# New here



## Julienkc (Dec 12, 2011)

Hi everyone. My name is Julie. I live in city limits on an almost 2 acre lot( Kansas City, MO). I have around 20 chickens, a few ducks, quail, and a turkey. I just got 3 rabbits a few days ago. One is a light gray flemish buck. The other 2 are 5 weeks old flemish mixes. I think the momma was a big mini rex. The guy couldn't remember what she was called, but she had fur like the mini rex I used to have. Anyway, these are pets, but hubby says he wants to raises meat rabbits now. I'm doubting that will happen, he hid when I processed our meaties last summer.  I thought I should start getting some information though, just in case.
 If we do meat rabbits, could I cross the flemish/rex's with a meat breed like a californian and end up with decent meaties? What age are they done at? Any special diet to make them grow faster or taste better? Can you do anything with their fur? And lastly, what does rabbit taste like? I saw an ad on craigslist for dressed rabbits, I think when I get time I might go buy one to try before I even think about raising any. Any favorite recipes?
Thanks!


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## Citylife (Dec 12, 2011)

Welcome Julie,
This is a good site with a lot of information.  Nice to see a fellow KC'er here.  
Do you mean he hid when you did meat chickens then?  I have a nice set-up you can see on my page.  I think the brand of rabbit and size depends a lot on how many your feeding?  Where your putting them?  What your long term goal is?  There is a lot of duplicated information on these sites and if you just spend time cruzing it and reading other threads you will learn alot.  There are a lot of opinions on here and backed up by why that animal is best for them.  Recipes are here also...  one of my new faves is cacciatori.  I have been doing as much experimenting as I can.  
Like everyone, the summer took its toll on our fall babies and many of us had misses, small litters or litters that died quickly.  there are some downs to all livestock raising. 
And rabbit tastes great.  Its a white meat with more texture to it then chicken  It can absorb a lot of seasoning.  Unlike poultry, young fried rabbit is preferred by many to be a tad bit pink.  Its great in mexican food (used as a chicken substitute).  Older rabbits need to be cooked differently then young ones.  
Again welcome......  I am sure we will see more of you.


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## Julienkc (Dec 12, 2011)

Citylife said:
			
		

> Welcome Julie,
> This is a good site with a lot of information.  Nice to see a fellow KC'er here.
> Do you mean he hid when you did meat chickens then?  I have a nice set-up you can see on my page.  I think the brand of rabbit and size depends a lot on how many your feeding?  Where your putting them?  What your long term goal is?  There is a lot of duplicated information on these sites and if you just spend time cruzing it and reading other threads you will learn alot.  There are a lot of opinions on here and backed up by why that animal is best for them.  Recipes are here also...  one of my new faves is cacciatori.  I have been doing as much experimenting as I can.
> Like everyone, the summer took its toll on our fall babies and many of us had misses, small litters or litters that died quickly.  there are some downs to all livestock raising.
> ...


Thanks. Yes, he was supposed to help with the meat chickens but "was busy" and hid in the house.  I felt bad for the fat stinky things because it was when it was 100 plus degrees and I thought they were going to keel over at any minute so I ended up doing it myself. 
Right now I just want to learn about meat rabbits. After I try rabbit if I like it I might let hubby go ahead with raising his rabbits. Since I am going to end up being the one to do everything but eat them I though I'd better find out all I can, so I can make sure whatever he does he does right, lol. I just want a few, maybe a litter or 2 at most a year. I have quail , chickens, ducks(if I can ever bring myself to process one, the ducks are my babies ), etc too. Just want some variety of meat other than bird. 
I like your set up. Part of my chickens run is a covered fenced 12" x 20" area. It's in a nice shady spot, so I think once the weather is nicer I'm going to have him build something to hang the rabbit cages in there.


