We’re expecting the arrival of three new family members in the next week or so – and this is their new home!
My rabbitry was our first big project: fix up the room in the barn, put up fencing in all open spaces and re-attach/re-side exterior walls with sturdier plywood, add a door and last but not least, hang cages! It took us close to a month of weekends to finally finish all the little details and i still have a few places that need trimming out for added security. Overall, i’m quite pleased with the results: no longer a nasty room with exterior siding on interior walls, my rabbitry is now a fairly secure feeling room ready to house our farm’s first workhorses.
Putting up and moving around pieces of plywood, tearing down nasty lattice and preparing to fence in all the windows.
I used half of our french doors that were replaced with a new sliding door. Pretty spiffy!
I currently have enough cages for 3 does with litters and one buck. I have plans on adding 3 more small cages for growing litters and junior does or bucks and may even add another whole row of cages below the existing cages (with a poop tray on top, of course) to really utilize the space. With 3 actively producing does i should be able to fill Pocket’s belly, sell junior does for extra income (just to pay for the rabbit feed) and to fill our freezer with enough meat to grace our own table fairly regularly. I’m also planning on selling meat to other raw feeders for their dogs and may even learn to tan hides! The possibilities are endless. Now to get some electric fence around the barn to be SURE it’s secure!
More photos of the finished rabbitry and my new rabbits as soon as they come home. Guess what i’ll be naming them?
Have you ever tried domestically raised rabbit meat?
Love seeing what you’re doing with the farm. I’ve never raised meat animals, just dogs and cats. I admire what you’re doing and look forward to seeing what else you have going on!
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My grandparents (and dad) are from France. Growing up my Pepe raised meat bunnies. I would name them and my Meme would scream in French at my grandfather (thinking I didn’t understand) that he should have never let me name them, they aren’t pets.
So, perhaps you won’t be naming them? Or maybe you’re keeping the does?
I really enjoy reading about your progress!
Tamika – haha, yes! We’re only naming the breeding stock. The kits will remain nameless, though i will be occasionally reserving a ‘favorite’ for backup breeding stock. Did you eat the meat as a child despite naming them??
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Miranda,
Yes we did eat them. I, of course, wasn’t told it was rabbit until I was eating it, and I’m not scarred! (I watched blood sausage and head cheese being made too. More curious than disgusted).
My (oldest) daughter had pet rabbits, which became mine, I often wished they were meat bunnies. I finally let them roam free around the yard with the chickens. They managed to stick around for 7 months then disappeared, a better fate than living in a hutch
Tamika
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What breed of rabbits are you getting? Have never kept rabbits as ‘livestock’ only a few pedigree buns as pets.
I may have to start looking at keeping livestock again as am considering changing my dog’s diet to a raw food diet.
Mich – i’m getting New Zealand rabbits. They’re pretty much the most popular meat rabbit for a variety of reasons.
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I’ve never had rabbit meat, but I’d be interested in trying. In the meantime, we got our daughter a pet rabbit after she begged and begged for a pet and this seemed most manageable for us. It’s going very well.
I’m curious why you suspended the cages. . . >?
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hi Margo –
‘all wire’ cages are the best for rabbit health. wood for hutches encourages the build up of bacteria and nasty smell. I could have installed metal t-stakes (that are expensive) but this way the cages are moveable as i expand and are away from any wood walls. The goal is the best health for the rabbits and the greatest ease of cleaning, navigating the rabbitry.
Miranda recently posted…My Rabbit Tree
Hey kiddo,
I understand (and applaud) your desire for a clean & healthy environment for your rabbits, but you may want to add an area of solid-surface flooring in their cages. Rabbits’ feet don’t have tough pads (like those dogs and cats have) — just lean skin, protected only by fur — and prolonged sitting/standing on the wire floors can injure them.
Thank you for your comment, Marvel – but i’m afraid you’re not quite correct. (And i really hate being called “kiddo” by the way.)
There is a much higher risk of disease and ill health by allowing the animals to sit in their own urine and manure, which would happen if standing on a solid surface, especially a wooden solid surface. That being said, providing some smooth, metal grills of a flatter texture may be appropriate and i may choose to add those to the cages soon.
A quote from Storey’s Guide to Raising Rabbits:
” The wire-mesh floors are perfectly suitable for rabbits’ feet. Some people honestly but mistakenly believe the wire floor will hurt a rabbit’s feet. Rabbit’s feet are more than just lucky. They are perfectly designed for perforated floors. In fact, many rabbits on solid floors develop sore hocks because wooden floors are impossible to keep clean and dry.”
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Looking good, we’re hoping to add some rabbits this summer.
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Reading the comments has been invaluable, the choice to keep a sturdy wooden floor or a wired bottom makes total sense now. My kid who is eight just loves rabbits, her grandma maintains a small farm herself and she loves visiting them. Will share this wonderful piece of information with her about the base of the fence. Thank you.
I personally feel that it takes a lot of effort to do something for the pets and their safety. The sheer joy of giving to them is invaluable. By the way I own a parrot and two dogs.
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