Urban Survival Livestock: Raising Rabbits Part 2

[DALLASELZORRO]

ALL I HAVE FOR YOU IS ONE WORD. THANK YOU.//////////////////////////­/

THANK YOU FOR TAKING YOUR TIME AND TELLING IT LIKE IT IS.

THIS SENDS A MESSAGE TO DOES PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT WE ARE NOT BUYING INTO IT. THE LORD BLESS YOU.

[Farmboy307]

Do you know any videos of building these cages? Thanks

[thenewsurvivalist]

@Farmboy307 No, but it's explained well in the recommended book. Click on the link at the bottom of the video.

[magicdaveable]

Rabbits are easy to raise even in an apartment. Worm boxes literally remove all odors. I forage all of the food for my rabbits. I only ever buy mineral salts. Enough forage can be harvested to feed 6 adult rabbits through the winter. I have only had to forage one day per week through the Spring, early Summer and Fall to keep them well fed. Find someone that will trade Rabbit meat for chicken. Then you can add fat to your diet. Eggs too. I love rabbit liver and eggs for breakfast.

[MrMagicseeds]

i would use wooden nest boxes and also when there are no babies put peice of flat wood on pat of base of cage and replace when needs replacing i know slightly more cleaning put happier rabbits also you should not pick rabbits up like that why not make them a bit tame so you can pick them up nicely after all you probly not gonna eat parents not as nice meat

[churritoesamor]

IM FROM MEXICO ,I WILL FOLLOW YOUR ADVISE IT LOOKS RELA SIMPLE,THANKS

[SasieSpice]

i live in the city, and i checked with our city ordinances it says that raising rabbits along with other livestock like chickens and rabbits and such is prohibited. yes i understand i "could" grow them, but how do you work around ordinance issue? or do you just do it and hope you don't get caught and fined?

[thenewsurvivalist]

@SasieSpice You do it anyway. Try to do it secretly, but be prepared for Civil Disobedience. You have the right to use your property in the way you choose as long as you don't harm others. Their ordinance is unlawful. They won't prevent them from enforcing it however because we have a very corrupt system on all levels and they have the police and the guns. Another option if you get caught: They are just pets, not livestock. Most "allow" pets. We are going to have to resist eventually

[mycolts88]

I raise Florida Whites and New Zealands. One of my NZ does just had a litter of ten!

[dieselchucknorris]

how would i grow and cultivate my own rabbit feed?

[ChristyxD122]

Waaait He didnt stop around the cage :(

[trizkit85]

Do you have to keep them isolated? or can you keep the males and females separate and let them mingle?

[Rain4Fuel]

@trizkit85 if kept together all the time, bucks will spray the does, and your does will end up smelling like ammonia and be yellow colored.

[KingRyltar]

bro, guessing you should have let the buck at her, thru the day. Might have been more babies.

[CuteCatFaith]

I come from a Pennsy Dutch bg in Ohio & now live in France & have Breton farm relatives. Most everyone keeps rabbit hutches, about six or 8 of them, outdoors, and I think they don't use them during the winter but could move the system into the barn w the cows. With small production, there are usually no problems. Most people enjoy eating rabbit in France & I did so in NY but you do need to follow recipes as the meat needs special care & isn't just like chicken. Uprated and shared.

[Simulationkid]

also when building the cages and placing the buck and does. does it matter where. my grandfather keeps the bucks on the top and the does on the bottom. please reply and thank you

[thenewsurvivalist]

@Simulationkid I don't believe it makes a difference. I've never tried that and I've had no problems.

[Simulationkid]

@thenewsurvivalist thanks



[Simulationkid]

when is the best time to mate the buck and doe. the age and the month.

thanks.

[1IIIIIIIIII1]

i just figured it up and under roof i could have 44 cages 2x2x3 stacked up like you have them

[thelister4910]

How much food would each rabbit need in the winter if you couldn't buy your own food? I know in the wild they scrape buy by eating things like bark on fruit trees and sumac, but how many pounds of food per rabbit per week is needed would be valuable info to have. Thanks.

