Lionheads for meat?

[Whipple]

So I have a gift certificate for feeder rabbits and no animal that eats feeder rabbits. So I called and asked if I could instead use it towards some live breeder rabbits. And she said yes! Awesome, thats like free to me.
Anyhow, they're lionheads. I never ever considered lionheads, but hey if people eat quail these things must be bigger right? How big do they get though? I'm getting different answers and will ask the breeder more questions. Oh, what should I be asking about these rabbits? And how big should the cages be?

 

[Bad Habit]

Lionheads are about 3 - 4lbs full grown.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I have a pair of LH's that I got off Craigslist. They probably are not purebred. They are between 4-5lbs.

Since she is comfortable with the idea of feeder rabbits, I am sure she wont be disturbed by your plan to eat them. I would ask for over-sized rabbits from large litters. Also ask her what her breed back schedule is.

 

[Whipple]

Awesome thank you

 

[ZRabbits]

The purebred DM lion heads I have are about 3-4 lbs. More for show. But you can get some single manes, like Mamasheepdog has that are bred to bigger rabbits. I read someone bred a Flemish to a Lion head buck and now has Flemish with manes, lol.

Just look into the background of the lion head you want to make as meat. Any rabbit can be bred to a DM Lion head and come up with a mane, usually single.

Wishing you luck with your Lion head meat rabbits.

Karen

 

[bunnygal]

Since all rabbits are made of meat, any can be eaten. However some breeds are outstanding as meat rabbits and others aren't worth the cost of raising them.

Lionheads fall into this second catetgory. They are small and very, very boney.

A typical meat brees, such as a New Zealand White, typically reaches 5 pounds between 8-10 weeks of age and dresses out at 50%

A lionhead is only 3-4 pounds at a year old, so at 8-10 weeks (prime butchering time), they are generally less than 2 pounds, which at a 50% dress out rate leaves you with about 1 pound of bone and meat. 1/2 pound of that will be meat.

If you raise them for 10 months to a year to let them hit their full 3-4 pound potential, you will have a very tough, rubbery rabbit that you put a years worth of feed cost into raising.

Now, if someone hands you some year old lionheads for free; there's no reason to waste what's free and you can crockpot them all day or braise them to make them softer. But they are not worth putting any money into to raise.

 

[Whipple]

Gah, so what do I do? I was getting there basically to practice and see if I like it. I could do and sell pets and feed the rest to my dog...

 

[Piper]

Gah, so what do I do? I was getting there basically to practice and see if I like it. I could do and sell pets and feed the rest to my dog

They are free. Breed them, all you will be out is the cost of their feed, and if you have any grass around, you can get them used to that and the feed will be less cost.
- get your feet wet and try it out, you can always sell what you breed as feeders, yourself. Even if lionheads are bony, they have a bit of meat and can still make a good stock!

 

[ZRabbits]

Gah, so what do I do? I was getting there basically to practice and see if I like it. I could do and sell pets and feed the rest to my dog...

Go for it! If it's just for practice to see if you like it. Lion heads don't have big litters (3-4) so there won't be many to place or feed to the dog if you don't like the experience of rabbit breeding. Hopefully you will, and then go from there. And like I said in your intro thread, you can always get a Florida White doe and breed it to your LH buck. You will get more kits from a FW.

Karen

 

[GBov]

They are NOT boney!!! I have eaten many lion heads and they are built just like any other rabbit, meat over bones :lol:

Now, granted, the amount of meat wont be as much as a same sized NZ but it tastes just as good.

So go for it! Get your free buns and give it a try. They might actually suit you better at first than large meat rabbits. It took me almost a year to learn to handle my NZs but with no one to teach me I had to learn handling on my own. Smaller rabbits would have REALLY helped me with that.

And if you are building your cages yourself, go ahead and build three ft by two ft by 18 inches high cages so that if and when you move up in rabbit size you will already be ready.

My quail have enough meat on them at a few ounces to be worth eating so a 12 week old lion head should dress out with enough meat to enjoy adn not much feed invested. Their pelts are really nice but you will need to keep them around for, what is it, 6 to 7 months for prime pelts?

 

[ZRabbits]

They are NOT boney!!! I have eaten many lion heads and they are built just like any other rabbit, meat over bones :lol:

Now, granted, the amount of meat wont be as much as a same sized NZ but it tastes just as good.

So go for it! Get your free buns and give it a try. They might actually suit you better at first than large meat rabbits. It took me almost a year to learn to handle my NZs but with no one to teach me I had to learn handling on my own. Smaller rabbits would have REALLY helped me with that.

And if you are building your cages yourself, go ahead and build three ft by two ft by 18 inches high cages so that if and when you move up in rabbit size you will already be ready.

My quail have enough meat on them at a few ounces to be worth eating so a 12 week old lion head should dress out with enough meat to enjoy adn not much feed invested. Their pelts are really nice but you will need to keep them around for, what is it, 6 to 7 months for prime pelts?

GBov, I keep looking at my Lion heads, not bony but won't have much meat on them. And at 12 weeks old, they were about 1 pound, definitely not any meat yet. That's why I stated with the FW doe to mix with a Lion head, you can keep the rabbit smaller, but get more meat.

And definitely at 6 to 7 months the LH pelts are prime. Absolutely beautiful.

But it is smart to start out with a smaller rabbit. It is a little easier to handle.

Please forgive me, have the mindset of Lion heads being "fancy" and have my heart set on if every going meat, a Florida White. Excellent smaller rabbit, easy breeder. And reminds me of NZ's.

Karen

 

[Whipple]

When I first inquired about using my feeder certificate towards live breeders instead I was surprised that they bred lionheads. I would have less issue feeding a cute baby NZW to my dog than a fluffy little bunny. But thats just me, and regardless I dont have much issue with it.