Hi, my name is Janine and I lurked around a bit for info....My husband and I are planning an outdoor rabbit colony for meat....I do believe from reading NZ or Calif. are my best bet, and to start with 2 does and a buck. The area we are planning for is under the oak trees for shade, with a hutch also. This area can get wet in the summers so the outside pen will be large but all panals a few feet above the ground. I need some basics for the how do's. Do I keep the Buck seperate all the time, just when waiting raising babies? Do I need special boxes inside the hutch? One for each Doe? How large is a nesting box dimensions? Do the babbies stay with Mamma the whole time? Do you isolate mamma and babies away from the other Doe? Okay so I know I am a complete newby here as you can tell...but a quick learner...so if you could guide me in the right direction I would be very thankful! janine
Very new to all things rabbit!
- Thread starter akaj9
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OneAcreFarm
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HI Janine, welcome to the group! My best advice is to get a couple of good books...Storey's Guide to Raising Rabbits by Bob Bennett is a good one, also Raising Rabbits the Modern Way by Anna Kanable and (if you can find it) Rabbit Production by McNitt, Lukefahr, et. al. Also, join the Yahoo Meat Rabbits group.
Welcome to RabbitTalk, Janine! :hi:
You will probably find most of your answers in the Rabbit Colony forum.
rabbit-colonies-f12.html
Different people handle colonies in different ways. In large colonies the buck often stays in full time, but this can mean that the does get rebred immediately after kindling, which can be hard on them if it happens too many times in a row. It is a good idea to have a section where the buck can be kept to give them a break. Most of the time, the gate between the sections can be left open, so the space is not wasted.
Youngsters usually stay in the colony with mom until they are ready for freezer camp. You may wish to leave a promising young doe in the colony permanently as a breeder.
You will probably find most of your answers in the Rabbit Colony forum.
rabbit-colonies-f12.html
Different people handle colonies in different ways. In large colonies the buck often stays in full time, but this can mean that the does get rebred immediately after kindling, which can be hard on them if it happens too many times in a row. It is a good idea to have a section where the buck can be kept to give them a break. Most of the time, the gate between the sections can be left open, so the space is not wasted.
Youngsters usually stay in the colony with mom until they are ready for freezer camp. You may wish to leave a promising young doe in the colony permanently as a breeder.
