hi, my kits are 10 weeks ive fed them the best of feed including oats wheat hay alfalfa sunflower seed veg greens/crops weeds grass and fruit, they have a 10x10 area to run around and are only 3 and a half pounds! the runt is stil only 2 and a half pounds im trying to feed them like this because i just feel its the healthiest i can give them, it is not going to make me break even financially though and i will probably have to invest in more cages as they will need to be kept longer till dispatching i just wondering if any one knows the average weight of naturally/organically fed rabbits at this age? am i doing the right thing by waiting for them to reach 5 pound before dispatch? they just seem so small and it also makes me wonder that having them in small cages restricts their excercise- would i be better off to re-plan their housing smaller as opposed to the large run they have? sorry feeling a bit disapointed that i cant feed them organically and build them up at a younger age like the pellets can do i cant get organic pellets here either, on a brighter note the greenery is slowly appearing which i can collect for free and i can store enough for the winter as I hope to still be breeding rabbits by then and wont have to buy as much as i have this first winter round as i did not prepare properly! i actually feel they are feeding better than me!any thoughts?
organic feed update for meat rabbits
- Thread starter Julz
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Naturally-fed kits do grow more slowly. What I suggest is to let this litter grow out for longer and see when they reach the magic 5 pounds. I rarely weigh my rabbits, but after nearly eight years I can pretty much eyeball them and tell when they are ready. Usually this takes 14-16 weeks. Mine are in a colony which lets them get more exercise, same as yours.
When I raised my rabbits in cages on mainly pellets with weeds to supplement, they reached butchering weight earlier, at 10-12 weeks, but they had more fat... a clear waste of feed. I'm happy enough to save money by feeding naturally. It may take longer but the cost per pound is significantly less (blessed here with cheap alfalfa hay and acreage to gather greens), there is just a healthy amount of fat around the kidneys and the meat tastes much better.
You'll have to decide for yourself whether natural feeding is for you. Please remember, too, that it does not have to be either/or. You can feed some pellets and some natural feed and reach a compromise if that is what appeals to you.
When I raised my rabbits in cages on mainly pellets with weeds to supplement, they reached butchering weight earlier, at 10-12 weeks, but they had more fat... a clear waste of feed. I'm happy enough to save money by feeding naturally. It may take longer but the cost per pound is significantly less (blessed here with cheap alfalfa hay and acreage to gather greens), there is just a healthy amount of fat around the kidneys and the meat tastes much better.
You'll have to decide for yourself whether natural feeding is for you. Please remember, too, that it does not have to be either/or. You can feed some pellets and some natural feed and reach a compromise if that is what appeals to you.
MaggieJ":1msvcd6f said:
thanks for the reasuring reply MaggieJ, I FEEL A LOT MORE POSITIVE TODAY! not only was it sunny for the first time in weeks the grass and vegetation is appearing more and i was able to harvest the rabbits lots of cleavers, blackberry leaves,honey suckle, willow and grass! it made me feel great compared to having been all winter buying vegetation for them i also got my first load of compost from the rabbit poo great!, im taking your advise and growing them out longer, and will stick to natural feeding
