My Intensive Rabbit Project Revealed for SHTF and Cost Effective Meat.

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Duck Survivalist

Active member
Joined
Nov 8, 2023
Messages
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Location
seattle
Good afternoon Folks,

I wanted to share my rabbit project that started early August 4 months ago and has been growing and going since.
Ill post pictures at the bottom with more info about everything.
I started this because of my grandpa, he was getting tired of rabbits because of how often they bred and reproduced so taking care of them took a toll on him so he wanted to get rid of them.
I told him that i would be willing to take over. So I picked up 7 female Rex's from my grandpa.
It was a more of a colony style so he kind of just let them be together so I'm not sure of their age except that they are old enough to breed.

So i got 7 of his Rex females. I already butchured 1 and sold 3 last week so i only have 3 of them now.
I picked up my sisters male Holland Lop that she wanted to get rid of (just to temporarily have a male to use for meat until i get a new male).
I bought a Flemish giant Doe just so my wife has her own pet that she can get attached too and not be to sad about the butchering's, which it has helped tremendously. and i can use her as a breeder, she's 6 months so ill wait another 2-4 months before i breed the Flemish.
I purchased 2 mixed rabbits, they are 1/2 Californian, and 1/4 each of Rex and Flemish giant. 1 female and 1 male. which the male has replaced the Holland lop. Both of these are 4 months this week.

The cage i built i way over complicated and over designed it. Cost about $600 worth of material and DAYS worth of labor.
I decided to make it a double decker cage to make it compact in the chicken pen outside. each bay is 3ft long, 2ft wide, and the front height is 2ft and rear height is 1.5ft. so the top bays are slanted for water runoff. bottom bays are slanted for pee and poop runoff from the top bays.
The middle 2 bays for the top and bottom are combined so they are double bays. extra photos at the bottom to show the insides and bunnies
And as you look at the other photos you can see the hay feeder i installed so i can feed them less often and the hide boxes i made 2 weeks ago.
Cage front.jpg

Starting from top left and ill go across.
This is the Oreo Rabbit, she's very skittish since i introduced her to the male. he wasn't aggressive, he's just very persistent. When i get near she hides in her hide box that i made for most of the rabbits. if you look at overall cage you can see her full body in the top left bay. Shes my largest rabbit at almost 10lbs.
oreo.jpg

Next is the top middle bay, The Grey and orange rabbit are together because they are kind of a bonded pair and like to be with each other. the orange one is my wifes Flemish giant pet.
Nastusha and Grey 2.jpg

This is my bronze rabbit, she was the alpha female when i got all the bunnies until i separated them. she had a litter of kits with the Holland lop, i sold all the kits already.
bronze.jpg

Bottom left is Benji, he's the Holland lop that my wife doesn't want me to get rid of, he's "too soft and cute" she says.
He isn't a good breeding male, he wont do anymore of the females anymore and he hyperventilates and lays next to the female when i have a doe in with him, he's just not a good performer.
Benji.jpg

Bottom middle is my 4mo male who could be a father of 2 does if he's fertile enough, they should be due in 2 weeks. He's super friendly. As you can tell by the photo he tries to just out because he wants to meet up with a female, he's very persistent.
Myxta 2.jpgMyxta.jpg

Bottom right is empty for now, i have a female i want to put in there but she might be pregnant so she's in her own cage for now, if she gives birth on the mesh the chickens would eat the baby's feet, so ill wait till the kits are a week old before i transfer them and the mom.
Her living condition isn't the best yet, i do plan to move her, she's healthy and happy, she just looks horrible in the photo.
white.jpg
 
Good afternoon Folks,

I wanted to share my rabbit project that started early August 4 months ago and has been growing and going since.
Ill post pictures at the bottom with more info about everything.
I started this because of my grandpa, he was getting tired of rabbits because of how often they bred and reproduced so taking care of them took a toll on him so he wanted to get rid of them.
I told him that i would be willing to take over. So I picked up 7 female Rex's from my grandpa.
It was a more of a colony style so he kind of just let them be together so I'm not sure of their age except that they are old enough to breed.

So i got 7 of his Rex females. I already butchured 1 and sold 3 last week so i only have 3 of them now.
I picked up my sisters male Holland Lop that she wanted to get rid of (just to temporarily have a male to use for meat until i get a new male).
I bought a Flemish giant Doe just so my wife has her own pet that she can get attached too and not be to sad about the butchering's, which it has helped tremendously. and i can use her as a breeder, she's 6 months so ill wait another 2-4 months before i breed the Flemish.
I purchased 2 mixed rabbits, they are 1/2 Californian, and 1/4 each of Rex and Flemish giant. 1 female and 1 male. which the male has replaced the Holland lop. Both of these are 4 months this week.

