Bunnies are Pets, Rabbits are Food...

[Demosthine]

So begins the great meat rabbit expert at the Urban D Ranch. Yeah, I have to come up with a better name... Anyway, last night we picked up our first rabbit from a lady who posted it on Craig's List. She said it wasn't snuggling, but handled being pet. After seeing her daughter lunch in to the dog kennel to get her, it's no wonder! I'd be terrified, bite and scratch too. After I took over and had a small fight, she settled down enough for me to get her in the Kennel Car and home. We gave her some Timothy hay, lettuce and water when we got home. Today, she seems to be settling in. Honestly, I'm not sure it's a she or her age. She hasn't cooperated enough for me to check.

When we got home from work, I gave her some of our new pellets. She went to town, downed more water and approached me for some petting. She stills nips if you try to hold her, though. But all in due time. Slowly, she started exploring the entrance to the Kennel Car and ventured out in to the living room. To me, that's a great sign. My 15 month old even got a few pets in. So I left her out while I cleaned and set up the large kennel for the night. I have a few ideas for the hutch, but we'll get to those tomorrow.

When I finally got her settled in the kennel, located on the back porch, she stretched out and seemed to nap. I had put a nice layer of fresh clippings off my tree down as bedding and she ate those for awhile, too. The chickens and turkeys keep coming up to introduce themselves and all seems calm. In about a week, we'll start some free-ranging.


That being said, the ultimate goal is to have two does and a buck for breeding. I want to start harvesting about 60 kits a year, or roughly one meal a week. I'm not sure how much meat we'll get, so I'll have to adjust. I've read one is enough for a family of four, but others say it's just enough for an adult couple. Like all things, there are conflicting answers for everything.

I'll have to post photos tomorrow. It got too dark tonight. Let the life experience begin...

 

[Demosthine]

So I have a bit of an update for anyone who's interested. After being in the kennel, sitting on the back porch for a week, the chickens and rabbits seemed to have accepted each other quite nicely. The chickens manage to poke their head through the sides of the kennel and get to some of the rabbit's pellets, so I relocated that. Crafty little birds... Then, about two days ago, I let it out of the kennel to free range in the yard until dusk. Ironically, the first place it ran was around the side of my house to start sniffing around in the chicken coop! It spent a good half hour scouting around there. About three hours of exploring the yard went by, with it laying under the oleanders or along the fluffy part of my grass lawn and eating plenty of bermuda grass, before I decided it was time to put it back. Without too much of an issue, I successfully picked it up and walked over to the kennel. I let it just sit on my lap for about ten minutes while I gave it a good petting, before it finally hopped back in to the kennel for some more food and water. A pretty successful evening, if you ask me!

Yesterday, I let it out to free-range when I got home at about noon. I left the kennel door open so that it could go in to lay down or get a drink whenever it wanted. I found it several times just laying in the cage, comfortable. More eating grass and roaming with the chickens. It definitely had a peppier hop last night. I've come to believe animals in their natural habitats, or as close to it as possible, are definitely the best kept animals. When it came time to put it away, I went over to pick it up. Instead, it decided to hop away from me and ultimately went almost directly to the kennel by itself. I gave it some more petting and refreshed it's food.

I'm quite happy with the developments so far. In a week, it's become significantly more comfortable with me and not causing a problem. It's nice seeing it hopping around the yard with the chickens. Who knew that these two creatures could bring so much happiness?

 

[Demosthine]

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[Bunnylady]

It's great that this has worked out so well for you - just be watchful about your perimeter fence. A lot of people who try free-ranging rabbits don't notice when the rabbit digs itself a tunnel under the fence (or some dog digs its way in!) Also, rabbits that range around on the ground often become very difficult to catch. I've seen this sort of thing happen with my inside/outside cats, too. They seem to know that they are safe inside the house, and are snuggly and always underfoot wanting attention. Outside, they are the small animal in the great outdoors, where there are far larger things just waiting to eat them, and their survival instincts take over and they won't let you near them!

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Hear, hear! Rabbits are delicious food, and my two little Holland lops are my pet bunnies! Looks like you have a NZW?

I can tell you what I have learned about raising rabbits and eating them...! The best time IMO to process a rabbit is 10-12 weeks old, and at that point mine tend to be 4lbs ish. This varies a little, I have had some at 5lbs and some at only 3, depending on the weather and such.

Dressage ratios vary wildly. My rabbits have dressed down anywhere from 70%-82% but the average is 55%, so 55%-82% is a pretty big range. It all depends on feed, excersize and butcher age.

Litter sizes also vary depending on your doe. You could get 5 or 12, it depends on how they were bred. One doe could produce you the 60 a year with six litters, or it could take two or even three if you breed less often.

A rabbit carcass carries all it's meat behind the ribs. When I don't cook them whole, I cut the rabbits into a trimmed-down ribcage and neck, belly, loins, a few boneless strips and legs. The ribs , belly and spine go towards making broth!

Rabbit is 22% protein. That's one of the highest protein ratios in the animal kingdom! So you'll be eating less of it for the same protein that a steak or a chicken breast gives you.

Rabbit meat is great for dogs and chickens. I feed them the skulls and organs and sometimes even the feet!

Good luck!