Question For The Experts

[Cotton Rabbitry]

The deep-dive that I've read is essentially that rabbits (that aren't themselves, starving) can provide the fat humans need to stay healthy. It's best though, to use all the fat the rabbit carcass has to offer, including the brain and the bone marrow. I use chicken bones & heads in bone broth (be sure to add a small glug of vinegar to allow the important minerals to leach from the bones.) I'll be doing the same with rabbits.

Rabbits are SO much easier to process, btw. The only advantage chickens have over rabbits imo is their ability to lay eggs.

Definitely easier to process, no feather plucking, with the bonus of a fur for mittens, gloves, moccasins, and other warm things

 

[Cindy in SD]

I should prolly start another thread, but now that I have a freezer half full of pelts, what's your favorite way to process them?

 

[Cotton Rabbitry]

I should prolly start another thread, but now that I have a freezer half full of pelts, what's your favorite way to process them?

currently I am doing the Alum/Salt treatment (youtube link to process ), but am seriously thinking about trying the Salt/egg treatment.

 

[Cindy in SD]

Thanks so much! Very helpful.

 

[eco2pia]

I should prolly start another thread, but now that I have a freezer half full of pelts, what's your favorite way to process them?

definitely check out the thread here on tanning hides: https://rabbittalk.com/threads/tanning-rabbit-hides.36498/

 

[gaitngirl]

Please don't generalize Americans like that. There's plenty of people here who breed rabbits for meat, as well as many people in other countries who only think of rabbits as pets

I don’t think any harm or disrespect was meant. They were merely responding to the question why you don’t find rabbit meat on grocery store shelves. I agree that the majority of Americans don’t think of rabbit as a meat source. Rather a source of entertainment and companionship

 

[Rabbit Tree Farm]

When it comes to food I crave variety. Admittedly my standard deviation on that scale is about 6! On the other hand there are certain flavors I won't eat. Olives! Yech! The common person doesn't cook. The common person isn't frugal. The common person won't grow vegetables much less meat.
.
I feed my rabbits mostly wild forage. They definitely have their favorites. Ragweed is plentiful and they pounce on it. Goldenrod is OK. Wild Roses are candy. Thistle, prickers an all, are also a favorite. Mulberry saplings are appreciated as are maple seedlings. Staghorn sumac, the fresh branchlets, have made it on the table. It has been a dry summer, so the forage from my yard has been slight. But verges are prolific.

I have a rancher nearby who grows Sudex grass as greed fodder for his cattle, but also to break up the soil. He invited me to cut some for the rabbits and they loved it. I have a crop at 12" in my garden. It grows to about 60"! The 15lb bag of seed will last me years. @Preitler 's point about wide variety of free or low cost food is well taken!

@eco2pia makes sound points too. Production requires separation. If kept together, well, they breed like rabbits! I think that is one of the main reasons they are not grown for production. Infrastructure is a big barrier for start ups. Meat poultry doesn't have much infrastructure. Egg farming balances infrastructure with production. Aside from veal, cattle farming is more about growing their food than any infrastructure, but ROI exceeds the machine and housing costs. Dairy is much the same, grow the food, SILOs of food, and some equipment. Add cheese and the equipment cost grows a bit, but the ROI is still great.

I have the thought coming to mind also, would we WANT rabbits commercially farmed? I started chickens over a decade ago for eggs and meat because i wanted chicken that wasnt pumped full of hormones and antibiotics. I hunt to have a red meat for the same. I don't want big ag turning rabbit into something that grows at groresque rates and is more drugs and hormones than meat.

I have had to administer corid once to my rabbits...and in 13 years, never to my chickens. I also raised a steer for butcher many moons ago and it was the same. You can't beat meat untainted by commercial farming pracrices. (And dont get me started on animal treatment and cleanliness!)


Ange

 

[Lil Acorn Acres Farm]

For me an important part of meat rabbits is the size. I may get scratched up a bit, but I can handle every part of the process by myself.
Same with chickens, turkeys and the wethered bucklings.
I definitely need help with the pigs. So that only happens twice a year.
And dang if every once in awhile the freezer goes out and I'm left scrambling.

 

[CedarRidge]

For me an important part of meat rabbits is the size. I may get scratched up a bit, but I can handle every part of the process by myself.
Same with chickens, turkeys and the wethered bucklings.
I definitely need help with the pigs. So that only happens twice a year.
And dang if every once in awhile the freezer goes out and I'm left scrambling.

For me an important part of meat rabbits is the size. I may get scratched up a bit, but I can handle every part of the process by myself.
Same with chickens, turkeys and the wethered bucklings.
I definitely need help with the pigs. So that only happens twice a year.
And dang if every once in awhile the freezer goes out and I'm left scrambling.

Freezer going out is what turned us on to rabbits. Lost 2 deer, numerous chickens and turkeys, and untold bags of tomatoes. Needed an alternative, fast.

 

[Scooter1A]

I have the thought coming to mind also, would we WANT rabbits commercially farmed? I started chickens over a decade ago for eggs and meat because i wanted chicken that wasnt pumped full of hormones and antibiotics. I hunt to have a red meat for the same. I don't want big ag turning rabbit into something that grows at groresque rates and is more drugs and hormones than meat.

I have had to administer corid once to my rabbits...and in 13 years, never to my chickens. I also raised a steer for butcher many moons ago and it was the same. You can't beat meat untainted by commercial farming pracrices. (And dont get me started on animal treatment and cleanliness!)


Ange

not to mention the MRNA they now allow in organic foods. So ya, rabbits, chicken, venison and beef from AC farmers.