The Weigh In

I just did a weigh in of my 8-week old meat rabbit kits. I would have been satisfied had they been a mere two to two-and-a-half pounds. They surprised me, though.  One of the kits, grabbed by accident, was a kit I was worried about last week because he wan't gaining weight the way he should. He's gained a considerable amount of muscle (meat) since then.


The two I weighed, out of a random selection, turned out to be a hefty THREE POUNDS each! That's amazing! It means they will likely be at least six pounds by the time they reach twelve weeks. I'm impressed. My breeding program seems to be working. I'll keep you all posted. :)

Bunnies! We have baby bunnies! After the last litter, we were rather worried about this one, but all the new arrivals seem healthy and strong.

It's hard to believe, looking out at the bright green foliage of the trees and the dandelion spotted expanse of the grass, that winter was only a couple of months ago! And it's hot! Only a few days ago, it was rather chilly. But that's life in Pennsylvania. 

I think the heat played a key role in our bunnies' survival. Last time they died of chill, because their mother ate all of their bedding. I think she's learned and, actually, left all the straw alone for the bunnies, despite the fact that we left plenty for her to eat and for bedding.

Tomorrow, I plan to share my favorite rabbit dish with you, so stay tuned!

Two of Sapphire's kits are definitely white. There are seven total. It looks like a couple of black ones, too, but I'd have to take them out of the nesting box to be sure and (A) It wouldn't be healthy for them to be handled more than necessary at this stage. They're too susceptible to disease and too easily injured and (B) Sapphire's dangerously protective of her kits and will bite anyone who sticks their hand into her hutch. Even to feed her! Despite the fact that we have to do it more often since she had her kits, because she keeps dumping it.

I think the problem is that when she had her first litter, like a lot of first litters do, hers died. All of them. I think she probably blames us or something. 

The first litter was an accident, anyway. Like a lot of rookie rabbit breeders, I mis-sexed one of my young bunnies and decided I had two does in the hutch. I was wrong! Imagine my surprise when I saw she had bunnies! Unfortunately, we didn't know then what we know now. It was winter, which probably didn't help. The little ones had the deck stacked against them because they were a first litter. They died within three days. They seemed healthy at first, but they must not have been.

At least we're all more experienced (especially Sapphire!)

 P.S. They all have fur, now. The white ones should sell fast to people who are looking for meat rabbits. I think the black and gray coats would make lovely pelts.

Contrary to popular belief, meat rabbit breeders are not heartless.We don't like to kill our livestock any more than anyone else. We even may get attached to some of the rabbits. But you always need to distance yourself when dealing with livestock. You can think they're cute, but they're still meat. A cow and a chicken are cute, too. There is something seriously wrong with a person who likes to butcher an animal. 
 

My neighbor mentioned to me that he didn't like butchering animals. He said as time went on, he liked it less and less. I told him that was good. There is something seriously wrong with a person who likes to kill.

So, to those who think we're out to make a quick buck or enjoy killing, we don't. 

Ever.

Besides, if the rabbits you breed pay for their own keep, you're way ahead of the game.

Just sent for more information on pasturing rabbits. I found someone who actually knows Joel and Daniel Salatin. Well, really, a company called Acres USA. Joel Salatin is the original writer of "Pastured Poultry Profits", a book about raising chickens naturally(or as close to the way nature intended as man can emulate!) and sensibly. He's also someone whom I admire very deeply for the very principles that lead him in doing so.  They, Acres USA, has forwarded the email I've sent to the aforementioned gentlemen, and even promise to send me and article they found on the subject from March 2009! I intend to do more research before, maybe, subscribing to their magazine, though. Especially since I pretty much only specialize in rabbits, right now! I do know, however, that they seem to go above and beyond for customer service just from my brief dealings with them through email. The letter is below, in italics to differentiate it from the rest of the article.

Here's a copy of my letter and their response. My real name has been hidden because --- well, there are some crazy people out there who'd love to hurt me, or worse, my family, simply because they think I shouldn't be hurting living beings. Makes sense, huh? To understand the whole letter, you'd have to read Mr. Salatin's article, "everything I want to do is illegal" I put a link below.

http://www.mindfully.org/Farm/2003/Everything-Is-Illegal1esp03.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: (bunnybabe)
Sent: Wednesday, April 07, 2010 9:55 PM
To: Info
Subject: Pastured Rabbits?

