Rabbits for food
I love eating rabbit and have not had it in quite a while.
If I was to start looking for rabbits to raise for food, what type of rabbits would I get?
I know there are some breeds that are not food types.
If I was to start looking for rabbits to raise for food, what type of rabbits would I get?
I know there are some breeds that are not food types.
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A friend of mine tried this, just like you he has 2 kids. They have yet to eat any of the rabbits. Somehow they just became pets. 0 -
New Zealand white is a large breed rabbit that is good to eat. We raised rabbits where I grew up (along with just about any other animal you would find on a farm.) I never found any that wasn't good to eat. Some are just larger than others. I don't know about those huge show rabbits, lopps, I think they're called. Rabbits aren't too hard to raise but if you have never done it I would advise going to the library or buying a book on rabbit breeding. It might save you some expense. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by calamitywood
New Zealand white is a large breed rabbit that is good to eat. We raised rabbits where I grew up (along with just about any other animal you would find on a farm.) I never found any that wasn't good to eat. Some are just larger than others. I don't know about those huge show rabbits, lopps, I think they're called. Rabbits aren't too hard to raise but if you have never done it I would advise going to the library or buying a book on rabbit breeding. It might save you some expense.
I have a nieghbor who has raised rabbits and can help me. I was going to ask him about this as well later today.
I just thought of it this morning as I was thinking about how long it has been since I have had rabbit.
As far as them becomming stricktly pets, it would never happen. I would have no problem killing an animal for food. And my kids will just have to learn that if it is raised for food that is what it will be!0 -
quote:Originally posted by git_r_done
quote:Originally posted by calamitywood
New Zealand white is a large breed rabbit that is good to eat. We raised rabbits where I grew up (along with just about any other animal you would find on a farm.) I never found any that wasn't good to eat. Some are just larger than others. I don't know about those huge show rabbits, lopps, I think they're called. Rabbits aren't too hard to raise but if you have never done it I would advise going to the library or buying a book on rabbit breeding. It might save you some expense.
I have a nieghbor who has raised rabbits and can help me. I was going to ask him about this as well later today.
I just thought of it this morning as I was thinking about how long it has been since I have had rabbit.
As far as them becomming stricktly pets, it would never happen. I would have no problem killing an animal for food. And my kids will just have to learn that if it is raised for food that is what it will be!
if they do befriend them, and you make them kill and eat their friend you may never be forgiven
rabbits are different than raising chickens, a chicken looks like food0 -
Texas jack rabbits! They produce at a very fast pace and are quite tender. Tom 0 -
just watch out for the Rabbits' mean streak.
I once had one clamped on so hard I could'nt even fling it off my hand. He was hanging on for dear life with his teeth.
They can be very defensive and territorial[:0]
and can be potty trained[:0]0 -
yep, they have been known to kill 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcxKIJTb3Hg0 -
I lived out in eastern Washington state one year. I worked on a dairy farm throwing hay bales.
This was a family farm and everybody worked. Grandpa tended the cattle in the fields, and he also raised rabbits for food. He had a bunch of pens with rabbits in them.
Grandpa would have us, once a week, swing by the rabbit pens and throw off a hay bale for his bunnies. These were huge bales, weighed 95 pounds on average, I believe it was alfalfa. The rabbits would eat one bale of hay per week. Whether grandpa gave the rabbits any other food I don't know.
At any rate they had more rabbit meat than they knew what to do with. They had dozens of skinned and gutted rabbits stored in plastic bread sacks in the big chest freezer. Once or twice a week grandpa would ask us if we wanted a rabbit to eat. We always said "Yes!"
We took the rabbit home and my cousins girlfriend fried it up. Dark meat.
Boy that was some delicious meat.
I wouldn't have the heart to kill a bunny that I had raised, but if you do, it is a great way to get some delicious meat.
I don't think your kids are going to be very understanding about killing "pet" bunnies.0 -
Hunting bunnies is more fun than raising them. You don't have many rabbits in your area? 0 -
I used to love rabbit.
Boot camp fixed that for me.
Those cooks could ruin a cup of tea.0 -
Only ate wild rabbits. Get a good dog, then fill the freezer next season. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by sav99
Hunting bunnies is more fun than raising them. You don't have many rabbits in your area?
There are some but all that I have seen are very small.
And in the good hunting areas I have not seen any at all.0 -
quote:Originally posted by allen griggs
I lived out in eastern Washington state one year. I worked on a dairy farm throwing hay bales.
This was a family farm and everybody worked. Grandpa tended the cattle in the fields, and he also raised rabbits for food. He had a bunch of pens with rabbits in them.
Grandpa would have us, once a week, swing by the rabbit pens and throw off a hay bale for his bunnies. These were huge bales, weighed 95 pounds on average, I believe it was alfalfa. The rabbits would eat one bale of hay per week. Whether grandpa gave the rabbits any other food I don't know.
At any rate they had more rabbit meat than they knew what to do with. They had dozens of skinned and gutted rabbits stored in plastic bread sacks in the big chest freezer. Once or twice a week grandpa would ask us if we wanted a rabbit to eat. We always said "Yes!"
We took the rabbit home and my cousins girlfriend fried it up. Dark meat.
