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[Julienkc]

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!

 

[Citylife]

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.

 

[Julienkc]

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.

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.

 

[Citylife]

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.

 

[fortheloveofgoats]

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!

 

[Julienkc]

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.

 

[fortheloveofgoats]

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.

 

[sandog001]

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...

 

[sandog001]

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

 

[Citylife]

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.