So I read Jelly's Thread a couple times and decided that I shouls seriously zThink about Breeding Rabbits. my first reason is for A staple Diet for my HAwk. I would also beavle to Pick Up Rats from my sponsor, he get them From SUNY Canton or Potsdam. They come from the Exess LAb Stock and are completely free and He Always has WAY to many and Said I could, After I got my Hawk use the Extra from his Feezer. Secondly I think It would be Awful Fun and hELP DIANA My Mini D get some training as there are bound to be some Ecsapees Which Would Hopfully if my lab didn't Murder em Start a Wild Colony Around my place( they come around every once in a while But useually Don't last long beetween dogs and Hunters. The third Reason is that it seems like it could pay for Itself and For Hawk food not to mention MAybe if I had a Show Stock for Money making MAke me some Extra $$$ which I could use for Falconry And So on If I Decided to Breed them Not for Show but for pets I might be able to pay for Itself. Any comments Gonna make myself a Budget and post later
"The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." -Thomas Paine
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? -Marianne Williamson
WARNING- Making a profit in ANY endevor that involves live animals is difficult at best. That counts for breeding rabbits, dogs, horses or pet birds. Doing because you enjoy it, and might stand a chance at having a hobby that comes CLOSER to breaking even is a better way to look at this......
Ok I wasn't really Expecting to Get rich off rabbits, Justr thinking it MIGHT PAY for itself sorry I think I made the Post a Bit a Too Enthusiastic about making Money. If it can Feed my Hawk and PAy for itself then HURRAY and Thats all I need.
"The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." -Thomas Paine
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? -Marianne Williamson
I've raised rabbit for the past 6 years now. I used to show them. Yea...it seems like you could make a lot of money off of them but trust me, you will wind up putting much more money and TIME into them than you'll ever get back.
It is possible to make profit off show rabbits, BUT it will take you years before you get recognized enough that people will want to buy your stock and inorder to get stock that is nice enough to get recognized you'll wind up paying $75 and up for 1 rabbit.
If you do decide to do this, go with a meat breed and only have 1 buck and 1 doe. Breed every 3 months and you'll always have a litter on hand (about 8 rabbits in a litter) and you'll have more than enough food on your hands. Also, if you dont want to loose a whole lot of money, you'll have to kill the babies at about 10-12 weeks.
My advice, if you want them for hawk food, sure go at it but dont get into the showing...
Sage - Female American Kestrel 2008 -------------------------------------------- Zephyr - Female Red Tail 2008-2010 -------------------------------------------- Saffron - Female American Kestrel 2009-2010
Right. There are Quite a Few Pet shops and a Food Co op which Might be Interested In Buying Rabbits. I am Convinced that showing is a Bad Idea and that Just heading in the Meat Direction is smarter. I have been Doing a Fair amount of Reading Online and Have decided the NZ breed would be Best. I Don't want them To suck too Much time... 15 minutes a Day when Not being Bred is all I really want to spend with em Of course when there Giving Birthit will Be alot of time but Thats ok once in a while.I will Try either two does and One buck or 1 doe One Buck. Depends if I can get a market. I could find somthing to do with a Litter of NZ's wheather Sell em for pets or Eat them/ sell them. so Maybe I will Try 2does one Buck operation.
"The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." -Thomas Paine
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? -Marianne Williamson
Just realize that it SEEMS like you'll be able to get rid of them but trust me....its actually very hard to get rid of rabbits. You'll have a hard time selling NZ as pets because 1. they are BIG and 2. they are all white.
I wouldnt suggest 2 does until you've dealt with 1 doe and 1 buck for a while. Make sure you have a need for 2 does BEFORE you get a second.
Sage - Female American Kestrel 2008 -------------------------------------------- Zephyr - Female Red Tail 2008-2010 -------------------------------------------- Saffron - Female American Kestrel 2009-2010
ok sounds good. It won't be hard to get antother one when I need it so You are right 1 buck 1 doe Is right. thanks for the Advice I am gonna read up on it some more Before I decide finally.
"The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." -Thomas Paine
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? -Marianne Williamson
I would also seriously suggest you look into the cost. They are expensive. From cages to crocks to pellets to shavings. There is A LOT that goes into them. 15 minutes is probably alright for two or three but there is no way I can imagine keeping all the rabbits healthy and clean with only 15 minutes a day. Do you know how much they poop? Mine also wash there faces in the crocks and the younger ones can't use the waterers, they aren't not strong enough. Also with the does you have to pick them up and handle them. If not when it comes time to breed it will be very hard for you to move them to the buck. I have one particular californian that would make a great pet. She started out pretty small compared to the rest, not too small, but she is pet quality. Curious, pure black, shy, and is very easy to handle. Also getting a few good ones to start may be tricky as well, most breeders don't want to sell their better breeding stock and if they are going to sell you quality they are going to make you pay the price. Showing them isn't much of an issue. Just have to remember to call a breeder or to breed 100 days before the actual competition so they are at the right weight and age limit. Showing the meat rabbits is pretty much the easiest way to make a profit. At the livestock auction someone will purchase the meat pen for however much and voila it works out. Now trying to sell to pets stores, and markets may be hard. It may be easier to just take them to a flea market and sell them as both pet and dinner, but I wouldn't know. The best way as I have been told is to kill and then dress them for turn around sells. So it is all up to you. It is something that requires more than 15 minutes of your attention and more than what most people would expect to start up the small business.
Never settle.
