Easy methods to “Colony Elevate” Rabbits for Meat


How to “Colony Raise” Rabbits for MeatHow to “Colony Raise” Rabbits for Meat

For those who’re thinking about elevating rabbits for meat, one choice to think about is making a sustainable “rabbit colony.” Colony raised rabbits are free to roam, dig, burrow, breed, and eat at will inside an outlined space, bounded by a fence that may preserve the rabbits in an predators out. It’s a considerably completely different expertise (for you, and the rabbits), from elevating rabbits in cages, stacked on prime of one another.

On this article, I’m going to share my experiences colony elevating rabbits — why I made a decision to do it, how I arrange my rabbit colony, and what my expertise has been to date. First:

 

Why Colony Elevate Rabbits? 

 

When planning any homesteading mission, my aim is the pursuit of “permaculture,” outlined, by Wikipedia, as “an method to land administration and settlement design that adopts preparations noticed in flourishing pure ecosystems.” Principally, if we’re going to develop crops and lift animals, why not do it as naturally as doable in order that the operation thrives organically and self-manages?

I’ve beforehand raised meat rabbits in cages, and it was not a nice expertise. The cages received filthy and stayed filthy regardless of arduous weekly cleanings. The rabbits didn’t look pleased. I needed to continuously trim the rabbits claws, un-worn by common burrowing. This time round, I needed to attempt one thing completely different.

A rabbit colony provided the next engaging benefits:

  1. Pure Atmosphere: A colony permits the rabbits to stay their greatest pure life, burrowing, interacting with one another, expressing their very own social dynamics, and having the “actual life” rabbit expertise.
  2. Lowered Workload: I by no means needed to scrub out rabbit cages once more. Rabbits are naturally tidy animals (in contrast to chickens), and will be anticipated to “run an orderly operation” by themselves with out a whole lot of human upkeep.
  3. More healthy Rabbits: Theoretically, the decreased stress and elevated house in a colony setting contribute to more healthy rabbits. This, in flip, may lead to higher copy charges and better meat yields

 

 

In fact, many individuals have reservations and cite potential drawbacks, summarized beneath:

 

  1. Uncontrolled Breeding: Opponents of rabbit colonies feared rabbits would over-breed, hurting females, and inflicting genetic issues if sibling rabbits have been free to breed collectively.
  2. Civil Battle: Many individuals feared that rabbits would struggle and harm one another if free to roam and work together at will.
  3. Lack of Protection In opposition to predators: Regardless of their drawbacks, cages are fairly good at holding out most animals that need to harm a rabbit. Would the rabbits change into fast prey with out the security of cages?

I made a decision to construct a rabbit colony that realized the above advantages, with out attracting the potential downsides. Right here’s 6 steps I took to arrange my rabbit colony.

 

Step 1: Construct a Rabbit-Proof Fence.

 

I started my working by establishing a 50’X30′ pen with wooden posts and inventory fencing, originating round a 8’x4′ shed. Subsequent, I dug a trench alongside the inside perimeter and buried extra inventory fencing 18 inches beneath floor, filling within the trench with rock-heavy backfill. The buried fence overlapped the above-ground fence for a seamless barrier. Then I overlaid the inside fence with chickenwire to maintain the infants from squeezing out between the squares of the inventory fencing. It seems like one thing from the Maginot line:

 

 

 

As additional predator deterrence, I ran an electrical fence wire alongside the highest, added a scarecrow, some blinking predator eyes, and a few 3D birds. I additionally use a photo voltaic mobile recreation digital camera to observe them once I’m out of city:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 2: Select the  Proper Breed of Rabbit

 

I needed to get the kind of rabbit that’s greatest suited to colony elevating — a rabbit that’s social and chill, to keep away from riots and civil disturbance in my colony. After a whole lot of analysis, I opted for the American Chinchilla. The American Chinchilla is taken into account an important meat rabbit, they usually are likely to get alongside effectively with one another, fostering a harmonious colony setting.

 

 

 

 

 

Step 3: Determine on Colony Construction:

 

You want to decide whether or not you need to preserve does and bucks collectively or separate them. Conserving them collectively has the benefit of not requiring two separate colonies with their very own impartial infrastructure.  Nevertheless, should you preserve men and women collectively, you gained’t be capable to management breeding.

I made a decision to danger holding everyone collectively. To mitigate dangers, I began with a breeding trio of 1 buck and two does. This splits the eye of the buck and provides every doe a break whereas the buck pays consideration to the opposite. To stop inbreeding of offspring, I harvest my rabbits fairly early — round 10 weeks — earlier than they’re vulnerable to having a genetically broken liter.

