Our rabbitry

[Aklogcabin]

This is our rabbitry. Our 3 black New Zealand does and 1 Californian buck. Our goal is to put up 250 pounds of meat per year.
We currently have 24 friers from the first batch. And about 8 days ago our mamas had their second litter of kits. 25 or so. Kinda hard to count.
We raised meat rabbits when our kids were young. We homeschooled and animal husbandry is important for us. And with food security being what it is.
It is also about health. Eating steroid, hormone free foods. Along with moose, salmon, halibut, bear the garden that seems to keep growing in size. We just put in 3 beds with 24 new zucchini, green n yellow summer squash yesterday.
We're still relearning things. There wasn't an internet 35 years ago but seems like we're doing ok.

 

[Alaskajohn]

This is our rabbitry. Our 3 black New Zealand does and 1 Californian buck. Our goal is to put up 250 pounds of meat per year.
We currently have 24 friers from the first batch. And about 8 days ago our mamas had their second litter of kits. 25 or so. Kinda hard to count.
We raised meat rabbits when our kids were young. We homeschooled and animal husbandry is important for us. And with food security being what it is.
It is also about health. Eating steroid, hormone free foods. Along with moose, salmon, halibut, bear the garden that seems to keep growing in size. We just put in 3 beds with 24 new zucchini, green n yellow summer squash yesterday.
We're still relearning things. There wasn't an internet 35 years ago but seems like we're doing ok.View attachment 68261 View attachment 68261 View attachment 68262

Great pictures and process! I need to raise rabbits for the same reason you do. I do have a few pesky black bears in my area. Do your rabbits attract bears, and how do you deal with that?

Our "rabbits" are the wild snow shoe hares that are just going into their off cycle this summer after the cycle high of about two years ago. The coyotes and wolves, I think, have moved off this late spring. I haven't heard any wolves or coyotes the last two months or so, but the lynx are still around.

As I little kid on a farm, we raised rabbits. My job was to help feed them, and up until I was about 5-6, I thought they were pets. Apparently they told me we were eating fried chicken for diner verses rabbits. Every time I go back home, the relatives all tease me about how I was always asking where were the wings. My kids have heard this joke a good 2 dozen times, and I am sure my grandkid will hear the joke. Oh well, I do love wings and tasty rabbits that I still prefer fried!

I can already taste the zucchini and squash! I know my wife planted a lot of new things this year and I honestly don't know what she planted except for the usual kale, lettuce, carrots, radishes and such. I am only responsible for the spuds, which this year is almost all Yukon gold from tubers saved from last year. I saved some red chieftain and a purple from last year and put those in, but we did make it to town this spring in time to pick any new seed potatoes up. We like the Yukon's as they are still good until May. We hope to grow enough this year to dehydrate about 1/4 of our harvest of spuds and the Yukon's are always high producers.

 

[Rebecca]

This is our rabbitry. Our 3 black New Zealand does and 1 Californian buck. Our goal is to put up 250 pounds of meat per year.
We currently have 24 friers from the first batch. And about 8 days ago our mamas had their second litter of kits. 25 or so. Kinda hard to count.
We raised meat rabbits when our kids were young. We homeschooled and animal husbandry is important for us. And with food security being what it is.
It is also about health. Eating steroid, hormone free foods. Along with moose, salmon, halibut, bear the garden that seems to keep growing in size. We just put in 3 beds with 24 new zucchini, green n yellow summer squash yesterday.

Looks like a great set up. Sorry, I have too many questions!
How hot do you get there in summer? There are dire warnings all over some rabbit groups about heat. But then many of them live much much further south than we do.
What age/weight do you process your grow outs/friers?
Food - do you bring in rabbit food or feed them from you garden? And for hay?

 

[joel]

rabbits start at 1.45

 

[Aklogcabin]

Questions, fire away. The temperatures here in the summer are 65-75 daytime highs. Winter is cold. I built the pens so that they fit into our greenhouse so I put them in there to keep them out of the wind and get a bit of solar. I put a ceramic floor tile in the pens for them to lay on. But they seem to enjoy laying in the sun. Our buck is one spoiled bunny. Our does earn their keep.
We try to harvest the friers by 10 weeks. With average weight of 5lbs giving us a 2-1/2 pound processed rabbit.
For food. We always have pellets. But there 20 bucks a bag so we also feed hay, sunflower seeds. I try to forage as much as possible, dried leaves, willow n birch branches, table scraps in summer like now they really like dandelions. And i like digging them up. I mow the lawn n feed out the clippings, mostly dandelions anyway. Anything I can that is cheaper than pellets.
I hope to keep my costs down to under 3 bucks per pound.
We had a snowshoe hare in the driveway yesterday. Usually our biggest wildlife problems are moose. They are attracted by the hay.
A couple pictures of the many moose.
When we walk out of our house the first thing we do is scan for moose. We had a calf get caught up in our fence , thought it was going to have to be put down but it wandered off with its angry mama.
I had to cut a huge bull moose out of our neighbors fence last year. Oops this is about rabbits but then again around here they go hand n hand