Boy that was some delicious meat.
I wouldn't have the heart to kill a bunny that I had raised, but if you do, it is a great way to get some delicious meat.
I don't think your kids are going to be very understanding about killing "pet" bunnies.
I can solve that by letting them choose 2 of them to keep and use the rest for food.
My daughter would be the only one that would get attached I think. My son is too egar to want to hunt.0 -
I don't raise any rabbit$$$
Just hunt the high ground -- christmas tree farms for cotton tales.
Go the backcountry and cedar swamps for snowshoes.0 -
quote:Originally posted by git_r_done
quote:Originally posted by allen griggs
I lived out in eastern Washington state one year. I worked on a dairy farm throwing hay bales.
This was a family farm and everybody worked. Grandpa tended the cattle in the fields, and he also raised rabbits for food. He had a bunch of pens with rabbits in them.
Grandpa would have us, once a week, swing by the rabbit pens and throw off a hay bale for his bunnies. These were huge bales, weighed 95 pounds on average, I believe it was alfalfa. The rabbits would eat one bale of hay per week. Whether grandpa gave the rabbits any other food I don't know.
At any rate they had more rabbit meat than they knew what to do with. They had dozens of skinned and gutted rabbits stored in plastic bread sacks in the big chest freezer. Once or twice a week grandpa would ask us if we wanted a rabbit to eat. We always said "Yes!"
We took the rabbit home and my cousins girlfriend fried it up. Dark meat.
Boy that was some delicious meat.
I wouldn't have the heart to kill a bunny that I had raised, but if you do, it is a great way to get some delicious meat.
I don't think your kids are going to be very understanding about killing "pet" bunnies.
I can solve that by letting them choose 2 of them to keep and use the rest for food.
My daughter would be the only one that would get attached I think. My son is too egar to want to hunt.
raise em then let some go, i know a few neighborhoods around here that have a population of ferrell white rabbits
what movie was it that had a guy open his trunk and release a bunch of rabbits and then started shooting them?0 -
Both classic and I have raised rabbits for food....Good eating and good money in it...gotta be clean, I mean the pens etc... 0 -
Just be advised that wild rabbits can carry Trichinosis. (same as pigs) You don't want that! 0 -
quote:Originally posted by 1911a1fan
raise em then let some go, i know a few neighborhoods around here that have a population of ferrell white rabbits
You wouldn't want to get caught releasing feral bunnies. Besides, if the conditions were right to support a larger rabbit population there would be plenty of cottontails.0 -
GRD,
I used to raise rabbits. If you want meat rabbits, raise california's. They are the type large scale breeders raise for meat/fur. Grow easy, and meat gain/ pound of feed is exc excellent. Do not raise giant flemishes unless you have lots of money to waste on feed. These large type rabbits get big (my breeder buck was 42 pounds) but will cost you twice as much per pound to feed them out. If you want rabbit meat, breed your own, don't buy them to feed out. One buck can easily service 4 does.0 -
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raise em then let some go, i know a few neighborhoods around here that have a population of ferrell white rabbits
what movie was it that had a guy open his trunk and release a bunch of rabbits and then started shooting them?
[/quote]
...Was that "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas"?0 -
If you start let me know, I have 10-15 rabbit feeders I'm sure we could work something out. 0 -
I just "googgled" raising rabbits and found pages of great "how to" info. Rudolph's Rabbit Ranch was very helpful. Just google that for lot's of info. Very interesting to me also. 0 -
quote:If you want meat rabbits, raise california's
+1 Best tastin meat you can get![:p]0 -
quote:Originally posted by bayl778
I just "googgled" raising rabbits and found pages of great "how to" info. Rudolph's Rabbit Ranch was very helpful. Just google that for lot's of info. Very interesting to me also.
I was looking at their site too.
Lots of good info there.
I can also make some extra money around here selling them at the livestock auction. My neighbor says that good eating rabbits sell for about $6-$10 each at about 11 weeks old.
He also knows were I can sell the tanned hides for those that I kill.
It is looking more and more like I may get into this on a small scale.0 -
Who's going to field dress them? 0 -
I may even have some cage making stuff. 0 -
I had an uncle who use to raise rabbits for the local markets after he retired from an oil company. He had a wire strung between two post and he'd hang them up on it. After about three quick passes up and down the line, he'd have them skinned and gutted, then he'd rinse and prepare them for sale. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Gun_Poor
Who's going to field dress them?
I will!
I am not squimish or anything. I'll learn it real quick.0 -
The big advantage to raising your own, over hunting them is..
You can keep the cages elevated,this controlling fleas and ticks.
If they don't have fleas/ticks/mosquitos, they won't get wormy.
You don't have to freeze any.Just kill'em as U need'em.
No waiting for small game season.
As long as you use 1/2" mesh flooring in the cages, all you'll ever need to do is shovel the Bunny-Buckshot out from under the cage, and it makes good Fert. I'd do it myself, but they don't grow well in So.Florida.0 -
quote:Originally posted by D@D
I may even have some cage making stuff.
I may be interested. I do have some stuff around here I can use, and my neighbor has his old hutches from when he was raiseing them that I might be able to get (if he is not going to start raiseing them again).0
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