I carefully monitored my colony initially to ensure this is able to work. Happily, I used to be fortunate sufficient that my buck is fairly chill and doesn’t harass the does 24/7. Neither does he go after the youthful rabbits. This could be regular, or I may need simply gotten fortunate. If this modifications, I’m able to put him in his personal pen, however I haven’t wanted to take action but.

 

 

 

 

Step 4: Present a Excessive-Capability Water Supply 

 

The entire level of permaculture is agriculture with out the fixed want for human intervention. I didn’t need to be bringing my rabbits water each day — I needed them to have their very own renewable water provide. Since I don’t have a stream, I opted for a rain water assortment system. I arrange a 50 gallon rain barrel that collects water from the rabbit’s shed, and feeds a row of rabbit watering nipples.

 

 

This works nice late spring-early fall. As soon as it drops beneath freezing, I’ve to make use of 32 ounce heated water bottles from Tractor Provide:

 

Photograph Credit score: Tractor Provide

 

These DO require filling each day, however no less than it’s simply throughout the coldest months.

 

 

Step 5: Provide a Lengthy-Time period Feeding Answer 

 

Equally, my aim was to keep away from filling the rabbit feeder each day. To perform this, I received a Moultrie 30-Gallon Tripod Deer feeder. Then, I modified it by eradicating the underside legs, and burying the highest legs till the three feeding ports are simply over the bottom. The three feeding ports are simply the fitting measurement for the rabbits to get their heads in and assist themselves:

 

 

The 30 gallon drum can simply maintain a 50 lb bag of rabbit feed, and this could final the rabbits for weeks.

I used to be slightly nervous about them overeating or losing feed, however this hasn’t occurred — my rabbits appear to self regulate, and solely eat when wanted. They most likely eat greater than rabbits with rigorously rationed portioned — however I’ve to work much less, so I’ll name it a win.

 

 

Step 6: Have a Plan for Butchering/Meat Processing 

 

Don’t be caught and not using a plan if you instantly go from 3 rabbits to twenty rabbits. Except your colony is large, you gained’t be capable to help that many grownup rabbits, and it is advisable be able to course of them at about 10 weeks, or once they attain 3-5 kilos. It may be unhappy and onerous to kill a fluffy bunny, so familiarize your self with humane slaughtering strategies, and make certain you’ve it in you earlier than you begin. For those who discover you’re unable to kill Peter Rabbit, you’ll be in a state of affairs the place it is advisable offload rabbits quick earlier than they overrun issues, and whereas there’s a wholesome demand for rabbits, it ebbs and flows. Craigslist is probably not there that can assist you if you want it.

 

 

 

What to Count on/My Expertise

 

My rabbit colony is a few yr previous. After I first launched my breeding trio collectively, the does received pregnant straight away, and in a month, I had 16 bunnies. I misplaced one, offered one, and ended up harvesting 14. I received about 20 kilos of meat from that first litter, which is sort of as a lot as you may get from a goat or lamb that takes considerably longer  to mature. It’s similar to the yield from meat chickens — however in my expertise — was considerably much less work. Chickens don’t have nice housekeeping habits, and hen coups must be mucked out frequently. My rabbits, however, hardly ever poop of their shed, and are superb housekeepers. After a yr, I haven’t needed to clear something. To me, that makes them considerably extra worthwhile than chickens.

After the primary liter, the does received off monitor, and now their liters come on alternating months, which supplies me slightly respiratory house so I’m not continuously butchering. Roughly each different month, it’s time to reap, and rabbits have been our predominant supply of chicken — we solely often eat hen any extra.

My 50 gallon water supply and 30 gallon feeder have labored nice, giving me the flexibleness to depart the rabbit colony for days at a time — within the fall, we went on a household trip for 10 days (monitoring the rabbits with a distant digital camera), they usually have been totally self reliant whereas we have been gone, feeding and watering themselves.

Once we’re round, the rabbits love to scale back the price of their feed by consuming kitchen scraps:

 

 

. . . and even cuttings from bushes, weeds, and backyard leftovers!

 

 

Up to now, it’s been certainly one of my most profitable agricultural operations. For those who’re searching for a homesteading win, think about a rabbit colony!

 

Avatar Author ID 681 - 1781054187Avatar Author ID 681 - 1781054187

Jordan J. is presently a author for OutdoorHub who has chosen to not write a brief bio right now.



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