Countdown to Meat Rabbits: A few pics from planning the colony

[BarredBuff]

It died

But in other rabbit news, the younger ones and the two smallest ones have gotten nail clippings. But my two big girls havent I'll have to have a spotter

 

[pinkfox]

thats ashame buff, mabe shell do better under a different buck, probably a gentics issue if they looked otherwise healthy.

and yay for nails. i need to do my rex girls nails at some point soon if im going to keep them undercontrol, their naisl grow fast!

 

[BarredBuff]

Yeah all does I have left are getting re bred Valentines day for hopeful Easter babies

Deb goes on an all hay diet after we thin the other lops out, and Toby will have a date with a dutch man one day soon. After she gets settled in the newer hutch.

 

[rhoda_bruce]

Forgive me for tagging on. I only raised rabbits once before now and I wasn't successful with the breeding, but I was young and stupid. Didn't set it up right and didn't study. Only listened to my parents somewhat.
Well 2 years ago, I bought my kids 2 rabbits, right before Easter. I haven't really handled them. They still with me, but the kids never ask about them. I believe they both females.
Well I am thinking about raising them, but want to set up a warren/coop area in the yard. I do have an area with a little bit of a hill, I thought I could enclose (high water issues). So if I'd obtain a male to put with them, do ya'll think my girls are too old for their first mating?
Also, any recommended books that would specifically detail how to raise them in this fashion.....
I'm figuring I could raise more rabbits on the same feed if I do it in a warren situation. Plus I am having no trouble at all slaughtering my poultry, so I think if I can get a good system going with rabbits, I might be able to work it out good too.

BTW....I wish you all the luck in the world with your project. And I've followed your progress and everyone's suggestions and found them all very informative. Good job!

 

[BarredBuff]

I'd say they are a little old for breeding. Some sources say not after a year. Because of fusion of a pelvic bone or something like that. But you could always start over, like me. Retire them as pets (like me). And begin anew.

Thanks for the well wishes, the Lord knows I need them. I've never had this bad luck....

 

[rhoda_bruce]

Thats pretty much what I though. I probably will slaughter, because everything must turn a profit here or go and they past time. That will free a cage, I could possibly use for broodies. Its not much of a cage, but I got it free.....someone throwing it away and I pinched it b4 the garbage pickup.
Thanx. My dad once set up a warren.....illegally. He did it in ignorance of the law though. He trapped wild rabbits, ate the males and bred the females to big domestic bucks. Then we had a bad hurricane, with lots of flooding and Wildlife and Fisheries complained of dead rabbits, needing to be repopulated......they found out Dad had wild rabbits in confinement, threatned him nicely, but also paid him for all his 'wild' rabbits. To this day, old people claim that the rabbits they killed in their younger days were smaller than the ones their kids/grandkids get now. Almost sounds like he did us all a public service.

 

[BarredBuff]

Thats pretty much what I though. I probably will slaughter, because everything must turn a profit here or go and they past time. That will free a cage, I could possibly use for broodies. Its not much of a cage, but I got it free.....someone throwing it away and I pinched it b4 the garbage pickup.
Thanx. My dad once set up a warren.....illegally. He did it in ignorance of the law though. He trapped wild rabbits, ate the males and bred the females to big domestic bucks. Then we had a bad hurricane, with lots of flooding and Wildlife and Fisheries complained of dead rabbits, needing to be repopulated......they found out Dad had wild rabbits in confinement, threatned him nicely, but also paid him for all his 'wild' rabbits. To this day, old people claim that the rabbits they killed in their younger days were smaller than the ones their kids/grandkids get now. Almost sounds like he did us all a public service.

You could try to breed them and see what happens......it'd be worth it to see. Pinkfox will know, she is all knowing in this area!

 

[the funny farm6]

BarredBuff I wish you were closer to me here in iowa! The horseshoer (sp?) Asked me if I wanted his breeding stock of white new zelands. He is switching over to checkered giants. So I got 1- 1yr old buck, and 4- 1yr to 1 1/2 yr old does. All proven. I don't realy need them but hubby said to take them. So I guess they can be his project. He also wants me to take his older checkered giant buck as soon as he finishes breeding his does, as he has 2 unrelated young males to take over and he is going to keep a bunch of does from these litters. And he offered us a couple of female babies from the older does after he breeds them to the young bucks this summer. So they won't be related. Guess he better get started on some heavey duty cages...I reminded him of how much I HATED the flemish giant rabbits! The checkered giants are sligtly smaller. But......

 

[BarredBuff]

on the buns! I may have to steal them

 

[rhoda_bruce]

Thats what I figured. My parents did a mean job with cages a few years back, but I am interested in the few things I read on warrens. Only small articles in magazines I got in the past few months. Not sure Mom and Dad can offer me much advice on warrens.......Dad didn't keep his long. It was basically just a rabbit coop. Not sure how much he really devoted to it. I think he just let nature take its course. Besides, I'm almost 46 and I'm talking about something he did when I was about 2......he might not remember. I know he didn't read up on it. It was just dumb luck. Does kinda sound like its a subject of great interest to Pinkfox. I'll check back later. Thanx. Hang in there. Its not impossible. Dad was having to kill rabbits all the time just about 5 years ago, when they didn't sell.....so he either had cash or we had meat. If he can do it, you can too. Some of the things they said they had to do with the does, sounded really bad. Like, when they'd lose a litter, immediately breed. It sounded terrible, but they musta known what they were doing because they sure did have some rabbits.