Dear Mr. Salatin, I'm sorry to hear about the government crackdown on sustainable farmers like yourself. Makes me want to move to Canada, eh? I know, bad joke.

I actually have "Pastured Poultry Profits." It saddens me that I can no longer try many of your techniques should I ever be able to afford a farm. Right now, it's just a dream I have. Even if I could afford one, I'm not sure my young but decrepit back could handle it. Okay, I'm sure I've wasted enough of your valuable time chit-chatting, so here it is. I raise rabbits for meat and.....fur. "Pastured Poultry" focused on chickens and did not say too much about rabbits. Do you have a special feed recipe for rabbits. I know you were giving them free choice grains, pellets and hay, but has anything changed on that front? Some people say you can make rabbit feed, some say you can't. I refuse to believe rabbits have been bred so they can only eat pellets and hay! Especially since the farmer next door told me he raised rabbit successfully on nothing but grains. I don't really want to do that either, though. Seems a little too much the other way to me....

I also read elsewhere that you have some of the rabbits in pens similar to your broilers. Is there a technique to that? If it makes any difference, my (meat) rabbits are all hybrids, although the my friend, Cathy, and I also breed several breeds of purebreds for sale and show.. Right now, I have a new litter of Flemish-Mini Lop-Silver Fox with another due next week. I would really appreciate your input. Thanks.I also have a blog about raising rabbits for meat and fur. Perhaps, with your permission, I could use some of your wisdom?

If there's a newsletter on this subject, I would be very interested in receiving it. If this letter does not get to Mr Salatin directly, please pass it on to him.

Thank you,
(bunnybabe),
Part Owner, Buzzy Bunnies

Greetings (bunnybabe),
Thanks for your request for more information about pastured rabbits. I have forwarded your email to the Salatins today so either Daniel or Joel can reply - but they are hugely busy at this time so it might be a while.
We have an article from the March 2009 issue that I found on raising rabbits that I can mail to you if you are willing to provide a mailing address.
Best wishes.
Anne
Anne Van Nest
Customer Service
Acres U.S.A.
(Mail) P.O. Box 91299, Austin, TX 78709
(Physical) 5321 Industrial Oaks Blvd., Ste. 128, Austin, TX 78735
Phone 512-892-4400
Fax 512-892-4448

info@acresusa.com
www.acresusa.com

Mark your calendar.... for the Acres U.S.A. annual conference, December 9-11, 2010. See you in Indianapolis, Indiana!

By the way, I sent her my mailing address, so, hopefully something good will come out of it. I'll keep you all updated.

Calling all SF breeders! Calling all SF breeders! We are in desperate need of Silver Fox rabbits! If anyone breeds SFs near the Sandy Lake, Pa area, please leave a message here! I will contact you as soon as it's received. Full pedigrees are desired, but not necessarily necessary. Please leave an email address for your rabbitry or bunny barn in the comments section. You will receive a response through email as soon as possible. Thank you!

We also need two cali bucks of any age, with or without pedigree.

P.S. we have no intention of EATING any SFs or calis we buy. Just breeding. SFs are still pretty rare and we would like to see the population grow!

Spent a big portion of my day creating a term legend to help anyone who might be confused. I'll try to keep it updated with any new terms I may use as time goes by.  If anyone has a question, please leave a comment in the comments section. Comments are anonymous and encouraged.


About Sapphire's litter, all the kits(baby bunnies) seem to be doing fine. I think they're starting to grow hair already! Of course, that could just be my wishful thinking, lol!

Rabbit Treats!

I've spent most of the day looking up recipes for rabbit treats. I need something which does not involve rabbit food(pellets) because, frankly, they get enough pellets anyway. I want to make a treat. I'm looking for treats which are all natural for rabbits, containing no animal proteins(rabbit are herbivores-it may be the easy way out like giving them Cheerios like I've heard some breeders do, but it's not natural. Rabbits do not eat eggs, milk or any other animal protein in nature! Nor do they eat bread which contains animal proteins!) I do not believe you should ever feed herbivores animal proteins. I wish for something to feed my rabbits and also maybe adapt for sale to help us to bring in some extra cash to support our rabbits, lol! (with some recipes, maybe find an alternative for those darned pellets!)

