My family and I would like to start raising meat rabbits in urban area and was wondering is all we need is hutches for two does and a buck or do we need a run also. Does the kits need their own hutch after being off their mother or do they stay with mom until time to butcher.
new to meat rabbits
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Hens and Roos
Herd Master
Welcome 
We raise meat rabbits, each of our rabbits that we are using as breeders has their own cage. You will need a hutch for each breeder doe and buck. Depending on litter size and sex you will probably want another area to be able to put them in to finish growing out.
Which breed of rabbit are you looking at?
We raise meat rabbits, each of our rabbits that we are using as breeders has their own cage. You will need a hutch for each breeder doe and buck. Depending on litter size and sex you will probably want another area to be able to put them in to finish growing out. Which breed of rabbit are you looking at?
animalmom
Herd Master
Welcome! We love new people!
I agree with Hens and Roos about having a grow out cage for kits (babies) after you wean them from the doe. If you leave the kits with the mom they will continue to nurse any chance they get. The problem with that is it delays the mom getting back into condition. It can make her very skinny, especially if it is a large litter. My grow out cage is 4 feet x 4 feet.
The hutches, or cages, for the individual breeding rabbits should be tall enough that the rabbit can stretch up. My cages are 18" tall. As to how big the cage is depends on what you are breeding. My bucks seem quite content with their 30" x 24" cages. My does who are not expecting a litter or nursing a litter also have cages that are 30" x 24". Does with litter have a 30" x 48" cage. Again, that works for my rabbits and their needs.
I don't think you need a run for the rabbits.
How about some pictures of your set up, please and thank you, once you get the rabbits all settled. We love, love, love pictures. Of course we would love to see pictures of any litters you have so we can ohhhh and ahhhh over the kits.
Don't hesitate to ask any question. Heck, if you are wondering about something rabbit then someone else may wonder the same thing or have worked through that question already. You are not alone.
I agree with Hens and Roos about having a grow out cage for kits (babies) after you wean them from the doe. If you leave the kits with the mom they will continue to nurse any chance they get. The problem with that is it delays the mom getting back into condition. It can make her very skinny, especially if it is a large litter. My grow out cage is 4 feet x 4 feet.
The hutches, or cages, for the individual breeding rabbits should be tall enough that the rabbit can stretch up. My cages are 18" tall. As to how big the cage is depends on what you are breeding. My bucks seem quite content with their 30" x 24" cages. My does who are not expecting a litter or nursing a litter also have cages that are 30" x 24". Does with litter have a 30" x 48" cage. Again, that works for my rabbits and their needs.
I don't think you need a run for the rabbits.
How about some pictures of your set up, please and thank you, once you get the rabbits all settled. We love, love, love pictures. Of course we would love to see pictures of any litters you have so we can ohhhh and ahhhh over the kits.
Don't hesitate to ask any question. Heck, if you are wondering about something rabbit then someone else may wonder the same thing or have worked through that question already. You are not alone.
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Hens and Roos
Herd Master
the best answer for that is you would want to place the hutches where they are protected from the weather. depending on where you live and how hot it gets you will need to provide shade of some sort, same thing with how cold it gets- you will need to provide shelter.
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Hens and Roos
Herd Master
New Zealand whites are one of the top meat breeds. We raise Californian and are happy with them.
Shorty
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I have NZW they are great my buck is a total love bug. Mine reach 5lbs by 12 weeks dress out at almost 4lbs
animalmom
Herd Master
I know rabbits need light, a certain amount of light, for breeding, but please keep in mind the heat of the sun. I'm in North Central Texas and my rabbits are in the shade because the sun gets so hot.
We have a three sided large shed for the rabbits. The shed was originally built with a translucent roof... to allow for the light. During our first year with the buns we re-roofed with steel as it was just too hot. We have a large fan and a misting system set up to help with the summer heat.
I tried using frozen bottles, but it didn't work with the Texas heat so we went to the large fan and misting. The buns are at least comfortable when it gets in the 100's. Fan turns on automatically at 80 and if it flirts with 90 I turn the mister on.
I don't know how hot you get, or how humid (humidity will make your heat feel even hotter) so you need to keep that in consideration when considering where to put your hutch. I opt for shade.
We have a three sided large shed for the rabbits. The shed was originally built with a translucent roof... to allow for the light. During our first year with the buns we re-roofed with steel as it was just too hot. We have a large fan and a misting system set up to help with the summer heat.
I tried using frozen bottles, but it didn't work with the Texas heat so we went to the large fan and misting. The buns are at least comfortable when it gets in the 100's. Fan turns on automatically at 80 and if it flirts with 90 I turn the mister on.
I don't know how hot you get, or how humid (humidity will make your heat feel even hotter) so you need to keep that in consideration when considering where to put your hutch. I opt for shade.
