Hi, new here. Also new to raising meat rabbits. Starting out with 10 breeders. 3 bucks and 7 does. New Zealand and Californians. Had our first litter. 7 kits. One died at 2 weeks. The other 6 have been weaned and are doing amazingly well. Very sweet bunnies. We don't want to breed right now heading into the heat of summer. Thinking of breeding so they will be born in September. It'll start cooling down some by then. We have frozen water bottles waiting in the freezer for the hot days. We will process the kits when they are between 4 and 6 months old. Looking forward to trying the meat. Would appreciate recipes. Thanks in advance and thanks for the add.
Carmin in Kansas
- Thread starter Carmin
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welcome! we have a few recipes in the forums. My fave is herb stuffed/rolled with bacon wrapped around, and then slow roast in oven.
RabbitsOfTheCreek
Netherland Dwarf Breeder & Well-known Member
What colors do you have?
I've heard that bucks can become temporarily sterile from heat when it gets above somewhere in the low eighties. I forget the exact number, eighty three or eighty six or some such number. But, when it gets that hot for a few days, your bucks may not be up to the job for a month or two. So, if they don't have litters at the end of summer, that may be a reason.
They sometimes seem oriented towards the length of day as well. They are more likely to have litters in the spring and when the daylight is getting longer.
But, maybe your rabbits didn't get those memos, so maybe they'll have litters on schedule.
They sometimes seem oriented towards the length of day as well. They are more likely to have litters in the spring and when the daylight is getting longer.
But, maybe your rabbits didn't get those memos, so maybe they'll have litters on schedule.
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Are you waiting that long to process because you are using the pelts as well?
Just FYI, most NZ/Californian should reach optimal fryer size somewhere between 8 and 12 weeks depending on your lines and how you feed them, etc. My understanding is after that, they put on weight more slowly and will likely be tougher. Which doesn't matter at all in a pressure cooker but might for BBQ. I am just curious. I have grow outs in my barn right now that should have been processed several weeks ago. lol
Yes on the pelts. And we just feel they aren't weighty enough yet. But like I said. I'm new to raising meat rabbits.
White does
White does and a black buck.
We also have a brown new Zealand lop buck.
