# Are they big enough?



## Genipher (Nov 28, 2011)

This will be my first time killing a meat rabbit. These boys are 4 months old and weigh roughly 2.5 pounds each. My husband thinks they look too scrawny for eating. 

What say you experts?


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## AZ Rabbits (Nov 28, 2011)

What breed are they? At 4 months and only 2.5 lbs, they are really small. 

But I only raise NZ's, Americans and Californians. Mine are at that weight at around 6 weeks.


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## Genipher (Nov 28, 2011)

I have no clue what breed they are. We got them free yesterday...


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## DKRabbitry (Nov 28, 2011)

I would give them a little more time.  We butchered some crazy small cal mixes at 11 weeks, they weighed around 3.5lbs, and were so scrawny.  We gave the rest of them a couple extra months and they filled out a LOT.  You lose money doing it that way, but we aren't in it for the money and felt it was better worth our time butchering and cooking if they were bigger.  If it were me I would give them a high proteine feed and see if they fill out a little more.


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## Genipher (Nov 28, 2011)

Thanks everyone!


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## Snowfie (Nov 28, 2011)

Well you know what they say, all rabbits (big or small) are made of meat.  But yah that's pretty small to butcher. You figure you get about half the weight of the rabbit in usable meat.  Those fellows would make for skim pickings.

Feed them as much as they can eat of a high protein pellet like manna grow (maybe mix in some sunflower seeds and oats) and they should beef up nicely.


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## Genipher (Nov 29, 2011)

What is manna grow?

And rolled oats, right?


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## Snowfie (Nov 29, 2011)

Genipher said:
			
		

> What is manna grow?
> 
> And rolled oats, right?


manna grow is a brand of rabbit pellets designed to bulk up growing babies.  They have a higher percentage of protein than standard pellets.  

And you can use rolled oats if you want.  I have my rabbits on whole oats (I got a #50 bag for about $10.  much cheaper than rolled.  you can find them where you buy horse feed).  Many find a mixture of oats and black oil sunflower seeds give a nice coat.  It's optional, but for baby rabbits I hear it's easier to digesst than pellets.

Plus they LOVE it.


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## Genipher (Nov 29, 2011)

Snowfie said:
			
		

> Genipher said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info! I was thinking rolled oats because I have it in the house...totally wasn't thinking of whole oats. I will have to keep that in mind!


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