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## Citylife (Dec 13, 2011)

Storeys guide to raising rabbits is an excellent start on learning what to do.  Spending some time reading through this forum will also help you.  
If your only wanting a couple litters a year that is most likely around 30-40 meals a year.  You would need to decide if the expense of getting started is worth it.  My person goal is to have one meal a week of rabbit.  I am not there yet.    but will be.  
I can tell you....  we both really enjoy raising them.  BH does most of the care of the rabbits and I do the butchering and some, care of them.  Getting a system in place that works for you is good.
good luck in your ventures, you came to the right place.


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## fortheloveofgoats (Dec 13, 2011)

Julienkc said:
			
		

> Hi everyone. My name is Julie. I live in city limits on an almost 2 acre lot( Kansas City, MO). I have around 20 chickens, a few ducks, quail, and a turkey. I just got 3 rabbits a few days ago. One is a light gray flemish buck. The other 2 are 5 weeks old flemish mixes. I think the momma was a big mini rex. The guy couldn't remember what she was called, but she had fur like the mini rex I used to have. Anyway, these are pets, but hubby says he wants to raises meat rabbits now. I'm doubting that will happen, he hid when I processed our meaties last summer.  I thought I should start getting some information though, just in case.
> If we do meat rabbits, could I cross the flemish/rex's with a meat breed like a californian and end up with decent meaties? What age are they done at? Any special diet to make them grow faster or taste better? Can you do anything with their fur? And lastly, what does rabbit taste like? I saw an ad on craigslist for dressed rabbits, I think when I get time I might go buy one to try before I even think about raising any. Any favorite recipes?
> Thanks!


 I don't know much about rabbits, but I do know that you can tan the hide. You can tan it and when it's done just leave it as it is, and put it in a dresser or table. Some people actually use them to make shoes or hats. You can do a lot with the fur. Good luck!


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## Julienkc (Dec 13, 2011)

I already have some rabbits I just got as pets, so I think one new zealand or something shouldn't add too much cost wise, especially if I can use the ones I already have and cross breed.  I also prefer my meat to be more humanely raised/processed, so if I can handle the whole thing eventually I'd like to get most of our family's meat from our rabbits/quail/chickens/ducks/turkeys.  Just wish I wasn't in city limits so I could get a steer, and some bacon. Well, actually I wish they had a breed of pig that only produced bacon... then I wouldn't other with anything else, lol. 
And their fur is just so soft I hate to just throw it away if there is a use for it. I'll definately have to look in to how to tan it and what I can make with it.


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## fortheloveofgoats (Dec 13, 2011)

Julienkc said:
			
		

> I already have some rabbits I just got as pets, so I think one new zealand or something shouldn't add too much cost wise, especially if I can use the ones I already have and cross breed.  I also prefer my meat to be more humanely raised/processed, so if I can handle the whole thing eventually I'd like to get most of our family's meat from our rabbits/quail/chickens/ducks/turkeys.  Just wish I wasn't in city limits so I could get a steer, and some bacon. Well, actually I wish they had a breed of pig that only produced bacon... then I wouldn't other with anything else, lol.
> And their fur is just so soft I hate to just throw it away if there is a use for it. I'll definately have to look in to how to tan it and what I can make with it.


 Yeah, it would be cool to have only bacon. I love having ham though. The internet has a lot on tanning hides. Hope you can find some information that will help you. Do you think you can post pictures of the hides, when/if you get them done? It sure would be great to see. We used to do that when I was a teen, but to be honest I don't remember everything. We had a breeder that would give us there rabbits when they passed away. I remember cutting off the head, and feet. Then pulling of the skin. We had to put it in a solution over night. Oh before that we checked for any meat that stayed on the fur. I remember having to stretch it out and salting it. It's a blur though. We did the same thing for our deer and elk hides. The rabbit though is so soft, well deer is too.


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## sandog001 (Dec 14, 2011)

Welcome aboard...... 
I am new here and found alot of great info from all here and reading past posts... I just finished  reading and I also recommend Story's guide to anyone new.... 
even thou you are in the city limits you can still shop around and find someone that raises there own beef and see if they are interested in trading there beef for your rabbit meat .... lb for lb.... I find most people  that raise there own animals love to barter...


