The Poultry Keeper

Debbie · Joined: 31 Mar 2008 Posts: 113 Location: Moncoutant

Does anyone out there keep rabbits for meat? My eldest son has just conned us into buying a pair of bunnies that he says he is going to breed for meat.
Rabbit is very popular here as chicken is so dear, but I have grave doubts as to whether aforementioned son will actually be able to kill and skin any offspring.
Any comments and advice would be great as I am a complete novice! The poor things are huddled in a little hutch tonight, absolutely terrified, no doubt.
I am wondering wherther this is a ploy for yet MORE pets!

bobsabilda · Joined: 06 Oct 2008 Posts: 3

Hiya Deb
A fellow rabbit breeder here.
Have you checked the price of rabbit meat in your local HyperU? At an average of 8 Euros a kilo I recon it's well worth 'Growing' your own. Did u get any replies or indeed has anyone shown any interest in your product?
I have been trying to find someone who breeds meat rabbits here in the Vendee so far no luck.
can we swop ideas?
Bob-n-Shirley

NannyP · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 pm Post subject:

I too have thought about this as a future venture, as food and meat increases in price. However, I have only eaten rabbit twice, and was too impressed. I am a carnivore though, so, if push comes to shove, and I cannot afford to buy meat...I will have to go down this avenue. The same abattoir that I take my chickens to, also does rabbits...so I wouldn't need to worry about the final bit.

My neighbour has rabbits now and again, I am sure they're for eating and not for pets.

Plenty of room here to free range them....I just wonder whether I can get used to eating them??

Sylvia · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 2:46 pm Post subject:

I have a friend who breeds rabbits for meat. Their daughter was given a doe and when old enough they mated it with a friends buck and daughter was told they would keep one doe from resulting litter. They now have two does and this year have had two good sized litters from both of them. With the chickens they breed and the rabbits they have plenty of meat in the freezer.

Tarka · Joined: 21 Dec 2007 Posts: 421

No i wouldn't breed rabbits for meet .

Just couldn't do it .

james419 · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 7:05 am Post subject:

I would loe to be able to rear rabbits for meat as I enjoy it - Trouty thinks it would be like eating one of the pups - she only thinks of them as fluffy pets!!!! She does eat the geese ducks and chicken - wierd!

NannyP · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 9:50 am Post subject:

It's the anatomy that makes them closer to pets.....not a lot of difference between cat and rabbit is there?
Confused

4 legs just don't look right on my plate.....so used to 2 legs Very Happy

However, if push comes to shove and I can only eat what I raise, then rabbits may well be added to the list.

james419 · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 12:17 pm Post subject:

Working on 3 legged chickens!

NannyP · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 12:22 pm Post subject:

Tarka · Joined: 21 Dec 2007 Posts: 421

Nanny P , i was thinking the same today .
Working away all alone and thought about this thread Laughing

Just couldn't do it Confused

bobsabilda · Joined: 06 Oct 2008 Posts: 3

Steve Marshall · Joined: 11 Sep 2008 Posts: 8 Location: Sanxay

Debbie

We are about an hour away from you - about half way between you and NannyP, a couple of hours from James419. Not sure where Bob-n-Shirley are but we should be sharing ideas on all sorts of livestock.

We keep rabbits for meat. We have a delicious litter of 10 at the moment about 8 weeks old.

I have to admit I have yet to dispatch any of these - this is our first year at living the goodish life - but other beasts have been dealt with successfully.

Rabbit is absolutely delicious and they are not pets!

witsinfr · Joined: 15 Jun 2008 Posts: 32 Location: Luchapt (86)

We've been trying to get our girls pregnant now for the last three months.

Beginning to wonder if our buck is either shooting blanks or is gay and 'only going through the motions to keep us happy' Sad

Tried putting the does to the buck at least three times now and neither of them have caught.

Getting to be expensive rabbit meat this, with the cost of hutches and feed mounting... Exclamation

Any tips on getting these girls started would be appreciated.

james419 · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 9:28 am Post subject:

Try borrowing another Buck! Normally they catch quickly - neighbour normally only leaves the females with him for 24 hours and then back in the cages! Cant have them running around - take longer to grow and like chicken will be tough.

CP · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 9:42 am Post subject:

Kinda makes you wonder about the phrase 'breeding like rabbits'! Shocked