Anybody breeding meat rabbit?

[Kc_Kracker]

we breed them, selling the whole lot off right now listed in classifieds

[jennabug]

Reviving this old thread.
I'm still producing rabbits, but honestly I've been selling a lot more than I've butchered this year. LOTS of people wanting to buy their own starter herd. 

Last spring I processed a lot and there's still some in the freezer, so I have time to produce more for myself later and help people with their food security now. The feed store sends me people's phone numbers who are searching/asking. Are you guys seeing the same thing?

[KFhunter]

Yup


but I don't have rabbits anymore,  my electricity went out and all my bottles froze and cracked,  so they went to freezer camp cause I didn't want to buy 10 heated bottles @ 20 bux ea

now I kinda wished I had em again 

[jackelope]

People going crazy for Rabbits and chickens.

[jennabug]

Yup


but I don't have rabbits anymore,  my electricity went out and all my bottles froze and cracked,  so they went to freezer camp cause I didn't want to buy 10 heated bottles @ 20 bux ea

now I kinda wished I had em again 

Understandable decision. I moved mine into the garage last summer and added an exhaust fan to help with heat and cold issues.
If you want to get into them again, mine are producing really well and I'm happy to help. 

People going crazy for Rabbits and chickens.

Indeed! I was going to refresh my hens this year, but it looks like I may wait until summer or fall.

[jackelope]

This all really is a little
Crazy. I’m worried/expecting the same thing as what’s happening with panic buying of guns. Lots of people buying animals for meat who have no business owning them.  The time will come to harvest and they won’t be able to do it. I had to help a family with meat rabbits 2 months ago in this very situation, and that was pre-panic. They decided to breed meat rabbits. Welp... about 40-something rabbits deep and they were over their heads. Helped them reduce their numbers and made them some meat at the same time. We’ll see if they hold up their end of the bargain moving forward.

Too many Instagram farmers.

(I’m not insinuating I’m a farmer at all)

[Jingles]

Still have one buck and one doe not in the freezer planning on another litter in June.

[jennabug]

This all really is a little
Crazy. I’m worried/expecting the same thing as what’s happening with panic buying of guns. Lots of people buying animals for meat who have no business owning them.  The time will come to harvest and they won’t be able to do it. I had to help a family with meat rabbits 2 months ago in this very situation, and that was pre-panic. They decided to breed meat rabbits. Welp... about 40-something rabbits deep and they were over their heads. Helped them reduce their numbers and made them some meat at the same time. We’ll see if they hold up their end of the bargain moving forward.

Too many Instagram farmers.

(I’m not insinuating I’m a farmer at all)

I'm waiting for the same thing. We have a local processor that has a waiting list that is MONTHS long for poultry and rabbits.  A lot of people are unwilling/unable to do their own dirty work. Hopefully they address it before there is suffering.

[jackelope]

I won’t let my kid sell rabbits right now unless they’re show rabbits.
1-irresponsible people freaking out about running out of food and
2- Easter. No selling rabbits right before Easter.
Had a lady contact me looking for 2 about 10 days ago. One for each easter basket for her kids. I Facebook stalked her and her 2 kids were like 3-5 years old. Nope. Ain’t happening.

[Bango skank]

People going crazy for Rabbits and chickens.

My neighbor is getting chickens now.  For eggs, not meat.  But i have a feeling when their egg production tanks in a few years and she realizes its time to send them to freezer camp ill probably end up doing it.  I know she will take good care of the chickens in the mean time though.

[jennabug]

I won’t let my kid sell rabbits right now unless they’re show rabbits.
1-irresponsible people freaking out about running out of food and
2- Easter. No selling rabbits right before Easter.
Had a lady contact me looking for 2 about 10 days ago. One for each easter basket for her kids. I Facebook stalked her and her 2 kids were like 3-5 years old. Nope. Ain’t happening.

Yikes!  Good call!
Persons I've sold to have asked me all the right questions before I let them know that I have available stock. Fortunately it is easy to weed them out.

[jackelope]

Selling rabbits is tough. I’m totally fine if I’m 100% sure they’re going to responsible owners. Mostly she sells to show homes. Occasionally pets but mostly only to people we know or friends of friends or something like that where we can at least verify they’re responsible owners. Too many get dumped or they end up with someone who wants to breed their lionhead mix to a dutch and get some crazy mutt rabbit. That ain’t happening either. I’d rather give them to friends that will eat them than send them off into the unknown. My kid is good with that too.
Current situation is one super sweet baby that she’s become attached to that only has 1 ear. Not sure how we’re going to make that one go away. It’s a really nice doe other than the ear issue.

[jackelope]

People going crazy for Rabbits and chickens.

My neighbor is getting chickens now.  For eggs, not meat.  But i have a feeling when their egg production tanks in a few years and she realizes its time to send them to freezer camp ill probably end up doing it.  I know she will take good care of the chickens in the mean time though.

As long as they live a good life while they’re alive and die quick when the time comes. I’m sure you’ll do them right when the time comes.

[gaddy]

Whats your average cost per pound invested after processing ? Am thinking about getting into it on a small scale for personal consumption. Our family had a large rabbit operation around Lake Stevens area years ago. The wife's never had rabbit and I need to justify it. Average initial cost for a breeding buck and a couple does ? Tri-Cities area.

[jennabug]

Whats your average cost per pound invested after processing ? Am thinking about getting into it on a small scale for personal consumption. Our family had a large rabbit operation around Lake Stevens area years ago. The wife's never had rabbit and I need to justify it. Average initial cost for a breeding buck and a couple does ? Tri-Cities area.

Hey gaddy, it depends on how you feed them and if you include operating/equipment costs. Pellet feed only costs me about $3/lb of rabbit, bone in. This could be cheaper with a lower quality food and supplementing more with hay and yard cuttings. But I also try to balance out the amount of time I have available to do it vs just buying pellet food. The quality of meat is more important to me than the $/lb.

I'm in the tricities and I typically charge $40 per rabbit when sold in trios with pedigrees. But keep in mind that is for purebred pedigreed stock. If you can find backyard mixes, they for $10 to $20 each when young. They're ready to be bred by about 8 months old.