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## sandog001 (Dec 14, 2011)

P.S....
   How many Rabbits does it take to have one meal a week for a year..... say 4 people for the meal.....


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## Citylife (Dec 14, 2011)

sandog001 said:
			
		

> P.S....
> How many Rabbits does it take to have one meal a week for a year..... say 4 people for the meal.....


52 weeks in a year, so 52 butchering florida whites in my case.


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## sandog001 (Dec 14, 2011)

I guess I should of worded that differently...

I am still in the planning stages for my rabbitry and questions just sprout up and I should really think about them before  I start moving my lips....lol
but what I was curious about was ......  with the average fryer, how many people will that one rabbit feed.......
I also like your set up...


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## Citylife (Dec 14, 2011)

sandog001 said:
			
		

> I guess I should of worded that differently...
> 
> I am still in the planning stages for my rabbitry and questions just sprout up and I should really think about them before  I start moving my lips....lol
> but what I was curious about was ......  with the average fryer, how many people will that one rabbit feed.......
> I also like your set up...


I have Florida Whites and one rabbit will feed four people.  So, I figure you need to have 52 butcher rabbits to have one meal a week for a year.  
I am glad you like my set-up.  I have to admit I am very happy with it and proud of it.  Its a very clean set-up.
Good luck to you and stick around on here.  There is always lots of good info.


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## nstilwater (Dec 14, 2011)

i am also going to start raising meat rabbits this coming spring only it was my kids ideas


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## Julienkc (Dec 15, 2011)

nstilwater said:
			
		

> i am also going to start raising meat rabbits this coming spring only it was my kids ideas


How old are your kids? My oldest is 6. She doesn't like any of our animals being processed, but she has no problems eating them. At least she knows where food comes from. When I did the chickens, she didn't come out until they had all been dispatched, but then hung around asking all sorts of questions.


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## nstilwater (Dec 16, 2011)

Julienkc said:
			
		

> nstilwater said:
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i have three boys two years, five years, and seven years,my five year old was slightly put off at first but then i showed them a video of how factory chickens are raised, not butchered but raised, and they felt so bad for them that they would prefer homegrown food and now ask me i what we are eating is store bought or one of ours, they dont eat it if i say store bought! we have always  hunted and processed our own so the kids have been seeing it  since they were real little. chances are that shell get used to it and it wont be a problem for long. especially if she doesnt have a problem eating them. my five year old went vegetarian for a few months after the first chicken was processed! he got over it


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## Bossroo (Dec 17, 2011)

To counter the animal rights activist film/ print/ voice  propagandas...   I see that most vegetables and fruit are grown in overcrowded rows, force fed with commercial or even organic fertilizers. Eaten alive by all manners of insect or fungal pests or suffer from invading weeds stealing nutrients . Then when some human masters feel loss of money due to pest damage, spray or dust  with all manner of commercial or organic pesticides, and see their soil mates ( weeds) eather killed by comercial or organic herbicides, fire, or chopped to death by  humans weilding hoes or huge machine with no regard to the plants feelings. Too, the poor plants suffer long periods of time without water to drink untill their masters finally arrive to give them some water at their own conveniance. Then when they approach maturity, chopped off their roots, pulled out of the ground  or  uncerimoniously pulled off their parent branches and then packed into crowded containers and then ( gasp)  eaten while still alive.  How gross is that ?  My formerly strictly vegetarian daughter in law finally recognized  the realities of life, in now hapily consuming animal and vegetable products.  Now back to our regularly scheduled program !


