It's amazing to me how quickly our rabbits have multiplied.
It's as if they are mating like rabbits! Hardy har har har.
But seriously. Two months ago when we began with our meat rabbits, we had four does and a buck. As of today, we have four does, one buck, and ten kits. We've gone from five rabbits to fifteen rabbits in just a few short months. That's pretty incredible!
As I explained in this breeding post, we are set to have a new litter of kits each month. Our grey doe (see how technical I am with my rabbit breeds?) is due to kit in ten days. So we will have even more! Eek!
I say EEK! in excitement, of course. Because as far as backyard meat animals are concerned, the rabbits are most definitely pulling their weight on the homestead.
So here's what's happening, currently:
1. Our first litter, of which only two survived, are growing incredibly fast! It's time for them to be weaned now (this usually happens at six to eight weeks…we've gone a little over!). This means I've gotta come up with some sort of a jimmy-rigged pen for them to live in for an additional two weeks – ideally, one in which they can graze all the open grassy/weedy area we have around our property. We need some meat on them bad boys (or girls)! Learning to sex the rabbits is still on my to-do list. Regardless, these two rabbits are due to be harvested in only two weeks.
Don't worry. I've been watching YouTube videos on how to do it. I'm almost a pro already.
2. Our second litter, which consists of eight kits, is doing AWESOME. Their eyes are open now and they're beginning to wander outside the nesting box. They have all their fur (much cuter at this stage) and all appear active and healthy. We don't handle them a ton, so they're not super friendly, but I don't mind that. They are, after all, going to be supper. This litter will be due for harvest at the end of next month.
3. Our grey doe is due next week, so we'll switch her into the cage with the nesting box and the Mama and her eight kits will be moved to a new pen. This will allow her a few days to pull out her hair, gather straw, etc. as she prepares for the babies.
4. Scooter, the buck, has a pretty laid back life. Eat. Eat. Eat. Eat. Eat. Mate. Eat. Eat. Eat. Eat. Eat. Mate.
It's every man's dream.
In case you missed it, my friend Courtney caught the entire mating of Scooter and the grey doe a few weeks ago. Sure, it's a video of animals mating, but more importantly (if you're planning on raising meat rabbits) it shows you what to expect from the mating. I would have liked to watch it before I began, so here ya go. WARNING: THIS IS A VIDEO OF RABBITS MATING. Let's be clear on that. (Yes, that's me in the red flannel. I recorded it too, but alas, am not smart enough to get it on YouTube.)
Check out the video here: Breeding Rabbits @ The Elliott Homestead
When mating the rabbits, remember a few tips:
– Always take the doe to the buck (does can be territorial of their cages and thus, will not allow the male to mount her). Girl to the guy. Always.
– Secondly, allow the rabbits to mate more than one time. I usually allow Scooter to mate the doe three times before I remove her. This just helps to make sure she gets bred – I'd hate to have to loose an entire month off our breeding schedule because I wasn't patient enough. As you can tell from the video, it only takes about three minutes total, anyway. For three times.
Super romantic.
5. Our fourth doe is the only doe that is currently not raising kits or bred. Truthfully, she's my least favorite, too. When I feed her, she raises up on her hind legs and uses her front feet to knock the greens out of my hands. It startles me every time. Almost every morning I tell her that I don't like it when she does that (yes, outloud, thank you very much) and kindly remind her to not be such a skank. I also think she is developing a weird tumor under her chin. Either that or she just has a double chin. Who am I to judge.
6. Lastly, I have completely weaned the rabbits off of their pellets. As I explained in this post, we have begun to feed them a diet comprised almost completely of fresh greens. They are much perkier and happier since we made the switch, not to mention (as of now) it's free. We harvest weeds from all over the place – our yard, neighbors yard, alongside country roads, out of the strawberry patch, etc. While I work out the details on ordering other various grains for a homemade mixture (I'd like to include higher protein grains for the growing kits) they are currently all being supplemented with whole feeder oats (check out the feeders we utilize here).
I think they preferred the pellets. But the pellets had molasses in them – so naturally, they would.
They'll get over it. I pick them fresh clover daily, for Pete's sake!
And speaking of oats. This is so cool! Last Saturday, we cleaned under the rabbit cages and dumped the poo, hay, and weed scraps onto our bin of potatoes. Today, I went out to find that the oats that had fallen through the cages onto the ground below (and had thus been swept up with everything else) were beginning to sprout in the potato bin! Fresh oat grass!
On a larger scale, this oat grass could easily be grown and harvested to feed back to the rabbits. Tender, sweet, fresh grass is their favorite! It assured me that during the winter months next year, when fresh foliage is harder to come by, I will definitely be working up some sort of sprouting system for the rabbits – this will ensure they get fresh foliage and optimal nutrients during those months. The grain sprouts so incredibly easy – I think it will be a very simple and rewarding system to implement.
Growing a tray of sprouts only takes about a week, a few cents worth of grains, and can also be fed to chickens or goats.
Coolest recycling project ever.
Have I bored you yet with my rabbit, mating, poo, and foliage talk?
Sorry. I just get so excited! I could easily keep on going.
The further I dig into this homesteading adventure, the more beauty I see in God's incredible creation – the ebb and flow of it all.
And getting to see that…from the mating, to the birth, to the harvesting, to the recycling, to the resourcefulness, to the utilization of all the bits and pieces – it's pretty incredible.
