Rabbits

Discussion in 'Animal Husbandry' started by Rebecca, Dec 18, 2020.

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  1. Rebecca

    Rebecca Master Survivalist
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    Does anyone currently, or has previously kept rabbits? I know Dale touched on it in another thread. I am in big research mode as I want to add rabbits to the homestead in spring.
    My only previous experience was as a child with pet rabbits. These ones will not be pets. Although of course I wish them to have a good life anyway.

    I've got as far as to realise I prefer the colony method. I've joined a bunch of groups etc but you guys are often more practical and down to earth.
    So any tips to share? From cages, to foods, heating (although Dale set me straight on that one), uses for pelts, recipes. Basically anything is appreciated.

    PS: I do know you can't survive on rabbits alone, I'm just looking to branch out my options.
     
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  2. Dalewick

    Dalewick Legendary Survivalist
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    I raised Rex and Dutch rabbits when I was young (Teenager) for the meat and hides. Rex rabbits are used for faux mink fur. They brought decent money back in the late 70's and early 80's. I feed mine rabbit chow, alfalfa cubes and fre sh greens when I had them. Always made sure they had mineral salt to lick on (kept them healthy) and good water. I started out with pens with wire bottoms but didn't like the way the wire frequently cut there feet, so I went to a wood floor and cleaned more often. I found out about making methane when raising rabbits as I wanted something else to use all the droppings for besides fertilizer for dad's garden. Don't plan on housing bucks and does together all the time. Bucks can and usually will kill the young.

    I've always liked BBQ rabbit with my favorite BBQ sauce. Rice for the side.

    PS - If you raise rabbits, consider vermiculture (raising worms) and making methane.

    Dale
     
  3. arctic bill

    arctic bill Master Survivalist
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    I used to have three trap lines where i would snare snow shoe hares , not the same as rabbits. I really got good at it sometimes getting three a day. it was so easy . I will share this with you.
    When the snow is deep walk with snow shoes in to a place with rabbit tracks.
    make a trail and then make a bottle neck with a log at the end so that rabbits with have to jump the log.
    On he other side place a brass wire with a loop tied to a tree .
    make sure that all other places to jump are cut off by brush.
    the loop should be about 3-4 inch in diameter , it does not need to look like the photo , i used it so that you get the drift.
    [​IMG]
     
  4. Rebecca

    Rebecca Master Survivalist
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    Thank you Arctic Bill and Dalewick, I really appreciate your input!! Saved already for my later reference.
     
  5. Rebecca

    Rebecca Master Survivalist
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    Did you just use the meat or did you have uses for the fur as well?
    I've had some suggestions like drying the ears for dog treats etc.
     
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  6. arctic bill

    arctic bill Master Survivalist
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    we would use the rabbits (hares ) for meat to eat, in use on the trap line as bait , and use the fur to line our boots, the best thing in the world.
     
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  7. TMT Tactical

    TMT Tactical The Great Lizard ! Staff Member
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    Questions come to my mind. How many rabbits are needed to feed a family of two? How long from birth to harvest time? I believe at least 3 cages would be needed --- one for breeding, one for the males and one for the females and their litters. Please correct me if I am missing something. Do the rabbits require an area to move about -- roam / walk? Since food is required to be self sufficient, it is important for survivalist's to know what is needed to raise critters. Hunting / fishing and snaring animals are helpful but too chancy to be counted on in a full SHTF / WROL situation.
     
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  8. Old Geezer

    Old Geezer Legendary Survivalist
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    Humans need very little meat. Veggies have incomplete proteins, but adding just a little bit of meat will push a human over the edge of getting enough complete proteins. Too, there's the matter of getting enough vit B12. All herbivores can make their own Vit B12. Carnivores cannot -- this is why we crave meat. Humans who are vegans get anemia. If a human eats eggs or eats fish, they are fine. We humans really need to get more seafood in our diets. Herring and mackerel are not endangered species of fish AND they have great oils that we humans need. I love both of these fish to eat. Kippered herring has too much salt, but then, one doesn't eat gobs and gobs of it. Don't eat fish harvested in Asia, they are contaminated with mercury and God only what else.
    .
    .
     
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  9. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    Human are OMNIVORES, neither complete herbivores or complete carnivores.
    we were designed to eat a bit of everything.
    if someone is a total vegetarian then they are missing various vitamins and minerals which the human body can only get from eating meat.
    eating fish gives the human body various oils it needs.
     
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  10. poltiregist

    poltiregist Legendary Survivalist
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    I have forgotten a lot about raising rabbits , but once ventured into raising rabbits commercially . I soon discovered the rabbit feed was costing me more money than what I could sell the rabbits for . I had hundreds of rabbits . I kept them with one doe per cage . Each cage measured having about 3 square foot of floor space . A buck rabbit was kept in the same type cage until needed . The cages were kept on an elevated platform with worm beds beneath the cages . Rabbit manure fell through the mesh rabbit cage floors and feed the worms below , thus opened up a business of selling worms . How many does you would need to feed a family ? I honestly don't remember the math on that but do know it wouldn't take that many but suppose that would depend on how often you planned on eating a rabbit . Also in each cage you will need a box for the doe to nest in .
     
