Not really interested in selling

[coffeenutdesigns]

There truly are not many options for someone wanting to buy rabbits in my area. Since I have gotten mine, I have a LOT of people asking about buying rabbits from me. One wants show rabbits for 4H. I'm pretty sure mine aren't show quality, so I gave her the number of 2 breeders I know about 100 miles away or so that have "show" rabbits, but I don't know about their quality because I don't show. I've had several people interested in buying rabbits as meat from me when I have some grown out. Now another friend wants some for her kid to "make money." I already told her that they probably won't be very profitable and they are a lot of work and he'll do better selling eggs from chickens they want to buy. Of course they still want some. (It is going to be funny to watch her realize the bargain she was getting with eggs from me, because I just sell my extras because I have too many, not to make any money really).

The thing is, other than ending up with a couple of "cute" bunnies of unknown breed (thinking NZ or NZ/minirex cross?) that don't really fit in my meat rabbit plans, I really have no desire to get into selling rabbits. Right now, I still consider my whole herd in quarantine, so not even close to selling until I know if I will have to cull them all. Mine are just meat rabbits, just another source of protein for my own freezer. I don't show. I am certainly not experienced at butchering enough to sell meat, plus I am not interested in finding out what hoops I would have to jump through to do that. I don't think the price I would have to sell a live animal for butchering to cover the cost(plus the work I put in) of raising it would be a reasonable amount anyone would want to pay for one meal.

It's crazy how nobody has shown any interest in rabbits until I have some, now everybody wants mine. I have the same kind as the one other guy in town who has been selling his for a long time and actually advertises his, so it's not even like I have anything new and different. At the end of the day, all my animals are pretty much for my enjoyment and to provide some nice clean food for my family, not for any kind of business.

I guess I just make it all look so interesting and easy :shock: Plus, everyone just wants to be like me :mrgreen:

 

[CWD]

Well you know the grass is always greener, thing.
right now you have the green grass. LOL

 

[PistolPackingMomma]

Some folks might have "Little Red Hen" syndrome, and want the enjoyment and payoff they see you have. Others may just be looking for a little way to become more self reliant.

Do what you are comfortable with

 

[coffeenutdesigns]

Well you know the grass is always greener, thing.
right now you have the green grass. LOL

It's green from all the animal poop, lol.<br /><br />__________ Tue Mar 12, 2013 1:55 pm __________<br /><br />

Some folks might have "Little Red Hen" syndrome, and want the enjoyment and payoff they see you have. Others may just be looking for a little way to become more self reliant.

Do what you are comfortable with

Yeah, they aren't seeing all the "behind the scenes" work and grief I have, either. Dead babies, pain in the rear quarantines, waking up 12 times a night worried that babies got out of their nest and froze, having to pick out dead babies from a nest...dispatching one that the mom managed to rip it's belly open...yeah, if they saw all that it might not seem so "glamorous" I'm sure. :x

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

Well you know the grass is always greener, thing.
right now you have the green grass. LOL

It's green from all the animal poop, lol.

__________ Tue Mar 12, 2013 1:55 pm __________

Some folks might have "Little Red Hen" syndrome, and want the enjoyment and payoff they see you have. Others may just be looking for a little way to become more self reliant.

Do what you are comfortable with

Yeah, they aren't seeing all the "behind the scenes" work and grief I have, either. Dead babies, pain in the rear quarantines, waking up 12 times a night worried that babies got out of their nest and froze, having to pick out dead babies from a nest...dispatching one that the mom managed to rip it's belly open...yeah, if they saw all that it might not seem so "glamorous" I'm sure. :x

A lot of people have "rose tinted glasses" these days when it comes to animals and animal husbandry.

I think that if someone can get through all the bad stuff, and still find it worthwhile, they are some of the very unique people who can and should keep rabbits.

 

[trinityoaks]

I guess that it's a good sign that there are still people wanting to start raising their own meat. Still, I know how frustrating it can be when you have people calling you all the time.

I NEVER advertised my rabbits, but somehow word got out among the 4Hers where I used to live. I could be making a small fortune right now selling rabbits to 4Hers if I were still there. I even had someone call me a couple of months ago, asking about rabbits. I had to tell her I moved 650 miles away more than a YEAR ago.

 

[TheLittleBunny10]

I NEVER advertised my rabbits, but somehow word got out among the 4Hers where I used to live. I could be making a small fortune right now selling rabbits to 4Hers if I were still there. I even had someone call me a couple of months ago, asking about rabbits. I had to tell her I moved 650 miles away more than a YEAR ago.

you moved away just so people wouldn't buy your bunnies? :razz:

 

[trinityoaks]

you moved away just so people wouldn't buy your bunnies? :razz:

:lol: LOL!! No, I would have loved to stay and sell rabbits there! Could have made a lot of money! The 4Hers there typically buy meat pens every year (they're not required to breed their own), paying $20 per head, plus often a "spare". They show the three that are closest in size, weight, and appearance as a meat pen, and the fourth as a single. And they all seem to want Cals. There don't seem to be very many breeders, but hundreds of 4Hers in within a 5-hour drive (yes, they would drive that far to find rabbits).

Here, the primary breed is NZ, but the demand doesn't seem to be nearly as high.

 

[mwtrees]

different areas have different emphasis in 4H. Some parts of the country the meat pen competition is large and fierce! Cals can be nice for meat pens in that they are just a little bit smaller than NZ and don't tend to outgrow their class quite as easily as the NZ. Not that they can't!