 

[Bluetick21]

Good looking rabbitry I’ll snap a few pics of my set up this evening Currently I have 4 NZ does 1 buck and a Flemish giant trio

 

[Aklogcabin]

Great. There's more pictures in another section, farm animals maybe. Always nice to visit with others n see how they do it. Things like raising rabbits do it , jeesh

 

[Aklogcabin]

Hello all, we harvested the first group of friers n put up near 75 pounds of dressed meat. Our second batch of 27 is doing good and will be put up in a couple weeks. Our 3 does should be having babies next week for 3rd batch.
This has been quite the project. Getting things simpler is the key to less labor. But I have to say I have enjoyed it more than I've cussed it. Things like walking around n gathering forage to cut feed costs. Researching the correct brouse to keep them healthy using natural foods like willow n birch, dandelions n plantain.
Our 4 year old grandson was just as interested in the processing as his mama was when she was little girl. Wanting to touch meat n studying the heart n other parts. And really nice that our daughter who learned this as a child preferred that papa sit n chill while she took over the butchering. Now her n beautiful wife are reseaching how to cook rabbits the best way.
And best is seeing our family continuing to work together

 

[Aklogcabin]

Hello all. Little update. I'm processing second batch of 27. After 10 weeks of age. Got pretty close to the 5 pound by 10 week mark which is optimum. Friers dressing out over 2 pounds. I'm wanting to harvest them earlier to try n get a more tender . But we should end up with near 65 pounds of fresh friers.
Our does had kits about 2 weeks ago so I will be rebreeding them probably today. One of our does didn't get pregnant the last breeding. So only have litters from 2 does currently. I'm not sure why but I have some ideas. Part of the learning process. My plan is to breed them 5 times maybe 6 depending on if it gets too cold for the newborns.
Mostly just have to tighten up my act. But the 2 does that did birth had large litters. I think I have near 20 between the 2 . Good does.
Getting my butchering processing down. Probably another 13 minutes to do one up with minimal touch up before being vacuum sealed.

 

[joel]

25 is the most I ever processed at one time, that was in 1975. We froze them whole, cut them up when we fried them or lift them whole for in a rice stew.

 

[Aklogcabin]

We freeze some whole for roasted or stewing. But if we piece them out they fit into the vacuum seal bags better n take up less space. When we piece them we put the 4 legs and the saddle or back in the bag. The belly flap meat n other trimmings go all together. We will grind this meat for a ground product. Kidney n such can go into this mix also. So we can use as much as possible.

 

[Aklogcabin]

I managed to get the last 9 friers butchered yesterday. These were 11 week old friers. I am trying to measure out how much average growth I'm getting in the finish stages. Between a 10 and 11 week frier. And how much food they eat. Cost per pound. And reduce labor.
We kept one of the friers. A buck with unique markings. He's white like the Californian buck his dad is. But he has a widdow peak or a black v on his head. Kinda like the hair on some folks forehead. Thinking that it will help keep the genetics differing.
We will see how this current buck does. Our does have been throwing litters of 8-10 kits so pretty good. And the kits have nice attitudes. Which does make a difference.
Still have to build the bins to store the rabbit poo mulch I still need to mulch. So I can try bagging n selling the dried mulched bunny poo for gardeners. To recoup costs.
Hopefully we can get this to break even on costs n have a couple hundred pounds of protiens at the end. Looking feasible

 

[Aklogcabin]

We are breeding our 3 does and a stray our daughter caught starting yesterday. We will breed the does together as a group. If one doe is having problems other does readily accept orphans. Things are getting more focused in. I did the numbers yesterday and feel we can bring in 250 pounds of vacuum packaged rabbit for $500. And I believe I can amortize that cost selling kits n pens.
Also bartering for halibut n salmon that sell for 20 bucks a pound.

And I will try to market dried shredded n mulched rabbit compost for gardeners. Lots of free poo of every sort out there. I believe I can produce a better product that gardeners will feel more comfortable with. The end product looks like nice fine topsoil. Perfect for folks in the cities who garden in pots.

 

[Aklogcabin]

The package contains 2 front legs, 1 saddle or back piece and 2 rear legs. We remove the belly flap meat and any neck trimmings along with the kidneys, heart n liver and will eventually grind it all at the end of our harvest season with them.
Then a much deserved break. Probably cull the doe that missed on this last rotation. We rebreed her once, I wanted to make sure she took so I put her back in with the buck and she got real nasty. So I had to remove her. This can be taken a few ways. Hopefully it means she took n that was going to be no more. The other 2 are nursing their 3 week old mini rocket fueled kits of 8 and 9 .
I'm also kinda writing this out to maybe inspire folks to give it a go if you have been considering it. Food security is kinda being recognized for what it should be. And as always promoting animal husbandry. Kinda like take one make one in a way doing things together

 

[LadyLocust]

Hey there Ak. I think it was you who mentioned in another thread that I can't find now about your rabbits not eating certain hay. You can also pick weeds they like to eat now, let them dry and feed them during winter. Grasses and weeds taste pretty good dry too you know I know that takes time and effort, but it's free.