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  11. Old Geezer

    Old Geezer Legendary Survivalist
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    Long story, but a couple of my friends back in the 70's were living in a cabin with their women. Cabin was up next to the tree line of a mountain ridge. They had a huge wood-stove. Back-to-nature / hippie-central.

    They took home lab rabbits -- rabbits that had been used in medical tests. Don't think I'd eat that!
     
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  12. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    definitely not.
     
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  13. poltiregist

    poltiregist Legendary Survivalist
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    Another thought on raising rabbits . If the purpose of the rabbits is a food source after shtf , then I would suggest having two breeding pair , not closely related . In other words two bucks and two does . The reason is for the present time food needs for the rabbits would be minimal . When the crises arrives you can easily multiply your numbers of breeding does very rapidly . A rabbit is ready for breeding at an early age , just a few months old . Then she will have maybe around 5 new borns every few months . So theory is , from those two pair you could have dozens of rabbits breeding in about 1 year . By keeping good records you can have a rabbit farm with out close inbreeding . When I raised rabbits , I had a tatoo set that I could tatoo a number inside their ears so that I would know that rabbit and its blood linage . In reality one buck rabbit can take care of the breeding of a lot of doe rabbits . So in the long haul there is no need to keep very many bucks . ---- Another thought derived from my above post . Those nest boxes should be made with a top to give the mother a more feeling of security and to keep the new born warmer .
     
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  14. TMT Tactical

    TMT Tactical The Great Lizard ! Staff Member
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    I am still looking at raising rabbits for when it hits the fan. Here is another question. I read that rabbits can survive temps down to around 20F. but high temps, above 80F could be a problem. In a grid down situation, how could you keep rabbits cool during a summer heat wave?
     
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  15. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    Rabbits can breed all year but the typical mating season is January to October.
    Females reach breeding maturity at 4-6 months. males at 6months.
    usually 4-6 litters a year, anything from 1-12 babies called kittens or kits.
    they can give birth every 30 days.
    remember you cannot survive on rabbit meat alone.
     
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  16. poltiregist

    poltiregist Legendary Survivalist
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    I once ventured into raising Rabbits commercially , in southern Mississippi . I never had a problem with temperature issues . With a small enclosure for them to get into , their body heat will help with the temperature , especially if you have material in their box to serve as an insulated nest . Wild rabbits from some very warm regions to some very cold regions survive by having the shelter they need . -- I got out of the rabbit business because looking at my records found the cost of rabbit feed was more than the price that I could sell the meat for . However from a preppers perspective , by scrapping up food for a few rabbits from whatever grows around you , makes a lot of sense . --- I will add for the at least 100 rabbits that I had , raised them in an structure with wire walls , zero electricity or any other temperature controlling method .
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2023
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  17. TMT Tactical

    TMT Tactical The Great Lizard ! Staff Member
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    Yes, rabbit meat is too lean to subsist on. Not enough fat to be a sole diet item. If I am understanding the posts, high temps, 100F plus are not detrimental to the rabbits. I was not too worried about the low temps, as I could provide insulated cages but I do not knowhow to keep rabbits cool without electricity. I was thinking on a per person basis, of two rabbits per week. Or 104 rabbits per year, per person. Does that sound about right? I was also planning to feed them from garden plants, since rabbit feed will not be available during a SHTF event. Does anybody seen any problems with this plan?
     
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  18. Old Geezer

    Old Geezer Legendary Survivalist
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    upload_2023-12-4_13-47-48.png

    Do you have access to mass quantities of corn? Do you have no phobias for filth? If so, hog ("hawg", Southern version) farming may be for you. Leftover corn after hawg sloppin'? Make white lightin'. Hogs will eat anything, but feeding them just anything can result in trouble. Hog diseases can also affect humans.

    If you live in a hog infestation region, don't start a hog farm, just go out and kill as many of these pests as you can. Salt-down the meat, smoke'm, make jerky, ...

    https://www.bing.com/search?q=wild+...C2064F68B29E6688039AFCCE&ghsh=0&ghacc=0&ghpl=

    If raising bountiful bunches of bunnies, be aware of the following:

    "The 12 Most Common Rabbit Diseases: How to Treat and Prevent"


    https://www.jrpiercefamilyfarm.com/...mmon-rabbit-diseases-how-to-treat-and-prevent

    --------------
     
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    1. TMT Tactical
      I don't have the space to raise hogs, nor the desire to deal with their filth. If wild hogs were a problem, I would certainly be happy to shoot the little critters and have some nice pork dinners. The dead big hogs would just be left to feed the other critters. I read and appreciated the link to the rabbit article. some very good information. I do plan to grow small amount of corn but that will be mostly consumed by us humans.
       
      TMT Tactical, Dec 4, 2023
  19. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    for anyone thinking of raising Rabbits (or Chickens) may I suggest the following book from my personal library:
    "Keeping Poultry and Rabbits on scraps" by Claude Goodchild and Alan Thompson.
    isbn no: 978-o-141-03862-9
    printed in 2008 by Penguin Books.
    it has all the categories and information needed.
    available on Amazon. £10.75 UK.
     
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