Urban Survival Livestock: Raising Rabbits Part 3

[Aguilar87888]

lol I would raise these rabbits, and then not be able to eat them ha ha... I have a soft spot for animals, yet I love meat...

[starrygirl187]

thank you! what do they eat playwith and where do they sleep in you 1 car garage?

[starrygirl187]

do you eat them when they grow up?and were did you get them?

[thenewsurvivalist]

@starrygirl187 Yes, these are meat rabbits. I got my Florida Whites from the Myers in Illinois. Search for ARBA American Rabbit Breeders Association for list of rabbit breeders who sell starting livestock.

[survivorapocalypse]

can you breed brothers ?

[thenewsurvivalist]

@survivorapocalypse Do you mean brother and sister? Yes you can. However, it is recommended father and daughter or mother and son rather than brother and sister. But if that's all you have you shouldn't have a problem.

[omar52334]

cute

[mzTayTay17]

How long after the doe has the litter can she mate again... My doe had her first litter a month ago..n how does rabbits live

[thenewsurvivalist]

@mzTayTay17 Read the recommended book. Some people breed the doe again when it is still nursing. I wait until the babies are weened, then give her a week off.

[mrtjones4326]

How long does it take for one of your rabbits to reach 4 pounds?

[Twisted86]

@mrtjones4326

8-12 weeks typically. I go with NZW/Californian mix (pure breed parents) and I can slaughter within 10 weeks.

[shithitthefanman]

Can you have more than one female per cage? Is it because they will fight? I know when they are gonna give birth they have to have their own space but I did not know they had to be separate the whole time. I have seen videos on youtube here that show many does in the same cage. Can you help me understan why? Great videos. Very appreciative.

[HomeMadeGunNut]

I want to start raising my own meat, but my parents wouldn't let me they only eat meat they didn't see die.

[sleep1937]

@HomeMadeGunNut I think yours was the better way to go... if you cannot see the animals die you shouldn't be fooling yourself by eating meat that has been "taken out of context"...

[1IIIIIIIIII1]

CAN YOU FEED THEM NATURAL FOOD, GRASS AND GARDEN STUFF OR DO THEY HAVE TO HAVE FACTORY MADE FEED?

[thenewsurvivalist]

@1IIIIIIIIII1 Yes you can feed them all kinds of things. They don't eat grass like cows, but do eat hay and all kinds of wild things like dandelion, plantain, clover, fruit scraps, other vegetable scraps, oats, etc.

[survivorapocalypse]

@thenewsurvivalist what do you give them when they are young and what do you feed the adults ?

[thenewsurvivalist]

@survivorapocalypse The young eat the same things as the adults, after they are weaaned and while they are being weaned.

[jan585]

@1IIIIIIIIII1 I just give my rabbits grass (and other stuff) but mostly grass. It's important that they have wet food (like fress cut gras or garden stuff) and dry food (hay, straw ...). Never give them to much wet food when they don't have any dry food, the will get diaria like that.

[operationfate]

they are so beautiful, great job thenewsurvivalist!

[wolfsfire1]

Har I really enjoyed your video I am currently raising flemish giant rabbits and have the two mamas in a fairly large kennel and the papas in a mini corral outdoors I originally had them in cages but they just got to big to fast so I made this their new set up I noticed something pretty cool about one of the mamas that I mentioned in one of my videos (rabbit nests - I will post on 3-17-11) that had me wondering how I would be able to protect the baby's thanks to your video now I know, thanks

[SimplyNaturalHomestd]

This video series was great! I like that you showed us the bunnies as they grew up. That was so fast! Thanks.

[ChonesWow]

Now i saw that the bunnies were getting to big so you did give them their own cages. Now what if she had 8 would that be 4 in each cage or still 8 in one cage. Please get back to me soon.

[thenewsurvivalist]

@ChonesWow You can keep the females two per cage for a while (if necessary until they are butchered.) The breeders need to be one per cage. When it comes time to give them each their own cage, then it is time to butcher the old rabbits to make room. I have 8 hutches now-the minimum in my opinion. It would be good to have more hutches but I am limited by my space so this will have to do.

[JeanLaFoote0]

excellent, and informative videos. why do you use albino rabbits?

[thenewsurvivalist]

@JeanLaFoote0 These rabbits have been bred especially for this purpose-for their good meat and for their marketable pelts. Solid white pelts are more marketable because they can be died any color desired.

[D33Lux]

Not to sound morbid, but how do you...put them down? I understand we need them for survival & I'm a meat eater. I would have to put a sack over their heads so they won't look at me and put their lights out with a close ranged air rifle or .22. I had a rabbit as a pet so my first kill would be tough.

Everyone with any ignorant comments please spare me your ultra tough guy Rambo talk of how fearless you are killing animals. I'm not against hunting for food.

[thenewsurvivalist]

@D33Lux Check out parts 4 and 5.

[affirmation698]

@thenewsurvivalist we have been looking for florida whites for a long time any idea were I can find some . fl. 32539 we can get newzealands. use to raise them but want a smaller rabbit. (member of arba) and can get the fl. whites if we want to put them through the stress of flight or drive a long ways. great vids. thanks!

[thenewsurvivalist]

@affirmation698 I have no idea about FL. If you can't find a breeder thru the ARBA, I'd ask the people in the feed stores or perhaps your county agent. A one time road trip to IL might be worth it. The Meyers in Southern IL have prize-winning Florida Whites (they advertise in the ARBA publications.)

[lunarrn]

Do the pen raised rabbits have fat deposits? I know the wild ones are as lean as shoe leather.

[thenewsurvivalist]

@lunarrn Yes, they have fat. The young ones, "fryers" have very little while old rabbits have plenty, especially if you overfeed them. (Keeps them warm in the Winter.) Wild animals are lean because they spend much of their lives on the brink of starvation. Healthy fat is good. It is very high in calories. It makes great dog and cat food (better for them than the fillers in commercial pet foods) and in survival times you can render the fat for cooking oil, etc.

[BuckeyeSparky]

What week do you harvest there meat?

[thenewsurvivalist]

@BuckeyeSparky At 8 weeks old a rabbit is said to be “fryer size” which means you can butcher them soon after they are weaned. However, to me, at this time they are still rather small so I wait a couple of weeks so they can "fatten up" to full adult size. I will usually butcher them no sooner than 3 months old.

[RichTheRidgeHunter]

So at what age, do you harvest them?

[thenewsurvivalist]

@RichTheRidgeHunter Stay tuned for part 4. If you can't wait see my response to BuckeyeSparky.