We hope to be offering many extras for sale soon. I'll keep you posted!

Anyway, I've decided to post some of the sites I found with recipes for rabbit treats(the kind with pellets)! Although intended for pet rabbits, your meat breeders deserve a treat once in a while, too! Enjoy!

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you_make_homemade_rabbit_treats

http://www.thebubbler.com/forums/other-pets/13402-homemade-bunny-treats.html

http://www.flickr.com/groups/bunnyloversunite/discuss/72157622685392203/ 

Also some educational stuff on feeding your rabbit

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/184263/rabbit_nutrition_101.html?cat=53

Oh, I almost forgot---we have bunnies! Sapphire had her litter! Six so far. She usually has eight, so maybe two more. To our loyal customers, here's your head's up! See you in a few weeks!

Hi, again! The Buzzy Bunny computer is up and running once again after a short lull when it basically blew up! We have a litter of meat rabbits due any day now and another in a couple of weeks. It's an exciting time for us! We're trying to find cages for all the new arrivals(including the purebreds we purchase)the right food(we recently switched to Manna, which is a little less expensive than Purina, which is what we have been using, and seems, so far, a better food)and trying to divide our time(Cathy works) so each rabbit get the care and attention they need.

image found at  http://happyeasterpictures.com/

We hope to find cages, etc, at yard sales and whatnot. As I've said in a previous post, there's really no money in rabbits. If we're lucky, we'll break even.

 Image found at  http://www.clipartguide.com/

bunnies...

I'd like to take a moment to thank the farmers, especially the organic and sustainable farmers, for working so hard and dedicating their time, and often their lives, to raising food for us to eat, wool and cotton to wear, as well as other materials for us to consume. Thank you for making our lives better. I'd also like to thank the postal workers who deliver our mail and packages, even in the middle of nowhere like we are, through all kinds of weather. Waitresses who put up with all kinds of people's bad days and people who think they're better than them. Cashiers, and many others who "work behind the scenes" to make our lives better, more productive and more convenient. You work hard, thankless jobs and really should be thanked. So thank you.

Image found at http://static.bigstockphoto.com

P.S. If you think this has nothing to do with raising meat rabbits, you're wrong. Each and every one of these people mentioned and more make raising meat rabbits possible. If it weren't for people who work thankless jobs, we'd have nothing to be thankful for. We wouldn't have rabbit food delivered, We wouldn't be able to sell to restaurants if there were no waitresses. We wouldn't even be able to buy rabbit food if there were nobody to sell it! So thank you again!

Rabbit on my plate!

 I raise rabbits to sell and for meat. I am not the least but ashamed of that fact and actually rather proud of it! Rabbit is a delicious, nutritious meat, low in fat and cholesterol. I think the solution to rabbit population is to EAT THE EXTRA RABBITS! I am not cruel to my rabbits They get cuddles and held. Treats and lots of food and water. There are some countries where they recoil at the thought of eating cattle. This NOT eating rabbit thing is just a cultural thing which I would actually like to see ended. The nation would be stronger and healthier. Our children would be more responsible. It's not like we're eating our pet cat. It's an herbivore, a prey animal, and therefore intended to be eaten.

Image found at http://www.wpclipart.com/

Rabbit is easy to raise, reproduces rapidly and will consume many plants we would not even dream of consuming like grass. It has been hunted and raised for meat for many centuries, in almost every country, and the fur can be sold separately for extra money. Frankly, cat and dog are eaten in some countries and I'd much rather eat rabbit!

Chickens can be cute and so can cattle (I've raised chickens and live next to a cattle farmer-I am NOT giving up burgers, either!) The humane society and others are always complaining about overpopulation but won't even consider butchering them, humanely, as an alternative. These animals which are "put to sleep" are not always done in a humane fashion. It's very wasteful and actually more cruel, often, than butchering them. They are abandoning a rich food source when there is so much starvation in the world because it's cute. If we spent as much money on rabbit feed as we do on cattle and chickens, we could have enough meat to feed the poor, starving, and homeless of the world. It's really less wasteful. And so much better for the environment than cattle.