, shown, or sold, and will go to the freezer. Noncontagious ailments such as cuts, abscesses, strains, etc. the rabbit will stay with the rest and be treated accordingly.



Breeding



We usually only breed once a year for fairs, and we breed two to three does. We use orchard grass hay for nesting material, the boxes are added at 27 days after the day of breeding, and they usually kindle around 31 days, though we have had some kindle at 28 and 35 days. One week after kindling, if needed, the nest box will be cleaned, leaving as much of the fur as possible. The box is removed when the kits spend the majority of their time out of it, which is usually 3 weeks and 4 in colder weather. The kits are weened at about 7-8 weeks.

Now, all of this is how it should happen. However, we don’t keep up with a lot of it. The only things that stay 100% accurate all the time is the daily routine and kit care. We do all of the things listed, just not as often as we should, and record keeping is close to never done.......... so, ya that's how we raise are rabbits.


Just as a side note. I know the cages are pretty small, but it's all we have. If it were up to us they would be in an open warren and fed a natural diet, but life didn't allow that.
 
This was written almost like a 4H record book presented for showmanship or herdsman minus the pictures, costs etc. very informative. We raised meat rabbit when I was growing up. Our rabbits were not cared for like this. Excellent job. I would raise rabbits but husband refuses my having rabbits or bee hives. Rabbits are so much easier to butcher than chickens.
 
A natural diet is not that hard to do with limited space. You have to be willing to commit. Wish I had the time to go 100% pellet free. Hopefully after our big move I can make that commitment.

I raise Rex (and Rex mix) rabbits with my 2 girls (homeschooled as well). I don't have a large scale rabbitry but I do try to cut our costs as much as I can but keep the diet as natural or close to nature as I can. 2 does and 2 bucks for breeding and a mini Rex that slipped under my radar and is a pet at this point. (I am trying to re-home him because he is too small for meat). I also have 2 litters of kits I am growing out for freezer camp. The goal is to get 2 more does and build a larger breeding pool over time so we can limit the new rabbits we would have to get from outside breeders/rabbitries.

I feed Modesto Milling rabbit pellets but it is about 1/2 cup a day per rabbit. Right now my kits are pigging out on them so I am looking for a good non-gmo alfalfa pellet that is cheaper. Fodder that I grow in the kitchen window from either wheat or barley. I have read that oat groats don't grow as well so they make bad fodder. And all the hay they can eat! I just finished a bale of orchard grass and will start them on the timothy at the end of the week when my inside hay bin is empty. I do give them kitchen scraps and reduce their pellets when I do. Mostly greens and veggie scraps I don't give to the dogs.

Aside from the fodder I grow 'hay' grass to feed them in the backyard. Rabbit poop is great cold manure! I got my seed from Hancock Seed as they sell pasture seed for various animals and were willing to work with me to select seed that would grow in our high desert foothills. Not uber expensive but the guys that work at our local feed and tack told me I could just save the seed from my hay and plant that. Since hay lasts longer than the 50lb bags of pellets at a few dollars less per bale I'll fish out the seeds from time to time.

I grow extra greens in barrel planters on the porch. They look like planters with regular plants from the street. My neighbors just think I am nutty clipping my planters down every so often. I'd like to have plots for the grow out tractors that have cover crops in them that the fryers can eat instead of pellets. The plowed under cover crop with bunny poop would give that spot a nutrient boost.
 
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