# Newbie, former lurker!



## Weedchick (Feb 9, 2011)

Hi everyone, I recognize a lot of you from BYC & TEG. I'm hoping to get set up in meat rabbits this summer, if the finances allow. I'm in north Idaho and was wondering if you could advise me on a good breed to begin with. I'm also thinking of setting them up in a chain link dog run with a roof and hanging cages. Any suggestions or tips on if that would be workable in my climate? I could windproof it in the winter.
Any comments would be welcome. Oh, and I have the Storey book on raising rabbits which I will be rereading. And of course I read as much as I can on this forum which is very informative!


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## rabbitlady4433 (Feb 9, 2011)

Looks like your off to a good start! Welcome, and this forum is awesome!


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## Mea (Feb 9, 2011)

If You are raising rabbits for Your own table... any breed that catches Your fancy and You enjoy would be fine.

  If You are planning on selling them to a processor... quite often they prefer white furred rabbits ..  like New Zealand, Californians, or Florida Whites.


  Good Luck with Your project.


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## Sama_Lama (Feb 9, 2011)

Mea said:
			
		

> :
> If You are planning on selling them to a processor... quite often they prefer white furred rabbits ..  like New Zealand, Californians, or Florida Whites.


Why do they prefer "white furred" bunnies? Are you actually speaking of fur color or just that those 3 happen to be the most common meat bunnies?


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## dbunni (Feb 10, 2011)

The white preference is only if they have an outlet for the pelts.  Unfortunately, many of the pelts are thrown to the field now days ... so color does not matter.  Unlike the past, the meat is the most important part now.  Outlets for pelts are few and far between.  People don't wear "animal" as much as they use to.  With the advent of fakes and anti pelt groups.  In our area (OH/PA/MI) most of the processors send the pelts to the field for wildlife to eat!

If you are going to work with the supply chain, contact the processor and ask the question.  Then go forward.  If you are doing it for yourself/few others ... find the breed/color you like and enjoy.  I would recommend staying with the "commercial" breeds... New Zealands (come in black, white, broken, & red), Californias, & Florida Whites.

Good luck ... and enjoy the new adventure.


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## Lorelai (Feb 10, 2011)

We really like our Californians, and so far our young Cali buck has been more up to the task than our New Zealand White buck, if you know what I mean... but our New Zealand Black doe has nice big litters, so we can't complain too much. But we do like our Californians a lot... they are calm, docile, and overall less twitchy than the New Zealands. Both are great meat rabbits, and the cross breeds are very efficient, if you want to start out with two different breeds. It will probably depend on what is available in your area... we live in Western Washington, and I think the man we got our Californians from originally got some of his stock in Idaho. Good luck!


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## Mea (Feb 10, 2011)

Sama_Lama said:
			
		

> Mea said:
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> 
> ...


I agree with dbunni that fewer people wear fur nowadays.

  It used to be that white rabbits were preferred because the furs could be dyed any color that was wanted and the color would be consistant.  A  pelt that has visible colors to it... would possibly be uneven in color.

   In this day and age... some processors still want the white furred breeds, as there is a better chance that they have been bred specifically for 'meaty' qualities.

   Some processors pay a bit more for the 'White' rabbits than they do for 'colors'.  When one is trying to make money... every penny can count .


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## Emmetts Dairy (Feb 10, 2011)

Welcome back!


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## Weedchick (Feb 10, 2011)

Thanks everyone! I am expecting to just be breeding for our own table and doing the processing myself. The author of the Storey guide strongly suggested pedigreed rabbits because when you end up with a surplus you can sell them for more and also because you know their history (?? maybe I'm not remembering it right...) What do you guys think?


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## collector (Feb 15, 2011)

Welcome, I think you will be better off sticking with NZs or  Calis they take a shorter time to get to butcher size. Color won't matter if you are raising them for personal use. The hanging cages are definatly the way to go, cuts way down on the cleaning and maintenance. The pedigree thing is up to you it does insure that you are getting full blooded animals. Getting good proven meat rabbits is really not any cheaper than papered rabbits IMO, I know cause I am trying to find 2 Cali does right now.  When you set up your cages try to keep them protected from the prevailing winds, icy air does not bother them, icy winds will kill them quickly. As a bonus you will get alot of fertilizer for your garden.