"There's nothing like the feeling of knowing that you've made a difference in someone's life, even if that difference is a lifetime of nightmares and a fortune in therapy bills." - Marilyn Manson
right. I already Said that I wasn't gonna have more then One buck One doe and I Meant that
"The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." -Thomas Paine
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? -Marianne Williamson
Still a very costly and time consuming endeavor. I made a generalization, however I will work on your scales. That isn't a problem. With one Doe you are looking at probably about 16 rabbits produced. Remember that is broken up over the year and without breaks on the doe. That is pretty hard on her. Just make sure you know what you are getting yourself into. That is all any of us can say.
Never settle.
"There's nothing like the feeling of knowing that you've made a difference in someone's life, even if that difference is a lifetime of nightmares and a fortune in therapy bills." - Marilyn Manson
I do try to stay out of other people's affairs, but you mentioned something that concerns me. You assume that some rabbits will escape. Why? aren't you going to take care to keep them safely confined? To do otherwise is poor husbandry and adds fuel to the cause of animal rights activists. You also wrote that it would be okay to start a feral colony from the escapees. This world does not need any more feral animals. They usually live short brutal lives and if they survive, they spread disease and compete with native species for food and habitat. I hope you do someday raise some animal species for food, etc. Gives one a wonderful point of how we can provide a comfortable life and a humane death for those animals in our care.
Please do a bunch more research before you jump into this. Good luck !
Old Guy, I am doing Research I Need some more Books. I am not going to go out today and Buy two rabbits without any reading anything other then Online Info. Nor will I jump into it without the Food, cadges and watering Materials. Death in the Wild so Terrible and Harsh, Yes they will die Slowly and Painfully but it is better then Dieing in a Cadge is it not?... please do not make the Argument that because they arn't human they don't have feelings That just makes me mad. Humans have sacrificed there Lifes OVer and over and over to Gain Freedom. Why is it different in animals. I would understand the Argument that There life is easier and Much more injoyable while Locked in a cadge eating Pellets and hay There entire lifes. Sure It is but If you had everything you need but you couldn't leave a Room, except to Hve children which were going to the be murdered yes quickly but Murdered Still the same. I have No problm with murdering Bunnies it is a Way to feed ourselfs and our hawk. It is perfectly Normal. But I don't see what the Problem with letting Those that MIGHT ESCAPE I am not planning on Letting my Rabbits Runn away Unless I realy Can't use a Offspring. Is it Rong to let the Rabbit Run away? Is it? I don't see that it is. The rabbit is serving a Purpose. It will feed the Prediitors and live a Life where food Dominates.Why is it Bad ? tell me please why It Adds fuel to the human Rights activists? that Rabbit wont Spoil in the Freezer and Be unedible when Someone decideds to toss it.
on a Less deep note thanks for the Advice, I am going to town to buy some books and Go rat hunting with my sponsor. Any recommendations? Just a university Books store Probably just Like Rabbits for Dummies or Somthing Look for a Meat rabbit book though.
O and jelly, I am going to START keyword START with One doe and 1 buck maybe If the First years seems to toough on the Doe I will get another. I really want to have some hands ont expeirience With It before I go Head long down a path I really don't Know IF I want to get into. I am Sure mice Are much Better but I just don'tt have the Nerves to Breed Mice ( Mouseaphobia) There just so UHHh well HAPY HAWKING YALL
"The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." -Thomas Paine
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? -Marianne Williamson
Post by Falcon Boy on Feb 19, 2007 11:39:43 GMT -5
cjinx said:
But I don't see what the Problem with letting Those that MIGHT ESCAPE I am not planning on Letting my Rabbits Runn away Unless I realy Can't use a Offspring. Is it Rong to let the Rabbit Run away? Is it? I don't see that it is. The rabbit is serving a Purpose. It will feed the Prediitors and live a Life where food Dominates.Why is it Bad ? tell me please why It Adds fuel to the human Rights activists? that Rabbit wont Spoil in the Freezer and Be unedible when Someone decideds to toss it.
I still don't see if its in a cage how the rabbit would get away in the first place. The rabbit would not last 2 days in the wild. It is white. Do you see many white rabbits in the wild? Plus it would not be able to search for food becuase it is DOMESTICATED and expects food to be presented to it. Why #1 make the animal suffer? It does not seem fair to me. IMHO you should just kill it and toss it in the freezer. Put it in a ziplock and its good for a LONG time.
Reason #2 is if by some god awful stroke of luck survive and reproduces with other of your rabbits that get away, they will drive out local CT and rodent populatoins becuase they are larger and eat a lot more. They also probably will not dig their own burrows, instead steal the CT's.
Think of it this way, when was the time introducing domestic or non-native animals was a GOOD idea? Look at feral hogs that destroy the environment. Look at feral cats that kill native animals for fun. Look at killer bees that were accidentally released in South America and made their way northward [and are still moving at an alarming rate] killing off native honey bees in the process.
Falcon Boy Apprentice Falconry Administrator
Ethics make the individual, not the other way around.
I wouldn't waste the rabbits by letting them go nor would I encourage feeding the local predators. Let them fend for themselves. If you end up with too many rabbits, stop breeding until you need more or do as I do and pull and euthanize the babies at one or two days old. Day old rabbit is good clean hawk food, kind of like DOC without the yolk. Remember that a responsible breeder controls the breeding cycle, if you don't want rabbits, keep the buck and doe separated.
By all means....DONT release your rabbits! Why not just put the rabbits in your freezer?? If you dont think you'll be able to use all the rabbits you produce for food then dont breed your rabbits very often! If that is still too much, maybe you shouldn't even consider raising rabbits. You can always buy some already frozen, you wont even waste your time on care and you wont waste money on cages, food, waterers and crocks.
Sage - Female American Kestrel 2008 -------------------------------------------- Zephyr - Female Red Tail 2008-2010 -------------------------------------------- Saffron - Female American Kestrel 2009-2010