We raised rabbits as a source of meat and some were just kept as pets. They are very fun to be around and are very easy to keep. Find out how easy breeding rabbits can be once you have the right set up. Here’s some ideas on how to raise rabbits.
The right breed
We experimented with NZ white, Rex and Flemish Giant rabbits. The Rex has such a beautiful velvety coat that it would be great as a pelt. I need to learn how to prepare a hide, as this would have been useful. The NZ white, Californian and Rex all grow to be quite heavy, about 5kg (11lbs). The Flemish Giant is even bigger than this at 11kg (25lbs), but is slower to grow. A lot of the Flemish’s weight is also in the bones, and the meat is tougher because it is older by the time it reaches the right size. The larger the rabbit, the more difficult it is to handle. You have to keep yourself safe when handling them so the smaller breeds suited me better.
The right animal
You want really docile does with good mothering instincts. The smaller rabbits, being easier to handle, still need to be docile because you need to check their health and trim their nails regularly. Ironically I would get the worst scratches while trying to trim their claws. The males were always more chill than the does. So once you find a docile doe, do your best to keep her as long as you can! In the four years I bred them, I only had one doe that wasn’t a good mom and would tip her nest over so the babies would scatter and get cold. The rest were absolutely amazing moms and would have litters of 8-10 babies each! Somehow most of the kits would survive and that’s how we ended up with too many rabbits!
For one family, you really only need 2 does and a buck. You can even borrow or share a buck from other homesteaders as mating is a one-off event and is really easy. 30 days later you will have kits born. Always bring the doe to the buck and not the other way around. Sadly, rabbits usually have to live alone as they will fight. But read on to learn about our experiment with group living…
Outdoor vs Indoor
I had some large outdoor cages with large-diameter hexagonal chicken wire on the floor to prevent digging, and smaller diameter wire for the walls. The walls only needed to be 1.2 meters as they didn’t jump. They could climb if there were obstacles or platforms near the sides though. In future, I would dig a large trench around my planned outdoor area and use ready set concrete to prevent digging. This way they could have a nice grass floor instead.
I did have a trial cage of two NZ white cross sisters, and one buck. They got along well and didn’t breed excessively. When they had enough space, the buck would pester the does, but the does would only breed on their terms. I only had three litters total in about 6 months. The cage was 3m x3m (10ft x 10ft) and had some obstacles like hidey holes, ramps and terraces. The does would argue occasionally, but they had the space to avoid each other. Most importantly, the buck showed some nurturing tendencies towards his kits. He would sit on the nest to warm them if the mom was out, and certainly showed no aggression towards them.
The infrastructure
Most important in this climate where we live was our safety shed. I had a big shed locked down with six large cages (1m wide x 2m long each, 3ft x 6ft) for when there was bad weather. The last thing I wanted was for the wind to destroy their outdoor cages (repurposed greenhouses) or for their cages to flood. I got caught once and a smaller cage was flipped by the wind, causing the mom to escape and two babies to die. The other six babies were safe and well in their cage that had rolled a few times. It was a scary experience. Mom bunny came back and we moved them to the safety cages. We have since got rid of the shed (it was ugly) as we consolidate our infrastructure and now have three smaller cages within the hay shed.
I make these cages myself out of thick plywood and chicken wire. It’s really fun thinking of a design and then making it happen. My husband doesn’t like it when I get on the tools because I’m not a perfectionist and the end result is functional, but not pretty!
The feed
The best part about raising rabbits was the variety of feed you can give them. They eat a lot of what we would call weeds. Or foliage that we would just throw away. For different seasons, my rabbits were fed what was available. Nettle, clover and parsley in spring. Strawberry leaves, thyme, basil, rosemary in summer. Yarrow, calendula, mint and comfrey in fall. Dock leaves, chickweed and dandelion in winter. They love to chew on pruned apple branches too. I cut them into small sticks and dried them to supply year round for even teeth wear.
My rabbits weren’t such fans of meadow hay, but would eat most of timothy or lucerne hay that you gave them. I also left some lawn to grow long and cut this by hand to feed them throughout the year. The pellets you can pay as much or as little as you want. There are cheap brands and expensive ones. I would advocate for quality over price, but only you know your budget. Pellets should only make up 25% of the rabbits diet anyway, so aren’t likely to have an impact on the ones you will eat.
You can have a go making your own pellets. I bought a pellet machine, but never could get the mix right- it needed more lignin to bind when the heat of the rollers pushed the mix through the pellet-shaped holes in the die. So I sold it as it was frustrating and a waste of money. I did the hand-pressed briquettes instead and found some success, although the shelf life was short and it was hard to dry them all the way through to the middle. It was easier just to buy them.
Having the right feed plan in place year-round will take the stress out of sourcing forage in winter and increase the health of your breeding rabbits.