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## Citylife (Dec 18, 2011)

Bossroo said:
			
		

> To counter the animal rights activist film/ print/ voice  propagandas...   I see that most vegetables and fruit are grown in overcrowded rows, force fed with commercial or even organic fertilizers. Eaten alive by all manners of insect or fungal pests or suffer from invading weeds stealing nutrients . Then when some human masters feel loss of money due to pest damage, spray or dust  with all manner of commercial or organic pesticides, and see their soil mates ( weeds) eather killed by comercial or organic herbicides, fire, or chopped to death by  humans weilding hoes or huge machine with no regard to the plants feelings. Too, the poor plants suffer long periods of time without water to drink untill their masters finally arrive to give them some water at their own conveniance. Then when they approach maturity, chopped off their roots, pulled out of the ground  or  uncerimoniously pulled off their parent branches and then packed into crowded containers and then ( gasp)  eaten while still alive.  How gross is that ?  My formerly strictly vegetarian daughter in law finally recognized  the realities of life, in now hapily consuming animal and vegetable products.  Now back to our regularly scheduled program !


Alrighty then.....

Julie.......  do your research and as told on here look through the forum you will learn a lot!  There is a ton of information on here.
And it will be well worth your while to have your set-up done before you get your rabbits.  If your wanting to produce well through the winter you may want to have them in some kind of shed with electric so you can have extra light on them to trick them into breeding.  It also alows you to add a small a/c unit to help them get through the 105 we have had here the last few summers.  I wish I had mine in some kind of shed where I could do that.  It would be easier.  But, I also recommend not getting to crazy as you dont know how much you will like raising them.  You will figure it out.  1st you need a rabbit to eat.


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## Julienkc (Dec 18, 2011)

Citylife said:
			
		

> Bossroo said:
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> 
> 
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Well, I haven't ate a rabbit yet but I watched one being processed today. We butchered our extra roo and a few culls out of the layers (one with bumblefoot I couldn't get better, a featherpicker, etc). I process my own meaties and roos, but couldn't do my layers so we had a friend come over to do them and share the meat. The friend that we got our rabbits from had one rabbit left he was going to give away or to his dad to butcher, so hubby went and got it. It wasn't as bad as I thought, so guess I'll be ready when I get to that point.
I'm hanging the rabbits in the chickens covered run. There's plenty of shade and if it gets really hot I run fan/take blocks of ice in there for the chickens anyway.  I have solar lights hung in there for the chickens, but I don't mind if they slack a bit for the winter. I plan on adding a little bit more light next fall anyway though.  Thanks, you've been really helpful!


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## Genipher (Dec 19, 2011)

I get what you're saying bossroo. I've often thought it would be funny to have a bumper sticker that said, _"Vegetables Have Feelings, Too!" _


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## Julienkc (Dec 19, 2011)

Bossroo said:
			
		

> To counter the animal rights activist film/ print/ voice  propagandas...   I see that most vegetables and fruit are grown in overcrowded rows, force fed with commercial or even organic fertilizers. Eaten alive by all manners of insect or fungal pests or suffer from invading weeds stealing nutrients . Then when some human masters feel loss of money due to pest damage, spray or dust  with all manner of commercial or organic pesticides, and see their soil mates ( weeds) eather killed by comercial or organic herbicides, fire, or chopped to death by  humans weilding hoes or huge machine with no regard to the plants feelings. Too, the poor plants suffer long periods of time without water to drink untill their masters finally arrive to give them some water at their own conveniance. Then when they approach maturity, chopped off their roots, pulled out of the ground  or  uncerimoniously pulled off their parent branches and then packed into crowded containers and then ( gasp)  eaten while still alive.  How gross is that ?  My formerly strictly vegetarian daughter in law finally recognized  the realities of life, in now hapily consuming animal and vegetable products.  Now back to our regularly scheduled program !


 Don't know how I missed this post. Hubby was pouting about killing "our" (my) chickens. He said if he wanted to eat chicken he'd eat store chicken. I told him those were someone's chickens and ours at least had a better life. He said he wouldn't eat meat anymore. After I stopped laughing , I told him trees had feelings too, and hasn't he ever seen wizard of oz? they don't like having their apples picked.


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## oneacrefarm (Jan 6, 2012)

Make sure that your chickens cannot roost on the rabbit cages, the poop will make them sick. Also, I think the mom of your rabbits had to be a Standard Rex. A cannot see anyone breeding a MiniRex doe to a Flemish buck...too much size difference. Good luck starting your rabbit venture!


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