Keeping wool rabbits

[Evvie]

Because my rabbitry plans aren't set yet, I want to consider the possibility of keeping a wool rabbit or two (or ten, you know, whatever happens). I am trying to think of some ways I can get the rabbits to defuse some of their own cost. I'll be in the Salem/Portland Oregon area, which is just flush with hippies, hipsters, and lots of people in to crafts and natural endeavors. I feel if I tried to sell wool in that area I could probably do it.

Although I'm very uncertain of all the things that go in to processing and preparing wool, I'm wondering how much extra time wool rabbits add to daily chores? Some sources are saying you might need to groom every day. Are there other special considerations when it comes to keeping woolies? Would it take a large amount of buns to get any significant amount of wool at all, or would 2-3 English or French Angoras supply enough wool to earn their keep plus covering for a few of the growers?

All of the sources I've seen so far have angora rabbit fiber going at at least $5 an ounce (and sometimes $10+) but do they really sell for that much? I'm not looking to make a ton of money or become Miss Wealthy Rabbitpants, just to reduce my total losses.

 

[SarahMelisse]

I breed/raise French angoras and from my experience:
1. You don't need to groom them EVERYDAY, but twice a week is about average. Three times for the fussier coats and once a week for the good woolers.
2. From my French angoras I get about 12 ounces a year.
3. I see wool selling for $4-6 an ounce, but I would never pay more than that. Period.
4. I harvest enough wool for personal use from 5 rabbits, but I don't really end up with enough to sell on a scale that would be worth it not to mention pay feed and housing expenses. You could save all the wool from the year, spin it, then sell the skeins, but that is too much trouble for me.

I am not trying to discourage you from buying or raising angoras by any means because I have found so much joy in it, but I wouldn't raise them if your sole reason is to make money.

 

[Evvie]

That was really helpful, Sarah. Thank you

 

[SarahMelisse]

No problem!

I didn't mean to sound like you are in it for the money or anything... I was just saying that I don't think you would get enough wool to pay for feed and housing of multiple angoras not to mention everyone else.

 

[Evvie]

No problem!

I didn't mean to sound like you are in it for the money or anything... I was just saying that I don't think you would get enough wool to pay for feed and housing of multiple angoras not to mention everyone else.

Oh no worries, I am really attracted to all the adorable woolies. Any money to defray the costs is just a bonus!

 

[SarahMelisse]

How could you not be?

 

[3mina]

How could you not be?

When you are elbow deep in hair all day at work :mrgreen:
I like to look at the Woolies but I have zero interest in having one, pretty but not for me

 

[MaggieJ]

I keep saying "not for me" too, 3mina... but the fluffy little bunny that popped up in a recent litter has me giving the idea a second look.

 

[hotzcatz]

The bunnies here are profitable above and beyond their maintenance expenses. Selling a few baby bunnies just about pays for their annual feed bill, selling "bunny berries" for the garden turns bunny keeping into profit. Yarn sales is where the rest of the money shows up. 100% English angora handspun yarn sells really well, although you have to spin it into yarn so that adds to the effort. Should you raise bunnies and be looking for a place to sell the wool, PM me since we buy angora fiber.

Angoras (the English angora anyway) are considered a "dual" purpose breed. They have a compact meat rabbit frame, so you could raise all one breed of rabbit and eat the ones you didn't want to keep as wool producers. Tracking wool production, you'd be able to just keep the excellent wool producers. I don't know about how their growth rates stack up against a pure meat breed, though.

The different breeds of angora rabbits produce different amounts of wool. The English - for me at least - had a good trade off of excellent fiber (softer than the larger commercial angoras) and decent production amounts. Satin angoras have amazing wool, but they don't produce that much of it. The English also naturally shed so the fiber can be combed off when it's ready to shed. To get $10 an ounce for fiber, it would have to be hand plucked, neatly arranged in rows, really long staple, absolutely clean and absolutely only the best fiber. Then you'd have to find someone to buy it. We don't buy $10 an ounce fiber, though. The $4 - $5 per ounce wool that is stashed in an unorganized fashion in a baggie works just fine.

The English angoras around here shed at least three times a year. They give at least 3 ounces (usually more like 4 to 5 ounces) of wool at each harvest. I can usually get about a pound of fiber a year from each bunny unless they are using it for their nest boxes. Does kindling cut down on the fiber collected, but then there are babies so it's a good trade off.

As to how often each rabbit gets groomed, it depends on the rabbit. I have some that hardly get groomed between each time they shed. The bunnies kept in a show coat take more grooming than ones which are for fiber. The fiber bunnies get their coats removed as soon as they are long enough to have spinnable fiber on them whereas the show bunnies have to carry around as much hair as is willing to stick to the bunny in an neat and tidy manner. I don't have very many show bunnies. The younger bunnies need more grooming until their adult coat comes in.

 

[Oceanrose]

Just wanted to answer this quickly (you're in my area btw! or kind of, I'm on the Wa coast).

Not sure how well products sell yet, but there is a market for babies, though I am hesitant to breed much due to the coat upkeep.

I have 8 angoras currently, 6 satin angoras, and 2 English. It takes me approximately 1 hr a week to groom, a little more if they're shedding. The Satin angoras, are EASY, the English require a little bit more grooming with their furnishings. I hand pluck, if I didn't, that would be much faster.

I am going to strongly work on body type on my satin angoras, but imho, they are a great multi purpose breed. They have wonderful fiber, grow well, have a meaty body, and large litters. They'd be a great breed for a homesteader. I don't eat meat, but I love their fiber. I'm about to spin up a bunch here for the first time, and I just can't wait to see what it's going to be like. Right now, I'm spinning fiber from my broken black EA, which is a beautiful heathered gray. I am planning on advertising the finished yarn, will see if it sells...