The cage i built i way over complicated and over designed it. Cost about $600 worth of material and DAYS worth of labor.
I decided to make it a double decker cage to make it compact in the chicken pen outside. each bay is 3ft long, 2ft wide, and the front height is 2ft and rear height is 1.5ft. so the top bays are slanted for water runoff. bottom bays are slanted for pee and poop runoff from the top bays.
The middle 2 bays for the top and bottom are combined so they are double bays. extra photos at the bottom to show the insides and bunnies
And as you look at the other photos you can see the hay feeder i installed so i can feed them less often and the hide boxes i made 2 weeks ago.
View attachment 37837

Starting from top left and ill go across.
This is the Oreo Rabbit, she's very skittish since i introduced her to the male. he wasn't aggressive, he's just very persistent. When i get near she hides in her hide box that i made for most of the rabbits. if you look at overall cage you can see her full body in the top left bay. Shes my largest rabbit at almost 10lbs.
View attachment 37838

Next is the top middle bay, The Grey and orange rabbit are together because they are kind of a bonded pair and like to be with each other. the orange one is my wifes Flemish giant pet.
View attachment 37839

This is my bronze rabbit, she was the alpha female when i got all the bunnies until i separated them. she had a litter of kits with the Holland lop, i sold all the kits already.
View attachment 37840

Bottom left is Benji, he's the Holland lop that my wife doesn't want me to get rid of, he's "too soft and cute" she says.
He isn't a good breeding male, he wont do anymore of the females anymore and he hyperventilates and lays next to the female when i have a doe in with him, he's just not a good performer.
View attachment 37841

Bottom middle is my 4mo male who could be a father of 2 does if he's fertile enough, they should be due in 2 weeks. He's super friendly. As you can tell by the photo he tries to just out because he wants to meet up with a female, he's very persistent.
View attachment 37842View attachment 37843

Bottom right is empty for now, i have a female i want to put in there but she might be pregnant so she's in her own cage for now, if she gives birth on the mesh the chickens would eat the baby's feet, so ill wait till the kits are a week old before i transfer them and the mom.
Her living condition isn't the best yet, i do plan to move her, she's healthy and happy, she just looks horrible in the photo.
View attachment 37844
I have hutch envy.
 
If the chickens can get at any part of the rabbit underneath, they will peck until there is blood, then peck even more. Protect the rabbits from the chickens please. Don't ask how I know.
I had them in there when the chickens were about 2 months old, so the chickens were used to it. Somehow one of my rabbits jumped out when door was open and chickens didn't bother her.
Many posts online say that chickens and rabbits will coexist just fine. But I do plan to move the rabbits to their own area so it's more organized.
 
I had them in there when the chickens were about 2 months old, so the chickens were used to it. Somehow one of my rabbits jumped out when door was open and chickens didn't bother her.
Many posts online say that chickens and rabbits will coexist just fine. But I do plan to move the rabbits to their own area so it's more organized.
I haven’t had any trouble with my chickens, but the rabbit cages are prolly 2.5ft off the ground, so… Looking at your set-up, you could put another piece of that corrugated plastic under the bottom cage. It would also cause the poo to accumulate in one line (not that the chooks would leave it there… 😂) I’ve seen ppl talk about rats nibbling bunny toes, too, so take that into consideration if it’s a potential problem where you live.

Rabbits are the best for meat. Way easier to butcher than chickens and more productive (for meat) than any other farm animal. Great prepping choice! Plus, they’re delish!
 
I haven’t had any trouble with my chickens, but the rabbit cages are prolly 2.5ft off the ground, so… Looking at your set-up, you could put another piece of that corrugated plastic under the bottom cage. It would also cause the poo to accumulate in one line (not that the chooks would leave it there… 😂) I’ve seen ppl talk about rats nibbling bunny toes, too, so take that into consideration if it’s a potential problem where you live.

Rabbits are the best for meat. Way easier to butcher than chickens and more productive (for meat) than any other farm animal. Great prepping choice! Plus, they’re delish!

I have about a 1.5ft gap from them bottom cage. i planned on doing a corrugated panel underneath to minimize the mess and make things easier but my grandpa in-law wants to chicken to get more room to walk around and all. our fence is pretty strong and tight weaved so no rats will come through, or through the bottom because the fence is 2 feet deep and angled in a "L" shape.
 
Lovely hutch! Nice rabbits, too. Had you thought about raising purebred Rex and selling breeding stock as well as filling the freezer? Selling stock can help offset feed costs.

Are you going to put in an automatic water system? Saves on cleaning water bottles.
Yes, i will eventualy plan to breed purebred NZ whites and non-whites.

I do plan to sell these as stock but i know they wont be as profitable as purebreds.

I do plan on a automatic watering system but I'll do that next year after the winter.
 
Nice setup. And with the cost of buying meat. Id say that you will amoratize your investment in not much time.
We also restarted our rabbitry because of the way the world is turning. And the price of protien. Along with quality. We enjoy the fact that we have steroid and hormone free meat. And also like the fact that they are raised in a humane way. We know how there raised.
Add in we homeschool our grandkids and it becomes a science project. Animal husbandry is very important and using the whole animal. From raising the kits to processing them for the table. Cooking them. Just like the garden, from starting the seed in soil you have mended with compost from the rabbits. Part of a complete cycle
 
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