# Question regarding becoming a breeder



## Mikedero1 (Feb 8, 2013)

I am thinking about getting into breeding and selling Rabbits. My question is do you need a type of license? also allot of Breeders here in CT also sell the meat dressed and the furs. do you need a license for this as well? I am not really looking to make money but cover my expenses for my other animals (Chickens and Quail)

 I am thinking of New Zealand whites and holland lops for the 2 breeds one for meat and the other as pets. 

 I was going to start with 2 bucks and 4 females for each breed, so a total of 12 rabbits. I just finished making my cages 34"X40" I made them a little bigger. I made 12 this way and 4 grow out cages 60" X 72" in these I can spilt if needed by thirds. 

 I have 12 chickens (6 leghorns and 6 red sexlinks) and 40 cortex quail, which at peak reachs 200 quail. 

 I am in CT if that helps


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## ChickenPotPie (Feb 8, 2013)

Take on a rabbit breeding project to help pay for your poultry and you'll likely have to look for another breeding project to pay for your rabbits.  Personally, I think you'd be better off selling your excess chickens, quail, and eggs than you would be taking on another project to pay for them.

Depending on what your are selling, how you are selling it, who you are it to, and how much you are selling will determine wether or not you need a permit.  You can get into a heck of a lot of trouble w/the USDA ($$$$) if you don't know what you can and cannot do.  So, it is good to look into who, what, and why of permits.


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## Mikedero1 (Feb 8, 2013)

I turn a pretty good profit with the quail. the chicken eggs we keep for ourselves and family. I do not slaughter the chickens but I might buy some broilers in the spring start off with 12.

 Ok maybe take it one step at a time. Do you need a permit to breed and sell live Rabbits? looking to do purebreeds and gonna travel to find some breeds that are not local to my area. I am still gonna do meat rabbits for personal use. 

 I saw some prices of 120-150 for a trio. well that I can deal with. even if I only sell one trio per litter if running 4-5 litters that can add up.

 So if I was to sell pedigree (spelling) rabbits with papers. Do I need to register or have a license. 

lets start with that and then the next would be finding a different route selling the rabbits to a butcher or something like that.


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## WhiteMountainsRanch (Feb 8, 2013)

*You will definitely need to check out your area to see if there is a market for them. Most places there isn't. My rabbitry doesn't even pay for itself let alone my chickens.*


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## Mikedero1 (Feb 10, 2013)

Ok back to the question.... DO I NEED a permit or license to breed pedirgree rabbits and sell them.

 I understand to do research to see what sells and how much. Been there done that, I am a accountant by trade so numbers I understand. The only thing I could not find info for was the question I am asking.


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## WhiteMountainsRanch (Feb 10, 2013)

*You don't need a license here in California, but it could vary state to state. I would check with your local ag county extension agent.


However if you are selling purebred pedigreed rabbits you will probably want to sign up with the registry of the breed you are getting, purchase a herd name, etc, just like you would for livestock. You'll also need a tattoo gun etc... *


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## alsea1 (Feb 10, 2013)

In Oregon if you are going to try to sell butchered rabbits you would need to to it at a usda licensed facility. They would charge you so much per rabbit. 
I think you can sell off the farm if the customer comes to you. But it can a little sticky.
So far I have not found many people that are willing to pay what it costs to get the rabbit up to fryer stage let alone much profit.
My buyer supplies to the feeder industry so all I have to do is get them up to at least 1.5 pounds. Even with this it still does not truely pay for itself.  However it does pay for some feed and supplies. Pretty much its a spendy hobby at best. Especially when you encounter loosing litters here and there. Sometimes its hard to get them to breed. I have had a some success with force breeding, but not alot.
Before I spent that kind of money on breeding stock and all the pens and whatnot I would really look into it.
If what you want is basic meat rabbits you could do just as well with heinz 57 rabbits. Good hybrid vigor and if your just going to butcher the kits blood lines don't matter.
Around here a nice rabbit will sell for as little as eight dollars. Purebred new zealand I have seen for 25 bucks or so.
I paid 15.00 for a pure bred chinchila buck.  So far he has accomplished very little in the breeding pen.
My mutt buck is still going strong and I am thinking he is around two years old. Produces good litters and is a very ardent buck.


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## secuono (Feb 10, 2013)

You do NOT need anything to breed and sell live animals locally in small amounts. But to sell large scale live, you may need something. To sell meat for human consumption, you need to be authorized, permit and be checked yearly. Too expensive unless you do commercial scale sales.


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## Bunnylady (Feb 10, 2013)

If you sell $500 or more worth of small animals  per year to pet stores you are required to have a license.


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## Mikedero1 (Feb 10, 2013)

Thank you all, 

 Here in CT the prices for trio's go from 60-150.00 selling directly to the consumer. I have not researched pet stores yet which is what I am going to do soon. 

 I scratched the idea of selling processed rabbits. But did find a local butcher that will buy them live from me we already talked price.

 for now I am just going to sell what I do not plan on processing for myself. Just picked up another freezer for the Quail, Rabbits and Chicken. and every once in awhile I go to the local livestock aution for a goat or pig which I butcher myself. 

 I am trying to avoid buying meat from the supermarkets.


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## WhiteMountainsRanch (Feb 10, 2013)

Mikedero1 said:
			
		

> I am trying to avoid buying meat from the supermarkets.


*
Rabbits are VERY good at this! I don't make any profit off my purebreds (the most money I make is in the spring selling to 4H kids) but my freezer is always full! *


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## ZippyTheHappyChimp (Feb 10, 2013)

Mikedero1 said:
			
		

> for now I am just going to sell what I do not plan on processing for myself. Just picked up another freezer for the Quail, Rabbits and Chicken. and every once in awhile I go to the local livestock aution for a goat or pig which I butcher myself.
> 
> I am trying to avoid buying meat from the supermarkets.


And that's the key.

When you're trying to raise for profit, you have to be a lot pickier, and all of your startup costs have to come from unallocated funds.

When you're raising for your own freezer, you still need to do a cost analysis, and still have to have a certain starting nest egg.  But then a) your product is worth whatever meat you DIDN'T buy (when you ate your rabbit instead); and b) your animal upkeep costs come out of the food budget rather than some other bucket.

I'm pricing my rabbits I eat at $2 a pound, as that's the max of what I would of spent on some pork anyways.  If your rabbits stops you from buying beef, at 3, 4, 5+ dollars a pound, then you make your investment back sooner and start making a "profit".  If you primarily eat buck a pound chicken, then rabbits may never work out, moneywise.


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