Anybody breeding meat rabbit?

[jackelope]

Shut your mouth right now that is a cute bunny!!!!!

They'll be ready for your kid to take one home in 5 weeks!!

Should't they always go in pairs so they don't get lonely?

Yes. Your second one will be ready at the same time!!

[h20hunter]

Shut your mouth right now that is a cute bunny!!!!!

They'll be ready for your kid to take one home in 5 weeks!!

Sweet....our snake is probably tired of rats.

[Machias]

 

[jennabug]

My NZ doe finally kindled this morning (Day 33), and I got to watch most of the action. She ate a tiny runt, whole, and almost choked. And there was another dead in the nest. 6 total survived: 4 broken and 2 solid. Leading up to the birth she refused any nest box and just built a nest in the hay early this morning. I was on baby watch the whole week, not knowing if she would give birth on the wire. It was the first time for both of us.

I was hoping to have a larger litter, and have friends requesting to buy any of my broken NZ that are does. So it looks like I won't get as much meat from this litter as I expected. And I'm not sure if I want to wait to grow out this litter for breeders.

In other news, I have the opportunity to get a Silver Fox buck in exchange for helping someone butcher. And am considering buying a Champagne D'Argent doe as well.  Does it seem unwise to have such a mix of breeds? So far I don't particularly care for the NZ temperament, and would primarily be breeding for meat. I don't have time to do tanning and breaking hides myself.

[Machias]

Nice!

My doe is about to wean 7 nice Harlequins,  they were 4 weeks old yesterday.  All doing great.  I'll have to post a photo this weekend.

[jackelope]

Congrats on the littles, Jenna.
My input regarding mixing breeds will come down to what you want to do with them. I know a lady who is a Champagne breeder in central WA and she breeds meat rabbits as well. Her meat rabbits are all NZ/Champagne crosses. I've never bred for meat production before so don't have any personal experience there. If you have any interest in showing rabbits, don't mix breeds unless you have a lot of space. Silver foxes are super rare. It would be cool to have them, but from a showing standpoint there is zero competition.

As far as temperament of the NZ's go...I think it comes down to handling and that sort of thing. I also think it's a little genetic. We have a local kid who uses a NZ doe for showmanship, so they're not all unfriendly. I've handled a bunch of them and like any other rabbit, there are calm ones and exciteable ones. My kid has had Dutch rabbits that were biters and generally spastic. Others that would snuggle on her pillow with her.   If they don't get handled, they're going to be little jerks from time to time.

Unrelated news, my kid had a 6 month old Dutch buck choke on a feed pellet 2 nights ago. We got him cleared up to where he was breathing ok, but the damage was done I think. You could tell he wasn't well and was hurting so I took him to my buddy's house last night and put him down. He's the guy we just set up with the Cali's and he wanted to try out his new equipment. Processed him and put him in the freezer.

[jackelope]

Here's an updated pic of one of the blue dutch babies I posted above. They're 7 weeks this weekend.

[KFhunter]

I was just thinking about street tacos,  just now 

[jennabug]

Thanks jackelope. Glad to see your kits are doing well; yours too Machias.
I honestly have zero interest in showing. So I'll probably move forward with mixing. The Silver Fox buck is a blue, but the seller says he's not showable. It's fine by me. And I've really like everything I've read about the Champagnes.
Sorry you had to put one down. I may have to put one of the kits down. It is not moving its hind legs at all. I'm going to see how it looks tomorrow.

[Widgeondeke]

As far as temperament of the NZ's go...I think it comes down to handling and that sort of thing. I also think it's a little genetic. We have a local kid who uses a NZ doe for showmanship, so they're not all unfriendly. I've handled a bunch of them and like any other rabbit, there are calm ones and excitable ones. My kid has had Dutch rabbits that were biters and generally spastic. Others that would snuggle on her pillow with her.   If they don't get handled, they're going to be little jerks from time to time.

I still blame the person that was bit for being rough with him 

[Widgeondeke]

@ KFHunter - my family(kids) prefers rabbit 2 ways. Ground burger tacos and backstrap tenders; this is how I made rabbit the very first time for them, told em it was chicken strips 
I like it in stew/soup, but am the only one in the household that does.

[KFhunter]

I'm half tempted to get back into it, but not until I empty my freezers a bit. 

I never tried rabbit burger

[Jpmiller]

Always wanted to try this. What kind of time commitment are meat rabbits? We had plain pet rabbits.growing up that we fed and played with but I'm curious if the time commitment for breeding and upkeep is significantly higher for meat rabbits?

[Machias]

If anyone is looking for some baby rabbits.  For HuntWA members they are free. 

https://spokane.craigslist.org/grd/d/harlequin-rabbits-8-weeks-old/6451731875.html

[Machias]

Always wanted to try this. What kind of time commitment are meat rabbits? We had plain pet rabbits.growing up that we fed and played with but I'm curious if the time commitment for breeding and upkeep is significantly higher for meat rabbits?

I spend about 15 minutes a day with mine, 5 to 7 minutes in the morning and the same in the evening.  But only because I have some babies right now that eat a hopper full a day and drink a crock full during the day and night.  Otherwise I could feed and water once every couple of days and they would be good to go.