# Cost to buy meat rabbits



## Blue Skys

I've been debating weather or not to get some rabbits for meat.  I would more than likely get a breeding pair of New Zealands.  I was wondering how much I should be looking at paying for two mature rabbits?  Would it be cheaper to purchase juveniles and raise them to maturity?  Any help y'all can offer will be greatly appreciated.


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## Hobby Farm

I've been pricing rabbits for several weeks.  I've been looking for New Zealands and Californians.  I have seen them between $10 and $45 for full grown rabbits for both breeds.  Both breeds seem to be priced equally.  I bought a Californian Buck for $10 and $15 for the Doe.  Younger ones only seem to be a little cheaper, but I wanted full grown ones.


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## Blue Skys

Thanks!


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## waynesgarden

I had a lot of experience years ago raising meat rabbits and recently got back into it. Of course, prices for breeding stock are a lot higher now than when I started in the 1970's but like then, good, proven stock will cost more than inferior or unproven stock. As I've always read, it costs no more to feed pedigreed rabbits than mutts but the potential for return on investment is much greater. If you only want rabbits to raise for your own food supply, it still pays to do a little shopping around for rabbits from a proven line, pedigree or not. A good breeder can give you an idea of the breeding success of the parent animals

I bought 3 junior does and a junior buck in April from a person in Vermont for $25 bucks each (they came from a line of rabbits from a breeding program at Cornell University, though not pedigreed.) They grew out well and I'm happy with them so far. I have only started breeding them last week so have no idea how they will perform.  I'll know in a few weeks.

In May I bought a pair of senior Californians with pedigree for $100, the female bred to another male in the breeder's herd.  A month later, the first litter was born and I was in the rabbit business. In July she kindled a second litter and she's been bred again. She's a great mother and Dad was no sloucher either. The money I paid was well spent. I have a few junior males from her first litter that I'd sell for maybe $8 or $10 with no papers but with pedigree papers, one would pay $25. Same rabbit though.

So how much is the cost to buy meat rabbits? Like so much in life, it depends.

Wayne


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## Blue Skys

waynesgarden said:
			
		

> I had a lot of experience years ago raising meat rabbits and recently got back into it. Of course, prices for breeding stock are a lot higher now than when I started in the 1970's but like then, good, proven stock will cost more than inferior or unproven stock. As I've always read, it costs no more to feed pedigreed rabbits than mutts but the potential for return on investment is much greater. If you only want rabbits to raise for your own food supply, it still pays to do a little shopping around for rabbits from a proven line, pedigree or not. A good breeder can give you an idea of the breeding success of the parent animals
> 
> I bought 3 junior does and a junior buck in April from a person in Vermont for $25 bucks each (they came from a line of rabbits from a breeding program at Cornell University, though not pedigreed.) They grew out well and I'm happy with them so far. I have only started breeding them last week so have no idea how they will perform.  I'll know in a few weeks.
> 
> In May I bought a pair of senior Californians with pedigree for $100, the female bred to another male in the breeder's herd.  A month later, the first litter was born and I was in the rabbit business. In July she kindled a second litter and she's been bred again. She's a great mother and Dad was no sloucher either. The money I paid was well spent. I have a few junior males from her first litter that I'd sell for maybe $8 or $10 with no papers but with pedigree papers, one would pay $25. Same rabbit though.
> 
> So how much is the cost to buy meat rabbits? Like so much in life, it depends.
> 
> Wayne


Thats some good info.  Thank you!


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## jenlyn9483

I raise meat rabbits. I have new zealands, two does and a buck and one Californian buck. None of them are pedigreed or papered but they are very nice quality meat, healthy rabbits and proven breeders. The bucks I got from a friend for $10 each grown. I got one of my does as a 5 week old for $7 and one from an auction as a 5 week old for $2.00. They happened to have an influx of rabbits that night with tons of babies so they were going cheep. The first doe was bred with the NZ buck and had 6 healthy babies and was a great mother. I have retained 2 does and a buck for eating and breeding from that litter and have since rebred her with my Californian buck. The other doe wont be ready to breed til October. I sold two of my babies from my first litter for $7 each does as 8 week olds.

I plan on buying some californian does from a breeder in Louisianna in October to go with my buck. She has a huge rabbitry with many pedigreed rabbits. The californians are like $10 each. Im also going to get a pair of pedigreed Standard Rex rabbits for $20 each. 

I hope this info helps.


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