New to Rabbits

[SrStinkaLot]

Hi,
I live in Colombia and have been doing a lot of research before getting into Rabbits for meat, I have been mostly planning and haven't leaped yet into buying my Rabbits or properly starting my project. The only thing I am completely sure about is that I do not want to feed my Rabbits pellets and due to lack of information on naturally feeding Rabbits and not wanting my Rabbits to be sick or anything are some reasons I haven't started.
Does anybody know about Barley Fodder or any other grain that can be fed to Rabbits? I was wondering if I can feed my Rabbits hay and Barley Fodder only, any suggestions or comments?

 

[mikiz]

While I don't have any actual experience, and I'm in the same boat as you, these are some places to start.
http://naturalrabbitcare.com/
http://riseandshinerabbitry.com/2012/09/09/naturally-feeding-rabbits/
http://www.raising-rabbits.com/rabbit-food.html

 

[King]

I always figured the person making the feed knew more then I did & what little I've researched making feed for other animals it wasn't only easier to buy the feed already mixed but was cheaper on small scale also.

 

[SrStinkaLot]

@King So what you recommend is that I buy pellets for my Rabbits? I was thinking my Barley Fodder idea could be a natural way of feeding them and also I really know what's going into their body and subsequently knowing what's going into mine and my family's.

 

[King]

I'm just saying that is best for me. As far as I know with the exception of medicated feed nothing is if there but natural food that is all safe. Stuff like chicken acid that had growth hormones was banned. Some certain animals you may not like the sound of where the protein comes from but it should be safe.

I don't actually know the correct food to feed the rabbit so I'm better trusting the people that do. Like building a car. I could do it but it would cost me more, take me a long time, & I probably wouldn't get it right the first time.

 

[SrStinkaLot]

@King Your car analogy is pretty true but something to take into account is that food companies look for cost effectiveness when they produce feed,maybe GMO are cheaper to use and may be fitting all the nutritional needs for rabbits but it's not what I want to be eating. What I want to know is what goes in my rabbits and that's why I asked about Barley Fodder as feed.

Also really didn't understand the ending of the first paragraph you lost me at chicken, sorry.

 

[alsea1]

Rabbits have a delicate digestive system. Four to twelve week olds are especially sensitive.
So far the best management practice I have found is grass hay and commercial 16 percent pellets.
I have around fifty rabbits atyany one time,so trying to forage for them or grow feed would not work for me.
The feed must be consistent or you risk serious digestive upsets that usually end in death.

 

[mysunwolf]

I do know of one rabbit breeder that feeds barley fodder, pasture forage, and hay only. You have to supplement minerals with this kind of diet, and be prepared for the rabbits to grow more slowly (instead of processing kits at 10-12 weeks you will be looking at 14-16 weeks). Most of this breeder's rabbits that I saw were below weight for their breed (Silver Fox), which is fine as long as you're not selling stock. It also means that you have to go through quite a few individual rabbits to figure out which will grow well and survive well on your feeding system and which will not thrive.

I also know people that mix a little cracked corn, wheat, or oats into the pellets of meat grow-outs in order to "stretch" the feed. Honestly I would never take this chance with the trouble we've had in the past, but these people seem to have no trouble, only again their grow-outs take a little longer.

If you do go ahead with fodder feeding, I would research thoroughly (@mikiz links are amazing!) and be prepared for it to be an experimental, long-term project. Best case the rabbits grow a little slower and do fine, worst case you lose all of your rabbits to enteritis and various other issues.

 

[King]

Chicken acid was a term used for a chemical that used to be made by a company that is now owned by Bear. It was mixed into the feed to grow meat birds out faster. This was probably around 30 years ago. The company at the time was Monsanto. I'm not sure of the spelling or the actual name of the chemical.

I'm not really well versed on GMOs but I know it is harder to find hairlooms to grow to start with then having to fight the bugs & blight for your crop is a major job.

You will probably have to grow all the crops yourself if you don't want any GMOs since farmers can't make any money growing them. You will probably need 10 or so different crops to give the rabbits a proper diet. If this was only for one rabbit & you had to much extra time & needed something to do you could probably get by with picking weeds if you really knew that stuff.

Another problem is thinking of your kids if they have free choice of candy or beans they will fill up on the candy instead of eating a bean. Even if you rotate their feed they may hold out for the sweeter feed ignoring what is good for them till they get what they want. Do drying, hammering, & pelletizing becomes necessary.

If you want more natural you might want to consider hunting but even with that they are going to get into farmers fields & eat their GMO crop that has been treated with pesticides.

All natural sounds great to me also but it is a lifestyle for the very dedicated & hard core. I just wouldn't know how to fit it into my life. My wife would never go for that much work ether. She doesn't even like raising our own animals.

 

[SrStinkaLot]

@alsea1 On what I have researched I believe Rabbits can eat whatever their mother has been eating so what I plan to do is start changing the mothers feed and when she has been used to the fodder I will breed her and continue giving fodder to all my rabbits.

@mysunwolf Is pasture forage the same as grass clippings? Can any grass be used, for example could I use the grass clippings from my yard to feed my Rabbits? Can I feed grass fresh or does it have to be dried or something like that? Also what kind of mineral supplements do my Rabbits need, a salt lick or something similar?

I don't mind if my Rabbits take a bit longer to grow to butcher along as I know they are safe on what I feed them. I don't expect to feed my rabbits pellets once they have been accustomed to my natural feed, so I don't consider stretching feed.

Thanks for all your comments and suggestions, also sorry for leaving you so many questions I just want to be sure of everything before taking the big leap.

@King The fear of what Monsanto does to crops and the effects on human health was one of the initiatives to start thinking in raising my own Rabbits the movie GMO OMG was the detonator to start this project and I really recommend it for everybody to watch.

As you said it has to be a dedicated process feeding them all naturally and it's something I am willing to do for the wellbeing and health of my family.