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## Weedchick (Feb 17, 2011)

Thanks collector, I'm hopeful that I can get a setup this summer. I'll be using a 6 ' x12' dog run that we'll roof, then I thought I could put tarps up in the winter or plastic sheeting to keep the wind out. I've seen some killer deals on hanging cages on craigslist but they never coincide with my cash flow. :/


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## tortoise (Feb 18, 2011)

I'm not convinced that plastic sheeting will be enough protection from the elements.  One tear in the plastic and your rabbits would be completely exposed to the weather.  I'm not sure they would survive that.  In addition, the roof would need considerable overhang.  Plastic on the sides to protect them from rain in summer is great...... until you remember that they NEED free air circulation to keep cool.  I really don't think this idea is feasible in your climate.

If they are not in a building, each rabbit needs to have a solid, enclosed space.  A minimum would be putting a nest box into each cage.  I do not like the idea of using a metal nest box - that would conduct the cold too much.  Homemade wood boxes would be better.

CL is a great resource for finding cages.  I found all of my cages on CL, although I have had to buy some of the frames.  Building legs for the cages would not be difficult or expensive (4 2x4's and bome bolts to attach the cages).  Do you have anyplace indoors? a shed? garage?


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## dbunni (Feb 18, 2011)

The plastic sheeting will work if it is the proper weight.  Don't use the flimsy stuff.  Use the heaviest sheeting you can find.  I use it.  My unit is a part of the barn that was originally a dog run (has 2 solid sides and a sloped roof, where they originally stored the tractors ... cement floor).  The other 2 sides are chain link kennel fencing to the top.  It is totally secure from preditors (and was great at keeping climbing dogs in before I got the kennel built!).  Summer ventilation is awsome!  During the winter I use strong plastic sheeting & boards to hold it on.  Handles all life has to offer in a nasty Ohio winter.


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## Weedchick (Feb 18, 2011)

tortoise said:
			
		

> I'm not convinced that plastic sheeting will be enough protection from the elements.  One tear in the plastic and your rabbits would be completely exposed to the weather.  I'm not sure they would survive that.  In addition, the roof would need considerable overhang.  Plastic on the sides to protect them from rain in summer is great...... until you remember that they NEED free air circulation to keep cool.  I really don't think this idea is feasible in your climate.
> 
> If they are not in a building, each rabbit needs to have a solid, enclosed space.  A minimum would be putting a nest box into each cage.  I do not like the idea of using a metal nest box - that would conduct the cold too much.  Homemade wood boxes would be better.
> 
> CL is a great resource for finding cages.  I found all of my cages on CL, although I have had to buy some of the frames.  Building legs for the cages would not be difficult or expensive (4 2x4's and bome bolts to attach the cages).  Do you have anyplace indoors? a shed? garage?


Thanks tortoise, I appreciate the advice and the concern. I'm not new to keeping livestock, and would use good sense in picking materials. My DH is my builder and he always has the Worst Case Scenario in mind when constructing. My idea was, as you said that the roof have considerable overhang, and instead of plastic I could use the lexan panels on the sides of the prevailing winter weather (I mostly have light in mind). I could change things up for the summer for ventilation, and the summers here are not ever brutally hot.  The cages would be hanging and I could put something (lexan ?) on three sides of the cages for extra winter protection. I think wooden nest boxes area good idea , (and I know they're hard to clean and the buns chew on them).
We don't have any indoor area that I could use. I'm confident that with common sense and an eye to the rabbits health as a priority I can make it work. 
I really am grateful for any advice I receive and do consider all of it.


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## collector (Feb 20, 2011)

We keep ours in a open leanto on the back of our garage. It is sheltered from the prevailing winds, besides the occasional wind coming from odd directions it works great. We have never housed them inside, and havnt lost any to the elements in several years. We did lose one during the hottest days of summer last year. The summer heat is worse on them than the winter cold IMO. If you are  going to use a dog run you have got a great start already, you can just fortify it in the winter with tarps, sheeting, metal roofing, or whatever you have handy. Also in winter we cover the cages with a large tarp at night and roll it up during the day , unless we are having a blizzard. Sounds like you have a plan that will work well, and you will be able to adjust it to their needs once you get going. Good luck.


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## Weedchick (Feb 20, 2011)

I like your idea of rolling down a tarp in front of the cages at night. I'll us that one too!


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## rabbitgeek (Feb 20, 2011)

Rolling a tarp down in front of the cages at night or when inclement weather strikes is what we have done in the past. Remember to leave a gap at ground level so the rabbit have some ventilation.

Have a good day!


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