What's the chance of this happening?

[chinbunny1]

I posted an add for my grandmas cat on freecycle, and wouldn't you know I ended up getting an email from someone that raises show quality cats instead. She isn't interested in the cat. though i asked her to pass the message on to her breeder friends anyhow, just in case.She noticed that I had rabbitry in my email and asked if I ever had any butcher as she raw feeds and buys from a commercial company in another state. I told her $ a cleaned carcass, that the person that processes them for me will do them however she wants. Sadly I don't have any right now. But I will have a few to cull in a few weeks. And maybe more later this year. I am surprised that she found me like that. Whats the chance of that happening? lol. Wish I would have known that a few weeks ago when I sent a whole bunch to the auction barn. Where they sold for about $2 a head.

So do any of you guys supply to RAW feeders, and what do you charge? Does $5 a bunny sound ok? Cause that's what I have been charging those that look me up wanting rabbit meat locally. Which are mainly friends and family so far. Might not sound like much, but it should help pay for feed. Maybe she will send some of her friends my way if it works out good.

They have been eating a lot of grass and alfalfa hay, and handful of grain every day. So that has helped cut down on my expenses a little bit. Also saves me gas money to take them to auction barn.

 

[MaggieJ]

Five dollar apiece sounds low to me. I have never let a rabbit leave here for less than $10 and from now on it will be $15.

How much does your processor charge? You have to add that cost to your feed costs... and then add on a good chunk for your profit. You're doing all the work and why should that go unrewarded?

 

[ladysown]

I charge $2/lb live weight and I do all the work (if there is any).

Go see what they charge in the stores for rabbit meat and use that as a guide. (I divided that in half and got $2/lb).

 

[chinbunny1]

Thanks guys. I already told her $5 though. Guess I should have asked before saying that. Oh well. still, its much better then the $2 a head I get for them at the auction barn. And the gas there sinces its an hour away. And she's about ten minutes from me.
My processor keeps every fourth cull for herself. So not much cost there, other then a few dollars to feed the bunny.

Giving them a few hours a day on grass and hay to help cut down feed costs. Which is helping.

They don't carry rabbits in the stores around here. wish they did. The average cost for a live pet bunny is about $5. I couldn't get rid of them live for that.

 

[avdpas77]

I usually charge $7 each or $5 for 3 or more live rabbits. I won't butcher for anyone. (Truth is, the only reason I am usually selling rabbits is to get out of butchering them, and $5 will pay for the feed) It would be great to get more, but I raise mixed breed rabbits and they aren't "cute" like Lion-heads or Lops. I will usually ask $10-$20 for a breeder. This is no way to "make" money. But I am getting more and more callers by word of mouth. Since I am in a cross breeding program, I tend to raise a lot more rabbits than I need for consumption, and we eat a LOT of rabbit. :? In fact, I have about 25 youngsters out there now from 9-11 weeks old. (please people on Craig'slist... I don't want to process that many this weekend. )

 

[chinbunny1]

I usually charge $7 each or $5 for 3 or more live rabbits. I won't butcher for anyone. (Truth is, the only reason I am usually selling rabbits is to get out of butchering them, and $5 will pay for the feed) It would be great to get more, but I raise mixed breed rabbits and they aren't "cute" like Lion-heads or Lops. I will usually ask $10-$20 for a breeder. This is no way to "make" money. But I am getting more and more callers by word of mouth. Since I am in a cross breeding program, I tend to raise a lot more rabbits than I need for consumption, and we eat a LOT of rabbit. :? In fact, I have about 25 youngsters out there now from 9-11 weeks old. (please people on Craig'slist... I don't want to process that many this weekend. )

Same here. I don't like doing it either. I am glad I found the lady that will do it for me. These will be about 12 weeks, Maybe a little older with the florida whites and chins. Plus the older rabbits. Mostly fryers. I hope this goes though, with very little problems. It would be an awesome way to help pay for feed.

I was also thinking of taking grass clippings and feeding it to the ones that don't get out every night. Does this sound like a good idea? We don't treat the lawn. There is hardly anything toxic that grows out there.

My buyer is was looking for someone that is naturally growing them. I explained to her that they are individually caged. But they do get time outside to run around in the grass, and eat it too. That they are in abarn, and not in colony. the place she buys from colony breeds all of theirs. They get played with every day. And my neice nephews come in and help feed them, and visit them. She seems ok with it.

 

[MaggieJ]

Be careful with grass clippings, especially if cut with a mower. Because they are shredded up, they begin to heat up (begin to compost) very quickly and can cause digestive problems if they buns don't eat them right away. Longer grass, cut with shears, is safer. Broad-leafed weeds such as dandelion, chicory, plantain etc. (see SAFE PLANTS list) are good as well. If the buns are new to grass and weeds, start with just a bit and work it up.

 

[Miss M]

We've been feeding small amounts of fresh (picked) St. Augustine grass to our buns. When the lawn gets cut, I let the grass sit in the sun and dry for at least several days. As long as it can get nice and dry, I'll rake it and use it like hay. The buns don't like it as much as they like coastal Bermuda grass hay, but it works. As a forage, it is mediocre, but it's one of the few things in my yard right now that they can eat. I plan to change that over time.

 

[chinbunny1]

No worries about the mowers, I don;u use grass grass clippings from it. Id probably pluck or shear it.