Another new person, with a question or two

[Nivyn]

Ello everyone,


Let me start from the beginning. I grew up on a farm in GA. When I was younger, my parents had 200+ does, 100+ head of cattle, tons of chickens, half a dozen feeder hogs, a few dogs running around and lots of barn cats ready to shred any little boy that actually caught them. All of those on top of about 45 acres of hay fields. Not a big farm, but it was home and I loved it (and should never have left but well...) i now live in Gulfport MS. and have for about 3 years. i have a wife, a 10 month old baby, and a new home here. But the new home is a new neighborhood and is not the farm that i have been missing lately (just so you know you can take a boy off the farm but you cannot get the farm out of the boy ). Per the covenants here, we can't have goats, cows, or chickens... but we can have rabbits and a garden so I am good until I can talk the wife into getting more land!

So over the past week or so I have been running the numbers. I decided that running one buck and 4 does with two larger grow out runs would be the best fit for the space/start up money/food expense I had to work with. Now I know I am going to go with NZW or Calli's. So I start looking for someone fairly close to me who might have some breeding stock that would fit with what i want to do. I know because I don't really have the space or want to have a bunch of rabbits. I'd rather start with good stock that are known to be good mothers and have a good number in their litters. (I really can resist the urge to keep more than that... what! I can) Well, in about a 2 hour drive time radius around me, google tells me I will find 13-14 breeders that might have what I am looking for. Now I know some are pet/show breeders that will not have what I am looking for, but it never hurts to ask right? Of those, I get 1 person that emailed me back telling me he might be able to have some in about 2 months. But the only information that he could give me on his rabbits was that they normally have litters from 5-10, and that he would want 50 each for the 8 week ish buns. I don't consider that enough information to work with. I could not see paying that for a start without knowing what I was buying. So back to google I went, looking in a bigger area. I don't mind longer drives; I just really didn't want to stress the rabbits out any more than i had to.

Then i find an article that really throws a big monkey wrench into my plans... the name of the monkey wrench was Silver Foxes! They are very, very cute, they are the right size, and everything i read about them sounded good. On top of that I would be helping to preserve the breed.

That brings me to my current conundrum. I could take the easy (and cheap) way out and get a few local unknown meat mutts, drive for about 4 hours to the closest large scale NZW breeder I can find for stock, or get some Silver foxes (even if it is show stock) and work them to what I need. I would like any opinions i could get from the forum on which route people think is best. I'd also like to know if i am being unreasonable in thinking people should keep better records on their breeding stock when they're intending to sell. i would think at least number of litters and how many in each would be reasonable to expect potential sellers to be able to supply.

 

[Dood]

I suggest you start with Meat Mutts to 'cut your teeth on' and once you feel compfy with the joys and sorrows of raising rabbits, buy some purebred stock and live your dream.

Rabbits are pets for most people and breeding is a hobby and I have found that keeping records, even basic ones, is not the norm. On top of that it has been my experience that the majority of rabbit breeders dont come from an agricultural background and livestock record keeping is simply not part of their culture and keeping track of a pedigree is the most you can expect.

 

[Diamond]

I love the New Zealands, have all colors but the whites are the fastest growing. Silver Foxes are near equal to the production rate of the New Zealand White. I find Californians to be.... moody.

I started with meat mutts, and have found an overwhelming market for pedigreed breeding stock. I stumbled into New Zealands by serendipity and fell in love with their mellow personalities, good mothering instincts, and fast growth rate. So, I say: start with pedigreed, whatever breed you choose. Get the best breeding stock you can find. Pick a breed that has good meat production but strikes the fancy of the 4-H and pet market - like Silver Fox, Satins, and New Zealand Reds. Then run ads on Craigslist, etc and sell 25% of your pedigreed litters, to recoup feed expenses, and eat the rest. Join ARBA as a member, its cheap and they send you an awesome book that will answer a lot of questions. And hang out here on Rabbit Talk, you will soon learn everything you never thought you needed to know about raising rabbits!

 

[huntress86]

I chose Satins because they have a wonderful personality, come in so many awesome colors, the fur is to die for, and they need preservation(people went to mini Satins). They are a large commercial meat rabbit with a fancy coat. Having the upper hand on showable and 4H rabbits will really help out in the end. Their meat to bone ratio is super awesome!

If your going to raise meat mutts you might as well raise a pedigreed, more valuable breed. It's no harder than the mutts. If I could fill out a pedigree at 9 yrs old so can you.

I grew up raising Silver Martens along with NZW for meat in 4H and honestly they were a pain in the butt, no matter how much we bred for personality, and we did for 9 years. They drew blood on my bother, dad, and me on a regular basis. There are some on here that love their NZW's but I wont ever go back.

However, my Silver Martens where the sweetest, and most favorite breed I've ever raided. We used them for meat, but mostly for show. Now that's an awesome breed that needs some preservation.

Check out Satins, they offer the meat but also allow you to personailze your rabbitry with a variety that reflects your tastes with good personalities.

