Time to start breeding the rabbits

[Aklogcabin]

The sun has started making its way up. And we can now see the sun rise n set as our days grow longer.
With a 4 weeks for justation, 6 weeks before weaning . It's the middle of April before we can sell the kits. And right when folks want to buy rabbits.
It also works into our calendar for starting to refill the shelves for another year. We've done 300 pounds put up in 1 year. Lots of rabbit meat. We barter the rabbit meat for other stuff. Seafood n other wild game. And have a composting program that helps cover the cost. Hopefully we can sell enough kits n composted, dried mulch to cover costs. And the grandkids can maybe make a dollar or so.
Mostly a great life lesson in many different useful ways

 

[BBLife]

I thought about raising some rabbits. Still might. I created a few dozen rabbit friendly areas on the property to just attract wild ones to hunt. Cost for a rabbit meal is a bullet or free if I use snares.

 

[Bluetick21]

I bred two of my doe’s yesterday. Trying to get a jump on meat production this year

 

[BBLife]

Be vewy vewy quiet ... Tried to get these rabbits to "get it on". ha a a a a

 

[Bluetick21]

I thought about raising some rabbits. Still might. I created a few dozen rabbit friendly areas on the property to just attract wild ones to hunt. Cost for a rabbit meal is a bullet or free if I use snares.

Wild rabbits have a different taste then home grown also tend to be bigger and really don’t cost much to raise

 

[BBLife]

Wild rabbits have a different taste then home grown also tend to be bigger and really don’t cost much to raise

My biggest problem is the wife. She will end up giving them all names and want to keep any we buy. She already had a traumatic event when little. She had two rabbits as pets that all of a sudden became 10 rabbits. One day they "all escaped and went to be free rabbits". That night they ate a big batch of "fried chicken". It was not until later that evening that she realized she ate her pets.

 

[Bluetick21]

My biggest problem is the wife. She will end up giving them all names and want to keep any we buy. She already had a traumatic event when little. She had two rabbits as pets that all of a sudden became 10 rabbits. One day they "all escaped and went to be free rabbits". That night they ate a big batch of "fried chicken". It was not until later that evening that she realized she ate her pets.

Been there brother. There is ways around it you just gotta be slick about it!
The first few I slaughtered I went “rabbit hunting” and took rabbits with me dressed and skinned in the woods. And everyone thought I was one heck of a rabbit hunter to kill so many without a dog haha

 

[Aklogcabin]

It's a working rabbitry. We name the breeders n enjoy them. And when we grow to 50 rabbits each year, we don't have time to name the kits.
For us, having a better quality protein for our family is important. And we save money. Kids learn science. Garden produces better.
Kinda nice to look in n see a full freezer of protein for our family. Yes they are beautiful animals.
And processing can be one of those things that you will just need to buckle down n do to feed the family.
Yes taking the life of the rabbit is difficult. I know that this rabbit had a very good life. Always fed, good safe home. As much care as we could offer. Clean n always healthy. I use very humane slaughtering practices and the rabbit has minimal reactions. And is calm when harvested as that produces a better rabbit for us when adrenaline is down. The kits know us also, not a slaughtering house commotion.
It matters to us. Our family has to eat quality proteins. I'm not trying to pressure folks into rabbits, no way. We have to room and kids to boot. And I enjoy making the best compost n potting soil my beautiful wife can get. It's a big decision that will consume years of your life.

 

[Bluetick21]

It's a working rabbitry. We name the breeders n enjoy them. And when we grow to 50 rabbits each year, we don't have time to name the kits.
For us, having a better quality protein for our family is important. And we save money. Kids learn science. Garden produces better.
Kinda nice to look in n see a full freezer of protein for our family. Yes they are beautiful animals.
And processing can be one of those things that you will just need to buckle down n do to feed the family.
Yes taking the life of the rabbit is difficult. I know that this rabbit had a very good life. Always fed, good safe home. As much care as we could offer. Clean n always healthy. I use very humane slaughtering practices and the rabbit has minimal reactions. And is calm when harvested as that produces a better rabbit for us when adrenaline is down. The kits know us also, not a slaughtering house commotion.
It matters to us. Our family has to eat quality proteins. I'm not trying to pressure folks into rabbits, no way. We have to room and kids to boot. And I enjoy making the best compost n potting soil my beautiful wife can get. It's a big decision that will consume years of your life.

Well said!
That’s is the exact reason we do what we do!