 

[Aklogcabin]

Thank you nice Lady. We rake up the leaves in the fall after a couple days of sunshine to dry n put them in the big black bags to be used all winter as a treat. They eat them up like chips. And they contain a needed minerals.
Or pick them up off your neighbors lawn after they bag them up .

 

[UrbanHunter]

I love your posts about the rabbits, they are really inspiring. I have to wonder what gave you the idea to co-raise rabbits and Mooses

If I had just 1/2 acre more I think I could squeeze in a few pens or have a chicken or two... But right now the wife say's NO...

How do your rabbits handle the cold? What kind of temperature extremes can they handle?
Here I am dealing with a mix that runs from winter nights in the teens to single digits and summer day's that can be over 100F and almost equal humidity..... So thinking about how they would be handled in the changing conditions is something I would be interested in....

 

[Aklogcabin]

Thanks. Concerning the cold. It gets to 40 below. Weeks long stretch of minus 20s happens regularly. We put the pens in the greenhouse last winter. This winter they will bring in the carport.
We use heated water bowls. We keep the nesting boxes in the doe pens year round. They keep them clean and don't poo in them. I also built them so they have a door. I close the door in the winter and keep it filled with hay. The buck gets his box back after breeding season.
So protected from the wind n snow and they have a hutch full of hay. It's very important to make sure they always have water n hay, pellets. Their metabolism works fast so they always chew. Keeping them warmer.
We have never had problems because of cold. Except for the human end

 

[Aklogcabin]

Well speaking of cold. Anna bunny had her last litter for the year. This time she did a good job n had all her kits inside the nesting box. Good thing as it's getting 20 at night, 40 as high but not for long. Merida should birth today or tomorrow. Elsa should have hers today. These 3 are our primary doe stock. We also have yeetka the stray who should be birthing today.
We breed near each other in case we have issues with the doe n have to have another doe adopt the kits. Rabbits readily accept other orphans. We breed 1 rabbit per day. Tried 2 does in one day n ol Reddy wasn't quite up to the task n we missed a breeding costing us a litter, 8 kits. So it matters. He is a great buck n very gentle with the ladies and the kids who enjoy petting him. A big teddy rabbit softy. Also if we use the buck daily I feel we have larger litters. Ol Reddy can get 3 fall offs in about 15 - 30 minutes.
I also stay with the rabbits to ensure they are positioned correctly.
Hey all, I'm still learning as I go. And get more efficient each day making life better for all. I hope this helps others.
As for cost I think we're about 2 to 2.50 bucks a pound. Probably not a great money maker on its own but again with our grandkids learning about animal husbandry n how to raise n process their own food from day one, just like their parents did.
And for some reason I just feel more comfortable knowing we have a good source for our protein being more self sufficient. No hormones or steroids. And we can easily barter it. As I wrote for halibut, salmon or even labor.
We got the hay for the year put up n working on buying rabbit pellets when we can. It's really hit n miss. And trying to bag up a few bags of dry leaves to have as fodder over the winter. Kinda like chips to them n they still have minerals that are essential for health.
Hey hopefully we'll have 25-30 more meals being born this week. Stay safe n warm folks

 

[Aklogcabin]

Hello all. The rabbits are doing great. Just need to get them breed this week n moved out of the greenhouse.
Last year, which was our first year in production of meat rabbits tally was. Cost per pound was near $3.50. We processed over 300 pounds of meat. From 132 friers. Frozen then vacuum sealed, canned. We found that packaging the portions in rear legs, backs n such together made for easier cooking as portions were the same size. And also a few whole friers for roasting n broiling.
Now I'm grinding all the manure/ mulch. Rabbit poo, hay that falls through the pens and pee. The hay soaks up the nitrogen rich pee. Rabbit manure is considered the best natural furtalizer available rating 2-1-1 in composition.
This year with building the new house n all. We decided to just freshen the does this year. 1 little each , maybe 2 if the kits sell like I feel they will.
And I can prove up the operating after back in the saddle raising small livestock again.
I've asked the family several times about wether keeping the rabbits was needed. We can't hardly open the freezers now without stuff falling out. Nice problem to have though, very blessed. We just bartered for half a small freezer full of blacktail deer, elk n seafood. Halibut, rockfish, octopus, shrimp n such.
We will have some wild game feeds for the folks who help build our new home. Blacktail deer ribs over coals, octopus grilled on the coals is on order. Along with the mandatory moose burgers n sausages. Now just need to whip up a batch of sourdough rolls. Hopefully find a few hours to just go walk through the bush on a walkabout, find some fiddlehead ferns n if we're lucky some moose antler drops. Make for great dog chew toys. Our chessys favorite. Would be nice to take her out as I've been training her to find antlers n she's good. This dog will hunt. Take her for a swim.
Anyhows always busy here. Sure nice to work together as a family. Makes me feel very proud

 

[Aklogcabin]

Oops a lot of pictures.