Starting up the rabbitry

[ellistattoo]

3273 So this is the start of my rabbitry. I'm going to buy some New Zealand Whites in a couple weeks and need to build them a home.

I made the cages out of 1"x1/2" and 1'x2' mesh wire fencing. Still have alot more to make! FYI I just bought the feed troughs and water bottles but haven't put them in yet!

Next is framing out a poo catchment system under the rabbits. I just have 2x4"s showing how far out it'll be but will probably use 1"x8" siding board to frame it in. I'm going to mix in topsoil with it and try to get some worms going.

It's in a partially enclosed carport and I'm concerned about airflow. I was thinking of cutting a hole in the back wall big enough to put a box fan in. Hoping that'll provide a nice breeze for them come next summer. What do ya'll think?

This is my first go at raising rabbits and have a long way to go still! I welcome any and all feedback!!! More pics as it develops...

[Mary Smith]

Looks like you've got a good start. How many rabbits do you plan on putting in there?

[ellistattoo]

Thank you! I plan on getting a buck and 2 does and see what happens! :) Still need to build more cages but have to wait until I get more funds.

[GaryD]

Hi ellistattoo,

You'll love working with rabbits.......they're excellent micro-livestock for backyard farmers.

You're right to be concerned about keeping them cool......particularly given the rigours of Texas summers. Heat will kill rabbits faster than almost anything else.

Gary

[ellistattoo]

I think so too Gary, as long as I can bring myself to kill them when the time is right! Those red eyes staring into your soul...oh well, gonna be good lean meat on the table.

You're right about the heat here, it's unbearable for humans too!!! I'm going to put in a mist spray system to help cool them off.

So I found a great local rabbitry to get my breed stock from, their website is http://www.rabway.com. I'm going to see the facilities on monday and will try to take some pics too.

Also I went to a local nursery last week and they had tanks in the back full of duckweed. I told the owner how neat I thought it was that they grew and sold duckweed here and he replied "Oh, THAT'S what all that crap is! I don't sell it, you can have all you want!" Apparently they were growing pond plants in the tanks and the duckweed took over!

[ellistattoo]

So I went to Texlan Rabbits today and got a tour of the facilities. They had a very nice setup and I look forward to getting some breeding stock from them sometime this week. Here's a few pics of the rabbitry...

[ellistattoo]

Got alot to do and little time to do it... Just put up the automatic watering system yesterday. Then painted the plywood white up to the cages in the hopes that it'll retard rotting. Next step is to frame the worm beds underneath the cages, put in a squirrel cage fan in the back wall, and get my bunnies!!!

FYI...I promise to start on my aquaponics system next, just gotta get my ducks (errr..bunnies) in a row first!

[vihalvor]

for breeding for meat or breeding purposes.. you might want to check out their optimal light requirement... my older brother used our farm for rabbitry for a few years when i was a kid... i seem to remember he had to ensure lights for 18 hours per day or so .. .. when he had it on 12 hours on/off, or just normal daylight, they didnt do much at all .... Guess they need extra lights to "perform like a rabbit" :P :P

[Pugo]

Hard to get people to eat rabbits in the Philippines they think they are pets not food :( kind of strange as they eat things I would never think of eating. But each to there own I guess.

[ellistattoo]

Vihalvor, I've heard that too, but the rabbitry that I'm getting them from said I should be fine for meat production purposes. Will keep you informed. I guess some breeds are finicky, you'd think they'd breed like....well....rabbits! :)

Pugo, you're right about that! Might as well tell little kids you're gonna fry up the easter bunny! I just can't wait until they start laying different colored eggs...can I get Cadbury bunnies? :p

[Pugo]

You can always breed bunnies for easter.. LOL Dye them different colors that could be a real money maker:)

[vihalvor]

yep ---pink bunnies and chickens seems to sell like hotcakes during easter.... sigh.. :P

[ellistattoo]

LOL I could baste them while they're still alive with different colored seasonings. With all the candy that kids eat on easter, the pink ones could be pepto-bismol flavored!

I'm getting my 2 does and buck on friday, gotta hurry up and finish these worm beds!

