Questions for those that raise Rabbits for food?

**bumplett** · 08-19-2011, 11:07 PM

As I recall, there are a couple of villagers that raise rabbits - but I'm not sure why? So if you breed rabbits as a food source, I'd like to pick your brain....

This topic came up this evening... and I'm just curious...

Are there certain breeds of edible rabbits? Or any rabbit?

Is it expensive to breed rabbits for the purpose of selling as food?

Is it expensive to have them processed? or do you process them yourself?

**krbshappy71** · 08-19-2011, 11:40 PM

Originally Posted by bumplett

As I recall, there are a couple of villagers that raise rabbits - but I'm not sure why? So if you breed rabbits as a food source, I'd like to pick your brain....

This topic came up this evening... and I'm just curious...

Are there certain breeds of edible rabbits? Or any rabbit?

Is it expensive to breed rabbits for the purpose of selling as food?

Is it expensive to have them processed? or do you process them yourself?

I don't raise rabbits but at one point years ago we hunted rabbits and my ex just cleaned it himself. Like a fish. I don't know if he did it right or wrong but we didn't get sick. I cooked it into a stew.

**bumplett** · 08-19-2011, 11:46 PM

I'm amazed that one could catch a wild rabbit?!?

**krbshappy71** · 08-19-2011, 11:47 PM

Originally Posted by bumplett

I'm amazed that one could catch a wild rabbit?!?

It was caught with a bullet. Those are fast.

I would like to just say that it was really tough times, at the time. Lol! My point, though, was that I don't think type matters but I am interested in the responses as well.

**freebs** · 08-20-2011, 10:35 AM

Are there certain breeds of edible rabbits? Or any rabbit? you can eat any rabbit, some are just bigger than others.The small breeds some only weigh 1 1/2 lb so they wouldnt make alot of meat.

Is it expensive to breed rabbits for the purpose of selling as food? I would check to see if you would have a market for them BEFORE i did anything. Breeding cost nothing if you own the animal, its the raising them to market weight that costs. To sell them at approx 3 months of age you will have 1 50lb bag of feed in each rabbit, so for feed cost here it will cost me $18 for that rabbit. So would have to sell that rabbit for $20+ to make my money back and i cant get that out of one.

Is it expensive to have them processed? or do you process them yourself? We process ourselves as it is pretty simple. I dont know of anyone around us that is a commercial processor. I would think it would cost way more that its worth at that point.

If you have any other questions feel free to ask. We have been raising rabbits for over 5 years. We have scaled back. Last year at this time we had 300 rabbits, now we only have 50. Teh cost has gotten too high. Also depeonds on location, we are in Texas so we cant breed in the summer as it gets to hot and the does will die of heat. So if we push hard we can get 3 litters a year out of them and then they just set in the cage and get fed the rest of the time..lol. We have sold some for show rabbits and some for snake food but everyone is having money problems so the rabbit market is pretty much gone. I see rabbitries all over the us selling out. But for a good meat rabbit i would go with a New Zealand white or a Californian they were both the original meat rabbits.

**bumplett** · 08-20-2011, 03:15 PM

very interesting!

Thanks for your very honest answers. I appreciate it.

**bumplett** · 08-20-2011, 03:32 PM

Hey Freebs ~ I just realized that your name can be read as Free B.S. !!

LOLOLOL. I've been reading it as one word "freebs"

I'm slow sometimes.

**ladytoysdream** · 08-20-2011, 05:22 PM

I raised meat rabbits for 10 yrs and sold them live to a processor. We also ate a few of them ourselves. Rabbit grain seemed expensive back then. Not sure the price now, but all animal feeds are pricey. I had approximatly 150 animals at a time.
I made little wire hayracks on the outside of the cages and would put hay or grass on them for extra feed. Each cage had a metal hopper for the pellets and a water dish. Best for meat would be New Zealand or Californians. Don't worry about pedigrees for your breeding stock if you only plan on eating them.
I also made all my own wire cages. I had them hanging in a old barn on the dairy farm. I would make extra cages and sold them privately and into pet shops. Approximately 1000 cages.

**freebs** · 08-20-2011, 07:39 PM

Originally Posted by bumplett

Hey Freebs ~ I just realized that your name can be read as Free B.S. !!

LOLOLOL. I've been reading it as one word "freebs"

I'm slow sometimes.

LOL it is Freebs one word, but yes it can be read as Free B.S.

**deanawo** · 08-26-2011, 12:34 PM

We have rabbits and the cost of food for ours is minimal. We used old scraps of wood, lawn mower wheels, & bought wire to make our movable hutches (similar to chicken tractors.) We just pull them around the back field so they get a lot of fresh free grass. As a result they don't eat nearly as much feed. The wire used on the floor is wide enough that grass goes right through it. We also trade bunnies in the Spring to the feed store for Easter bunnies. They credit us $4 a bunny to our feed account. I am currently paying $11 a 50lb bag of feed. Each litter is 6-9 babies, every few weeks. A bag lasts me 2-3 weeks in the winter and a couple of months in the Spring/Summer due to the grass. After mating you pull the males away from the females or they will eat/kill the little ones. Adult males will fight each other if not kept separated. You always need more hutches than you originally thought.