Citrus Growers Forum

mrtexas · Posted: Tue 15 May, 2012 10:47 pm

This is our first litter of American blue baby rabbits, 9 in total with about half white and the rest blue. Another litter born today, 6 blues. They were born this afternoon. Well a total of 26 blues for the 3 litters. We have about 20 half grown floppy eared ones as well.

These rabbits are a forgotten meat rabbit breed. They seem to be more tame than the other rabbits we have had. The most popular meat rabbits are Californians, white with dark ears and nose and New Zealands, all white. I also got my daughter a mini Rex rabbit as a pet as they are much more tame than the meat rabbits.

I got the rabbits for my kids Nickolas age 8 and Hannah age 11. We first tried Californians and New Zealands and had some success as we were just learning. Funny the old note "breeds like rabbits." It took a while to be successful. One lady told me the "breeds like rabbits" is only for mixed breeds. Pure breeds are more difficult. Next we got a couple floppy eared rabbits and kept the Californian buck. We got 18 from two litters about 6 weeks ago. The floppy eared ones are cute but don't grow as large or fast as the Californians and New Zealands. I found someone to buy out our floppy eared does and Californian buck.

We do eat the rabbits but the kids don't mind so much since we keep having new babies to play with quite often. I tell them it's hip hop chicken. However, when it gets hot they don't breed successfully which means rabbit season here in SE Texas is the cooler part of the year, October - May.

bastrees · Posted: Thu 17 May, 2012 1:03 pm

When I was a teenager my parents went to the SPCA and got 2 female and one male rabbit; I'm assuming they were pet cast-offs. My dad explained his plan was to breed them for food. We had rabbit quite often. "Captain Hook" enjoyed his visits with the two moms. I was one of 9 children so it was mostly a financial thing. Rabbit cacciatore was my favorite rabbit dish. I haven't had rabbit since the rabbit hutches were dismantled when I was away at college.

Barbara

Darkman · Posted: Mon 16 Jul, 2012 8:53 pm

Sorry I didn't catch this earlier but I had a question about raising them for food.

Is it really saving money?

My brother raised them years ago and said he could buy steak for what it was costing him. I kinda thought he was just saying he got to attached to butcher them but is it cost effective if you don't have room for them to graze?

_________________
Charles in Pensacola

Life - Some assembly required, As is no warranty, Batteries not included, Instructions shipped separately and are frequently wrong!

Kentucky Bourbon - It may not solve the problem but it helps to make it tolerable!

bastrees · Posted: Tue 17 Jul, 2012 11:22 am

Although I was not included in the financial aspects of our families endeavor, our rabbits did not graze. They were given garden scraps in the summer. And knowing my mother and father well, they would never have continued without a cost benefit. My mother, who is more than financially stable, will still not buy food (or anything else for that matter) unless it is the best deal in town. My parents installed a central AC unit about 15 years ago to add to the resale value of their house, and have probably used it less than 4 months in all of that time. We forced them to use it the year my father was dying so that he would be comfortable. They grew up with depression parents and never were able to reverse that mentality.

Darkman · Posted: Wed 18 Jul, 2012 8:16 pm

Thanks Bastrees,

Sound logic!

Mr. Texas have you calculated your costs?

_________________
Charles in Pensacola

Life - Some assembly required, As is no warranty, Batteries not included, Instructions shipped separately and are frequently wrong!

Kentucky Bourbon - It may not solve the problem but it helps to make it tolerable!

mrtexas · Posted: Thu 19 Jul, 2012 4:40 am

Darkman wrote:

Thanks Bastrees,

Sound logic!

Mr. Texas have you calculated your costs?

Yes, partially. It is said that they eat 4 pounds of food to one pound of rabbit for a total of 20# to five pound eating weight. This would cost about $5 per rabbit for food at 50# for $12 or about $1 a pound.

Each adult eats about 2 sacks of food per year. I have 4 adults and that would be about $100 a year in food. If I get two litters from each doe I'd get about 50 fryers a year so add $2 to each fryer for a total of $7 a fryer.
I don't think I can eat more than 50 fryers in a year no matter how tasty. Wow, I can buy all the frozen fryers I want for $10 each! Cheap hobby though.

This would not include however the $500 I spent on new cages(could have bought used for way less or free but they wouldn't stack 2 cages high) and the $?? I spent building their 5 x 10 leanto or the ceiling fan I had to buy to keep them from dieing of the heat or the $180 for breeding stock. Also not included is the food for 3 does and 1 buck that weigh 10 pounds each we use for breeding stock we don't eat.

I got the rabbits for the kids instead of a dog. I don't have enough time in a day to take real care of a dog which needs a lot of attention.

The rabbits need only adding to the food bin and removing the fertilizer they make.

They have however been the hit of the neighborhood for the 8-11 year old age group. At a recent family gathering everyone enjoyed the hip hop chicken(name for rabbit meat so the kids would eat them) I grilled.

Coming up in a month or so are another 20 five pound fryers for the freezer. I personally like the meat much better than chicken. Can't breed them in the summer however.

Darkman · Posted: Thu 19 Jul, 2012 10:43 pm

mrtexas wrote:

Darkman wrote:

Thanks Bastrees,

Sound logic!

Mr. Texas have you calculated your costs?

Yes, partially. It is said that they eat 4 pounds of food to one pound of rabbit for a total of 20# to five pound eating weight. This would cost about $5 per rabbit for food at 50# for $12 or about $1 a pound.

This would not include however the $500 I spent on new cages(could have bought used for way less or free but they wouldn't stack 2 cages high) and the $?? I spent building their 5 x 10 leanto or the ceiling fan I had to buy to keep them from dieing of the heat or the $180 for breeding stock. Also not included is the food for 3 does and 1 buck that weigh 10 pounds each we use for breeding stock we don't eat.

I got the rabbits for the kids instead of a dog. I don't have enough time in a day to take real care of a dog which needs a lot of attention.

The rabbits need only adding to the food bin and removing the fertilizer they make.

They have however been the hit of the neighborhood for the 8-11 year old age group. At a recent family gathering everyone enjoyed the hip hop chicken(name for rabbit meat so the kids would eat them) I grilled.

Coming up in a month or so are another 20 five pound fryers for the freezer. I personally like the meat much better than chicken. Can't breed them in the summer however.

Suddenly skinless, boneless chicken breast @ $1.79 a lb. isn't sounding that bad!

Thanks for the numbers Mr. Texas.

If I could just get a rabbit to lay eggs!

_________________
Charles in Pensacola

Life - Some assembly required, As is no warranty, Batteries not included, Instructions shipped separately and are frequently wrong!

Kentucky Bourbon - It may not solve the problem but it helps to make it tolerable!