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It sounds great right? Cut little fluffy bunnies every few months and your own backyard meat supply. Start out costs are relatively low and you do not need a lot of space to raise a few rabbits. Plus rabbit meat is the healthiest meat out there.
It may sound all sunshine and roses until you start doing some deep research. Then you might feel confused and unsure if you really want to start this adventure. Yes, you should do your research from reliable sources. The internet is not always 100% accurate. One of the best ways to learn is visiting some other farmer that raises meat rabbits and ask them questions and see their set up and how they do things.
What do I need before I get my new Rabbits?
Pens. Obviously you will need a place for them to stay. Some people will raise their does in a colony and the buck in a pen by himself and others will have a pen for each rabbit. When you first get your rabbits it would be best to keep them in separate pens (rabbits do fight sometimes) unless the place where you got them had the females together. A normal breeding program will have 2 does and 1 buck. This is a good way to start. Be sure to get your rabbits from a reputable breeder. The buck should be kept separate from the does until breeding time. So, 3 cages is a good starting point but remember you are going to breed them and have more rabbits so you will need more cages soon. A good size cage for one rabbit is 42 inches long, 24 inches wide, and 24 inches high. Once the baby bunnies are ready to be weaned you will need some "grow out cages". We raise our grow outs out on grass so we have movable rabbit tractors for them. These are larger cages that can fit up to 10 grow outs (we move them once or twice a day depending on how many are in the pen so they have fresh grass). We put the bucks in one cage and the does in another one so we do not have any accidental breedings happen.
Feeding dishes. This may sound simple but is one of the things that when we first got rabbits we wished someone told us about. Rabbits like to dig and can really waste a lot of feed if their dish is not secured down and at the right height. If your rabbit is digging in their dish and wasting a lot of food try securing the dish higher or lower. They also chew on everything. So make sure their dish is made out something sturdy so they do not destroy it the first day. And you can get creative with what you use for feeding dishes so you do not have to spend so much money on real rabbit feeders (honestly we like our homemade feeders better then the store bought one we have).
Waters. The easiest that we found is the plastic rabbit water bottles with the nipple.
Feed. Another thing that sounds simple. Just go to your local pet store and get the cheapest feed. Right? Not quite, at least not if you want ultimate growth in your rabbits. Normal rabbit food is made for pets and is 16% protein. You can use 16% if that is all you can find (we did for a few years) but 18% protein is better for raising out meat rabbits.
Hay. Rabbits should be given free choice hay all the time. 80% of a rabbit's diet should be grasses and hay. A hay rack or hay feeders are not absolutely necessary. But it will reduce the amount of hay they waste and they also make their cage a little more tidy. Instead of having a pile of hay in the corner it is in a nice rack.
Time. This is probably the most overlooked thing that rabbits need. It takes time to feed each one, give them fresh water,, and make sure their overall health is good EVERY SINGLE DAY. Sometimes even more often. Winter time when their water freezes you could be out there 3 or more times a day (depending on how cold your winters are) just to make sure they have unfrozen water. You will also need time for when you breed them, when they have their babies, and processing your rabbits when they are ready.
Tips for first time rabbit owners/breeders
Mamma rabbit's only feed their babies 1-2 times a day. Normally at night or in the early morning. So, it is very unlikely that you will ever see her feeding them.
Some rabbits are very sensitive to change. This could be a reason your doe is losing all her babies. Don't change anything during a rabbits pregnancy if you can. Lucy (our one New Zealand) is very sensitive. But then we have others that are just fine with a new cage, new food, or a new buddy in the pen next to them, right before they kindle.
Rabbits can die from fright. So make sure they hear you before you walk up on them.
When breeding always bring the doe to the buck. A doe can be very territorial and could injure herself or the buck if he just invaded her space. Also if you move the buck he may be more interested in checking out his new surroundings rather then getting his job done.
Don't try to breed in the heat. Bucks can become sterile when it is really hot. Try early morning or late evening breeding during the summer months.
Rabbit Time
Gestation is about 31 days.
Put a nesting box in for doe 3-4 days before she is due.
Baby bunnies open their eyes at 10-12 days old and can start eating solid food.
Earliest weaning is when they are 4 weeks old.
Your doe should be 4-5 months old before breeding.
Your buck should be 5 months old before using him to breed.
Processing is at 12-16 weeks old. Or go by weight. A 5 pound live rabbit will give you about 2 pounds of meat.
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