 

[ottersatin]

Hello Nivyn,
I am a Satin advocate and have been since 1989.
I say "Satins are the BEST"! But, you should go with your gut!
Get the Rabbit that most draws your attention, it is only by doing so
that you will make a final decision on a Rabbit that will be able to
keep your attention for the duration of your Rabbit experience.
Trust me, once you get into Rabbits you will be HOOKED!
This is an illness which is most hard to combat! Once bitten
you will be in for a long long time. Welcome to the "FUNNY FARM"!
I did not know it at the time, but Rabbits are a very BIG part of my life.
Though just about every year, more like every Winter, I swear that I am
tossing in the towel. It's useless or hopeless, like trying to eat just
one potato chip. You will be stuck for life!
Get whatever breed strikes your fancy! I hope it's Satins!
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

I had a hard time choosing my breed...I think the Cinnamons are gorgeous and a few others, but one day I realized that the reason I hadn't chosen a breed yet is because I couldn't get over the Champagnes. I knew then they were the ones for me! Every day I look at them and they are more beautiful than ever in my eyes. So go with your gut, choose the breed you can't live without!!!

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Here in the South, you will get more "bang for your buck" if you go with a breed that is popular with 4H and FFA kids. If you raise a breed that can be a "Meat Pen", you can sell these seasonally to help recoup some cash. I would suggest that whatever you go with, get them from a breeder that raises them in the same fashion that you will be raising them. No indoor, A/C bunnies if yours will be raised outdoors, etc. I find NZW, Cals and the colored NZ's to be most popular and sell the best. I live in SE Texas and I raise Cals, NZW and Rex. There isn't much of a market for the heritage breeds here, which is sad.

 

[Nivyn]

First of all, thanks everyone for your replies.

I am decided on SF's. Oh, and I think some people are trying to get me divorced by making me want to have 10 different breeds . After reading what people said, I sat down and really thought about my goals with the rabbits and I came up with a few things. First, I was missing the farm - or more to the point farming - so they would help fill that out. They would also teach my son husbandry when he's older and what it really means. Second, to provide healthy meat for my family. Third, bunnies are soooo cute. (And my wife laughs as I say this as a reason.)

With that in mind, if I didn't or couldn't sell any, I would still meet my goals and I would be happy. Now I am not saying that I would not be ecstatic to even sell enough to cover food costs. From what I could find in a few quick searches there are not any active 4-H or FFA groups around here that work with rabbits. (I did email a friend of mine that is the county agent for the next county over and asked him, but he hasn't responded yet.)

On an up note, I did find an SF breeder who has a doe due next week with part of a litter available. I've been talking to him, and I'm optimistic about what he's been saying.

 

[Diamond]

What it really comes down to - - - - the reason I really raise rabbits - - - - is the constant supply of cute baby bunny rabbits! Cuteness has its place.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

Okay yeah, cute babies are a major perk!!!! Color-changing Champagnes are cuter than any others to me.

 

[skysthelimit]

What it really comes down to - - - - the reason I really raise rabbits - - - - is the constant supply of cute baby bunny rabbits! Cuteness has its place.

It's very additive.

 

[Peach]

You should visit a show.

https://www.arba.net/district/6/shows.htm

Especially since a lot of people are going to start moving out older stock to make room for convention sr. hopefuls....you might get a really good deal on a pair,trio,etc. I believe there are people that cater more for meat breeds in the area, so the selection should be very good. Also a great place to get equipment,carriers,etc. I recommend pedigreed stock just because if you sell a few, people will be more willing to buy that than something unpedigreed. Plus, you kiddies can have a fun hobby to do and go to a few shows every now and then

I'm addicted to the Mini Lops squishy face and showing. Not the ideal meat breed, but they have the same commerical type and dress out nice.

If I had to pick a meat breed...SF or Champagne..... I've been eyeing Champagnes for a while, but my wee little rabbitry probably couldn't support them the way I'd like to. I'm thinking of squeezing in an extra 10 cages into my new bunny barn. We are gonna see how the first two rows fit and go from there :twisted: 24 holes enough? Pfft.

 

[boundarybunnyco]

Silver Foxes all the way!!!!!!!! Okay, and Champagnes next. I love them both, but my first love is my Silver Foxes, in Black, Blue, and now Chocolate. You just can't beat their laid back, mellow attitude. And they change colors as they age too, not as drastically as the champagnes; their fur is plush and long and thick. The champagnes are nice too, and their fur is gorgeous as well. If you are interested, facebook has a Silver Fox Fanciers page.

 

[Frecs]

SILVER FOXES inkbunny: , SILVER FOXES inkbunny: , SILVER FOXES inkbunny: !!!!

I love my Silver Foxes...or was that already obvious? :cheesysmile: As someone said, it is no harder to learn to raise purebred, pedigreed rabbits than meat mutts. Knowing you are helping to preserve a Threatened breed makes it even better. That was one of my big selling points for getting SFs...that and their really cool fur and their docile nature compared to NZ and Cali's.