[GaryD]

Hi,

If you haven't eaten farmed rabbit meat previously, you're in for a real treat.

It's fine-grained and lean......and fit for a king.

Gary

[vihalvor]

Hi,

If you haven't eaten farmed rabbit meat previously, you're in for a real treat.

It's fine-grained and lean......and fit for a king.

Gary

I can attest to that ... rabbit meat is sooo SUCCULENT !!! :D

[Pugo]

Now I thought this was interesting to say the least.. Now in the Italian language, "coniglio" means rabbit..
http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k548/loong-gingoog/5686939960_6a199f587a.jpg

Now I think rabbits are getting a lot bigger than I remember.

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k548/loong-gingoog/normal_lapin.jpg

[Pugo]

Then I ran across this video..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7f8y4SR9mjU&feature=player_embedded#!

[ellistattoo]

Gary- I haven't had farm raised rabbit yet, just wild ones in stews. I've heard great things though and am looking forward to the health benefits of eating good steroid & antibiotic free meat.

Vihalvor- you are 100% right about extending the light cycle in the wintertime for better breeding results. When I picked up my rabbits the guy informed me of the benefits of a 4 hour light extension. Thanks again for the heads up!

Pugo- OMG, that is a big rabbit! I wonder what the feed to meat ratio is on that behemoth! Sure would make a lot of coniglio burgers!

I got the rabbits on saturday and they seem to be adjusting well to their new environment. I'll try to post a few pics later today...

[ellistattoo]

Here's some pic of the bunnies, they're Californians. I was surprised at how docile they are! The buck is a year old and the 2 does are 10 weeks old. The does should be old enough to breed around Christmas. :)

[Pugo]

That looks like the first rabbit I had as a pet when I was a child.. so cute. Didn't eat that one, it died of old age.

[ellistattoo]

Pugo, the wife already said we can't eat these! Their offspring is a different matter, but I think we're going to retire these when they're done reproducing and let them die of old age too. I've got to remind myself not to get too attached to their kits though...

[ellistattoo]

Just a little update...

I've spent some time redoing my cages because I didn't know what I was doing when I made them. I tied them all together so they wouldn't swing all over the place and am in the process of making the doors bigger. You can see on one of the pics that the buck has a much wider door now. As soon as I pick up more material I'll get to the rest of them.

One of the does I got stopped eating pellets entirely so I've had to try an alternative diet. That picky little doe almost starved herself to death so I've been giving her coastal and alfalfa hay, rolled oats, and am slowly starting to introduce leafy greens into her diet. This week I'm getting her a salt block and a little molasses. I've got a long way to go until she has a balanced diet though, and I need to come up with one soon if she's going to be able to breed.

Other than our finicky eater, the other 2 seem to be doing great!!! They're all very docile and are easy to work with.

[GaryD]

Hi Ellistattoo,


Gary- I haven't had farm raised rabbit yet, just wild ones in stews.
The difference will amaze you. Bush rabbit is tough and can be gamey-tasting (depending on what they've been eating) and it requires real skill to make a good meal out of it.

Broiler rabbit, by contrast, is tender and has a delicate flavour. You can pan fry broiler rabbit - just like chicken.

Gary

[Pugo]

From the looks of your pictures you still have so design work to do there. Mostly with waste removal at this point. But the rabbits are cute.

[ellistattoo]

Gary-I can't wait to try them! I think I'm more excited about the manure though, can't wait to get all that free fertilizer working in the garden for me!

Pugo- You got that right. I don't have a truck so I still haven't found a way to get 1x12s to the house to frame up the worm bed. Right now I just have a tarp on the ground that I clean daily. Definitely not the best method, but I'm hoping to arrange transportation of materials within the week... :)

To the APHQ community-My main goal is to produce as much of my family's food supply as possible. I'm very new at all of this so please bear with me. I really appreciate all of your comments, for that's how I learn. I love Gary's microponic website and the whole concept of permaculture. In the next few weeks I'm going to start building a chicken tractor and then, when funds are present, I plan on starting my aquaponics project. I'm very fortunate to have stumbled onto such an awesome website, and look forward to sharing my experiences as they unfold.