Noël McNeil
Sound pretty exciting! I don’t know how you can NOT hold those baby rabbits…so cute! My kids would be begging daily. My kids assure me that they HAVE to hold our chickens every day, and rabbits are so much cuter than chickens. 🙂 I’m a softy when it comes to babies, what can I say?
Bret n Melanie Stewart
So, Bret and I keep having the discussion every time I read him your posts about rabbits and we’re wondering, how are you planning on helping the kids (G and Hobbit) understand that a) these rabbits are for eating, and b) not all animals are for eating (e.g. the neighbors dog)? Just curious! -M
Melinda
Sorta related: I used to babysit a sweet toddler, fairly fluent in Baby Sign language. He helped me to gather the eggs from the chicken (one of his “words”) for a year, and I was with him when he transitioned to solid foods. The parents and I were nervous to see what (if any) response he would have to now *eating* the chickens (same “word”) he’d petted, chased, and fed. No apparent ill-effect, but it was a funny little eye-opener.
Jen Black
We need to talk meat rabbits sometime … have been wanting to do this for a while … just need to convince the hubby. Anxious to hear how your first harvest goes and then how the family enjoys the taste.
Ramona
My girls and I are working on hubby/dad for rabbits. Of course I’m interested in the meat, they are interested in the babies…only. My 7 year old keeps on telling me we don’t eat our pets, and I tell her they aren’t pets if we plan on eating them. They both know if we get rabbits they will have to do ‘something’ to support what we have going on. They won’t get rabbits to just look at and hold.
Meredith
This is so awesome!! We’re looking to get rabbits in the next few months, so this was very helpful to read. I was wondering myself about just feeding them local greens, I mean, that’s what rabbits eat in the wild so it makes sense to me! Also, I had to laugh when you called your rabbit a skank, hahah, amazing. I had never been to your blog before, just found you on the blog hop. I’m definitely adding you to my blog lovin’ list!
Kate
This lady has the whole sprouted fodder thing down pat. http://fmicrofarm.com/ourfarm/ 🙂
Katie
We are raising rabbits as well. Thanks for the info. Interesting and helpful.
I just told my husband how I read through your post about meat chickens (which we do not have), enthralled. I got to the end a thought, why in the world did I read that whole post. Your writing was why…thank you 🙂
Allison
Any update on the rest of your litters? My husband and I are looking into raising meat rabbits, and I’d like to know how your journey is going 1 year on. How did the butchering go; could you bring yourself to do it? This seems like it would be the hardest part… all those cute fluffy bunnies….WHACK!
Miley D.
Hello! We are currently raising meat rabbits and have quite a few in the freezer. But, our problem is – we haven’t found a good way to cook them without the meat coming out dry and tasteless. We tried frying – not bad, but still dry. We tried browning in a pot, adding herbs and some water, and baking it – that was the best so far, but still missing something. I would like to hear about how you cook your rabbits – maybe some future bun recipes? Thanks!
Deborah Drastata
Miley I raise meat rabbits and eat a lot of rabbit including cottontails during hunting season. I like to coat the rabbit with a little Mayo before I cook it and it sure comes out yummy! I do my deer meat and wild hog the same way. I also like to wrap it in thick bacon – put it in foil and barbque it – just slow and steady and not a really hot fire.
nayeli
I love your blog! I blog too, and raise meat rabbits, ducks, and we have silkie chicks! My favorite rabbit had a litter, but they all died… we have another rabbit we bought bred that had a litter and they are doing great! No idea how many there are, I leave the mom to it (she is experienced and doesn’t really trust me yet).
I think we would all love an update on your rabbits though!
Shaye Elliott
We had to sell the rabbits when we left Alabama. We’re looking to get set up at our new farm with some ASAP!
Jolynn
You probably know by now, but the “growth” under the doe’s chin is called a dew lap and its normal 🙂
shelly
I know this is an old post but I was wondering how your does do when moved into the nest box used by other does. We recently moved one doe into a nest box and she has filled it with urine and feces which the others did not do. I thought maybe it was because of the scent of the other doe being in that box. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
Anne
Love your blog! Sad to see these buns on a wire-bottom cage though. Hard on their feet! It can cause ulcerations and foot problems. Wood bottoms or those with plastic trays are better on soft feet 🙂
Alyssa
This is super interesting! I really want to raise meat rabbits, especially after reading about their manure being one of the best ever in nutrients for your garden – double perks for a small animal. And the babies are the cutest things ever.
Shepherd's Handmaiden
This was really interesting (even though I’m only now reading it and it was posted a long time ago…). I tried raising rabbits for almost two years and it was a complete FAIL. I was expecting the breeding part to be easy… y’know, “they’re breeding like bunnies”
…….
Well, it didn’t work and I was super sad. I bought two does and one buck and they failed me. And then I tried again with a different breed (still two does and one buck). The first set didn’t mate at all and was super mean. The second set mated and was sweeter, but NO KITS!!! I have since gotten rid of my bunnies all together and the cages. But I am inspired to try again. Does anyone have tips? I dare say I’ve heard them all, but anything would be helpful. Certain breeds that word for you? ANYTHING!!!!!!
Shaye Elliott
Check out the Backyard Meat Rabbits group on Facebook for valuable information on this!