# Any Pointers for a new Meat Rabbit setup?



## anomalyinID (Apr 14, 2015)

Hello all,

I'm new to the posting side of this forum, but I have been reading the threads here for quite some time. I'm looking for some pointers on where to go with my new rabbitry. My main goal is to provide meat for my growing family, but I am the type of person that likes to optimize whatever I am doing. With this in mind, I expect I will look to sell and/or barter some of my rabbits once I get enough in the freezer.

Here is my current setup:

I have (2) single rabbit cages and a grow-out pen that are not being used currently. I don't intend to expand beyond my current cages for a few years.

7 month old New Zealand White doe - pedigreed

1 yr old New Zealand Red doe - purebred but not pedigreed

2 yr old New Zealand Black buck - pedigreed, and a grand champion

4 month old Silver Fox doe - purebred but not pedigreed

4 month old New Zealand/Californian doe



I also have (3) two week old kits from the NZW doe that come from a separate pedigreed buck from the breeder where I purchased her, and another litter expected in 3 weeks from my NZR doe. The buck was another purebred NZR.



My question to the group is what do you suggest as a plan of action for my first year? My initial thought is to save a doe (assuming there is one) from my pedigreed NZW litter. This would give me two separate pedigreed does that can be bred to my pedigreed NZ buck, and their kits will be dual purpose meat/sold as pedigreed NZ rabbits. I plan to breed my buck to the rest of the does to generate solely meat rabbits. 


Does this plan make sense? I'm sure there are a lot of different routes I can go down with this project, and I am hopeful that some more experienced rabbit raisers can give me some ideas!

P.S. - I am also working on a sprouting/fodder system that I expect will replace my pellet feed over time.


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## samssimonsays (Apr 14, 2015)

You can easily keep a baby back each generation from non pedigreed, purebred rabbits to create your own. I did it with mini lops when I first started out and had highly sought after show rabbits that way. Your plan to keep a doe back is a very good one. 
For me, I try to keep the best of the best back. A couple from each litter, then i choose between them and sell the rest. This improves the quality of the animal I am keeping and also improves my pedigree and lines.


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## Devonviolet (Apr 14, 2015)

Hi @anomalyinID, thanks for starting this thread.  

We would like to have meat rabbits for food, manure/worm castings and worms for chicken treats, as well as to help turn our clay garden soil. Many years ago my X raised Californian rabbits, but lost interest. So I have a tiny bit of experience. But, by no means enough to advise you. It sounds like @Samantha drawz gave you excellent advise. 

P.S. I would love to hear more about your sprouting fodder system.


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## anomalyinID (Apr 14, 2015)

Thank you both for the replies. I hadn't really thought about creating my own pedigree lines, but I see how that could be accomplished fairly easily...


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## samssimonsays (Apr 14, 2015)

We use the manure for our garden and it is amazing!   and I have also done fodder in the past! how do you do yours? mine is no longer working... Sigh...


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## samssimonsays (Apr 14, 2015)

We will be culling out non show stock this year and putting my french lops in the freezer or selling them... or trying to LOL!!!


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## anomalyinID (Apr 14, 2015)

My fodder system is pretty basic. Just plastic containers bought from the Dollar store with holes on one side, setup on a indoor greenhouse rack. I have been starting ~0.5 lbs of hard red spring wheat each morning, soaked for 24 hrs. I just started adding Apple Cider vinegar to the soak water to try to combat mold. I've had to restart my system twice due to mold breakouts. Can't figure out what is going wrong... But- I was reading some other threads about sprouting vs. fodder, and I am very interested in simply sprouting the wheat before I feed it. Apparently there will be less water weight, but still similar nutrition. And the reduced time to harvest will likely remove my mold problems (fingers crossed).


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## samssimonsays (Apr 14, 2015)

anomalyinID said:


> My fodder system is pretty basic. Just plastic containers bought from the Dollar store with holes on one side, setup on a indoor greenhouse rack. I have been starting ~0.5 lbs of hard red spring wheat each morning, soaked for 24 hrs. I just started adding Apple Cider vinegar to the soak water to try to combat mold. I've had to restart my system twice due to mold breakouts. Can't figure out what is going wrong... But- I was reading some other threads about sprouting vs. fodder, and I am very interested in simply sprouting the wheat before I feed it. Apparently there will be less water weight, but still similar nutrition. And the reduced time to harvest will likely remove my mold problems (fingers crossed).


I am having mold issues now. The first two times I did not! I just lost about 1 pound of seed to it friday... UGH! and I also used the dollar store ones  I will hopefully be getting a small green house to place near my barn with it for the summer but we will see... maybe even put on in the basement of our split level home.


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