Please Help, beginner meat rabbit breeder Here!

Jkesrnicla

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So I’m new to the form And have very little rabbit experience, I recently picked up a few rabbits at a farm action Not exactly sure the breed, I Was told they were meat rabbits, all I was told is there is a young buck 2 young does and a mature doe, anyone know what breed they are? When should I attempt to breed them ?
PS. I built a few nice tractors and will take better pictures of the rabbits later. Any And all suggestions or comments will be greatly appreciated, thanks!
 

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Jkesrnicla

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Any breed can be a meat breed, technically.
They look like holland lops. How much do they weigh?
The adult and buck can breed now. The others after 6-8mo old.


I have to get a better scale but here’s there weights
2.2lbs
4.4lbs
3.8lbs
5.0lbs
 

Duckfarmerpa1

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Honest, that breed is valuable..and I’d consider yourself lucky that you got them at an auction! Get them healthy...then list them for sale! You can make money..I sell mine...not pedigree..for easy $40-50 all day long. Don’t put them on the ground, feed good pellets, nice timo hay, clean water..if they are too thin..maybe a touch of rolled oats..not cooked, not the minute ones. Then , if you want meat rabbits, you want to look for New Zealand or California. California are white with a blackish nose and ears. True NZ colors are white, red and black...but I have them in many colors because when you breed a ton, they come up with different colors. You don’t care about colors..you just want a good size, I’m guessing? Look for a good sizing doe...8,9,10 pounds...bucks might be 8-9ish...California usually tend to be bigger, but, in this area are more money and harder to find. Be careful of auction rabbits...I bought some..many died the next day, which put my others in jeapordy...so, just keep them separated from your rabbits that you plan to keep, until you know for sure that the6 are healthy. By no means am I a bunny expert, but I’ve raised them for two years now and now I’m getting more heavy into many breeds and have recently learned a ton. Good luck..the people on here, give great help!
 

Jkesrnicla

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Honest, that breed is valuable..and I’d consider yourself lucky that you got them at an auction! Get them healthy...then list them for sale! You can make money..I sell mine...not pedigree..for easy $40-50 all day long. Don’t put them on the ground, feed good pellets, nice timo hay, clean water..if they are too thin..maybe a touch of rolled oats..not cooked, not the minute ones. Then , if you want meat rabbits, you want to look for New Zealand or California. California are white with a blackish nose and ears. True NZ colors are white, red and black...but I have them in many colors because when you breed a ton, they come up with different colors. You don’t care about colors..you just want a good size, I’m guessing? Look for a good sizing doe...8,9,10 pounds...bucks might be 8-9ish...California usually tend to be bigger, but, in this area are more money and harder to find. Be careful of auction rabbits...I bought some..many died the next day, which put my others in jeapordy...so, just keep them separated from your rabbits that you plan to keep, until you know for sure that the6 are healthy. By no means am I a bunny expert, but I’ve raised them for two years now and now I’m getting more heavy into many breeds and have recently learned a ton. Good luck..the people on here, give great help!
Thanks for the reply 40-50$ each ? I paid 50$ for all of them in a lot!
 

promiseacres

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Thanks for the reply 40-50$ each ? I paid 50$ for all of them in a lot!
Really depends on the area. And without pedigrees it's hard to say. In my area non pedigreed rabbits pet type get about $10 -20
For meat rabbits you want a rabbit that is 8 to 10# as an adult & a commercial or compact type.
 

Duckfarmerpa1

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Go on FB...they have rabbit threads...join every rabbit group for your state...like mine are called rabbits in pa, etc...then you list them..you are not allowed to put a price on the listing, due to cant sell animals on FB...please will ask How much..you can either PM them or tell them to PM you...you can tell who’s eager, ask them higher, then deal down..I always say, ‘I would like to get....” then they know that I’m willing to deal. I buy buy on Craigslist or my local internet site mostly when it’s a good deal....ask them to meet...keep the best...sell the rest, for double the money..because chances are...people are just tired of their bunny and just want it gone.
 

secuono

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Pet rabbit prices have tanked in my area the last few years, so have prices of pedigree rabbits. I got out of rabbits just as everyone & their cousin was breeding SF, ruining the quality and the value.

Meat rabbit breeds, in my preferred order-
Silver fox
Californian
Standard Rex
American Chinchilla
New Zealand
Satins

Ones I haven't dealt with-
Florida White
Champagne D Argent
Cinnamons
Palomino
 
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