# Meat Rabbitry



## starlight012 (Feb 9, 2013)

Hi! I was wondering what exactly do you need for meat rabbitry? This would be my first time setting one up. I'm planning on getting New Zealand Rabbits. How many Does and Bucks should I start out with? Also what do you do to keep your rabbits warm in the winter? I live in Central New York down by the Finger Lakes. Right now we are getting hit hard with snow and its 12 degrees. We have 2 feet of snow right now and its still coming. I will be keeping my rabbits in a  she that is well built and out of the wind. Do you have any idea where I could get a large supply of Pellets? Thanks!


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## Hens and Roos (Feb 9, 2013)

starlight012 said:
			
		

> Hi! I was wondering what exactly do you need for meat rabbitry? This would be my first time setting one up. I'm planning on getting New Zealand Rabbits. How many Does and Bucks should I start out with? Also what do you do to keep your rabbits warm in the winter? I live in Central New York down by the Finger Lakes. Right now we are getting hit hard with snow and its 12 degrees. We have 2 feet of snow right now and its still coming. I will be keeping my rabbits in a  she that is well built and out of the wind. Do you have any idea where I could get a large supply of Pellets? Thanks!


Wow, that is alot of snow so far!  We have Cali rabbits- 3 does and 1 buck, each with their own wire cage- 24" x 36", single door seems to work best-easier to get the rabbit in and out of.  My DD is planning on showing the rabbits for 4-H and we process the extra for eating.  Our rabbits are keep in our heated shop so weather isn't a issue, but it sounds like your set would work since you are protecting them from the elements.


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## Augusta (Mar 16, 2013)

Well,how much meat do you want...?...50 to 60% eviserated weight.....AT eight weeks figure two pounds of meat per rabbit,depending on breed...Start with the absolute best meat rabbits you can get...Past eight weeks feed conversion is less....Costs more feed too get weight gain....

Do you have air conditioning for the summer....?....Allowing you to breed in high heat....May not be a factor in ny,it is in kansas I tell ya...

Do you have a way too prevent water freeze up in winter....?..This will make having rabbits much much more pleasing for you....

Does your shed have proper ventilation....?...Without this you will have respiratory infections,no matter how clean you keep the place...

Will you be able too dress a rabbit at 8 to 10 weeks when they are still at a cute age.....?

Rabbit is very very good eating....

Need at least two or three doe's,for sometimes you have too foster a few from a large litter and sometimes you will have a doe that just won't take of her litter and need too foster them...

Three doe's ,for sometimes a doe won't take when bred .. 

I use 30"x 48" cages for doe's and remove the doe to a 30"x30" cage at six weeks....and keep the largest one of the litter for a breeder...Large nzw rabbits with 8 plus babies in a cage will fill the cage...I used too keep them with the doe too eight weeks but it run down my doe's too much....I remove all young at the same time...

Maybe this will help..The above are things I learned the hard way....Good Luck


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## Hens and Roos (Mar 17, 2013)

Augusta said:
			
		

> Well,how much meat do you want...?...50 to 60% eviserated weight.....AT eight weeks figure two pounds of meat per rabbit,depending on breed...Start with the absolute best meat rabbits you can get...Past eight weeks feed conversion is less....Costs more feed too get weight gain....
> 
> Do you have air conditioning for the summer....?....Allowing you to breed in high heat....May not be a factor in ny,it is in kansas I tell ya...
> 
> ...


Have you ever combined groups of weaned babies into one area?  Without tatoo each litter how would one go about marking each baby so to keep track of which doe they are from?  We have 16 babies who are coming up on 6 weeks old and we want to wean them into a 6' x 6' floor pen to finish growing out.


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## Augusta (Mar 17, 2013)

Hens and Roos said:
			
		

> Augusta said:
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I wouldn't put that many togeather....You will have chewing problems....I only keep one per litter and leave them in the doe cage and put them up b4 ten weeks...I just write on the hutch or card who's who...Hasn't bit me yet,knock on wood...LOL...With heavy culling you will have amazing growth rates in a coupla years...

Rabbits love too chew wood,,if wet even better...I think they are after the salt....I've heard too soak wood in salt water then place in cage,but havn't tried it yet...

Keep us posted....Nothing is in stone,,,for I had one litter that I kept togeather for nearly a year with no probs what so ever,,but separated them for  half an hour and one went nuts on the rest....This was a doe growout too make sure on size....THen other litters don't do well do too bullying and hair pulling,after around three months or so....The ones that got along well togeather had a wild persona and the others had a tame irritable persona.....

One of my american doe's I bred at five months old grew too twelve pounds and four ounces on 5 ounces of feed per day and is in great condition...I always thought I stunted her growth till I weighed her yesterday and wow...I've got eleven and twelve pound doe's outa two eight pound parents...So no hardfast rules,,other than have fun.....

Mike


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## goatgirl132 (Mar 17, 2013)

you can use a pernament marker in their ear to mark them.
you can number the babbies 1-__ and know babbies 1-5 go to mom 1 5-7 go to mom 2 and 8-17 goes to mom 3 or you can have a differnt color marker for each litter


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## Augusta (Mar 17, 2013)

Markers don't last long,you will have too keep redoing.....


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## Hens and Roos (Mar 18, 2013)

thanks for the ideas, we will see what works best, at this point we will be growing these babies up to about 14 weeks or so and want to kind of see how each litter performs weight wise.  Of course one might be held back for my DD to show at fair for 4-H


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## natem (Apr 1, 2013)

Hi, i live in rochester, close by! Anyways, start out with 2 does and 1 buck . I started small and am glad i did. I had a lot of stuff go wrong, so im glad i only had 3 rabbits. A shed will be warm enough for them. I keep mine in a small hutch. The only problem is keeping the water not frozen. Advice: Make sure to learn what a good quality meat rabbit looks like. I got ripped off because I didnt know what I was looking for in a rabbit. Some people are bad and will take advantage of you. Dont pay more than $25 for a good doe. No more than $20 for a good buck. good luck


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## hitnspit (Apr 4, 2013)

natem said:
			
		

> Hi, i live in rochester, close by! Anyways, start out with 2 does and 1 buck . I started small and am glad i did. I had a lot of stuff go wrong, so im glad i only had 3 rabbits. A shed will be warm enough for them. I keep mine in a small hutch. The only problem is keeping the water not frozen. Advice: Make sure to learn what a good quality meat rabbit looks like. I got ripped off because I didnt know what I was looking for in a rabbit. Some people are bad and will take advantage of you. Dont pay more than $25 for a good doe. No more than $20 for a good buck. good luck


WOW i got lucky with my start up cost for rabbits. BUT I have seen more times then not that a really nice doe will go for $50 to $80 each. Like i said i would not pay that but alot of people do. I also do not sell that high. I like to help people with good stuff. you keep your customers happy they keep comeing back. Thats the key.... Also on the other hand i have seen where meat rabbits will go for $10 each.. Around here you can sell a meat rabbit for $7 a pound and they are happy to pay the price. On the other hand around here you cant feed a rabbit from wean to slaughter for under $10...


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