[TheDrowningDuck96]

@guywhosfly I've hunted rabbits before, skinned and cleaned them, but I would think shooting an arrow into a rabbit I've raised in my backyard is kinda cruel.

[dfquadude]

hey doc if u can answer my question it would be great i live in upstate ny and we have 0 degree winters at that time what temperature would we have to keep a rabbit with babies

[thenewsurvivalist]

@dfquadude Yes, rabbits are very cold hardy. Just keep them out of the wind or drafts. Heat in the summer is the biggest problem.

[Twisted86]

@thenewsurvivalist

Yeah lost my first buck to heat, had a stroke I think so I killed him. Learned from his death though and now move my rabbits to the concrete on the side of my house on 90+ days. This is paired with ice blocks and tiles (2 liter sites on tile and cools the tile and more surface of the rabbit)

[TheDrowningDuck96]

Now, how would you suggest we start with getting rabbits-and how would you suggest killing them?

[guywhosfly]

@TheDrowningDuck96 Good question... I'm curious to know too. Is there another video instalment coming ? :)

[survivorapocalypse]

you have to eat something with more fat because you can die from eating rabits .... that has been said from a old man correct me if i am wrong !

[thenewsurvivalist]

@survivorapocalypse There is plenty of fat in rabbits. You do not need additional fat. No, you can not die from eating rabbits, but a varied diet is important so eat your fruits and vegetables too!

[thecpukiller]

@survivorapocalypse You can die, but only from eating ONLY rabbit without anything else in your diet. (I think this is also true of any very lean meat.)

[GStarZhon]

Nice beard

[godfere]

Hey Doc!, First i would like to say THANKS!, for the time you spend helping your fellow survivalists/sovereigns. now I live in a 3bedroom apartment in Chicago and i would like to know is there much of an odor if i try to raise a BUCK and 2 DOEs in my living room; and how often do you take them out for exercise, your input would be great!

[thenewsurvivalist]

@godfere Lots of people keep pet rabbits in their homes or apartments. With a couple of rabbits there is no odor.

[stevebushido]

Hi Doc, how many does and bucks do you have. I use to raise rabbits but i have to relearn some of this. I am in the middle of building a shed for them.

Thanks, Steve.

[thenewsurvivalist]

@stevebushido I have very limited space because I live in a suburb and keep my hutches in my one car garage (along with my car and motorcycle.) I only have room for 8 hutches. The number I keep varies depending on where the young are in their development.

[MrShaunie18]

Doc

Great films. I'm think about doing something similar in London. Don't know if you've already answered this question but how many rabbits do you produce/slaughter per year? How often do you eat rabbit?

Thanks.

[wigwamman1]

My spouse is so opposed to eating any animal we raise... geesh! This is so important for survival and good health. If it doesn't come in plastic wrap, it "isn't food". Pathetic. Love your video's...very informative. Than you for sharing.

[giannadapple]

Ok I'm just putting my opinion out here and some retard told me I shouldn't own pets because I don't eat my pets so who ever that it Ur stupid

[thenewsurvivalist]

@giannadapple I assume you are a vegetarian? If not, then a hypocrite.

[1IIIIIIIIII1]

do you ever have to put heat on the rabbits in winter? What do you do about water bottles freezing up? What would a guy expect to pay for male and female rabbit to get started? thanks very much....

[thenewsurvivalist]

@1IIIIIIIIII1 Rabbits are tolerant to very cold temperatures as long as there are no winds or drafts. Bottles freeze and you have to give them water in bowls. It freezes and they lick the ice. I've paid $25 to $40 each for good breeders.

[mzTayTay17]

what age do u start breeding them, n what age do u kill the baby rabbits for meat...

[geeq13]

How old do you have to wait before you slaughter the rabbit for the meat?? By the way this vid of yours is really educational!! thanks!

[econewpower]

how do you keep the rabbits from inbreeding too much? If you're butchering the oldest generations and breeding the newer generations won't they inbreed too much? How do you manage it?

[thenewsurvivalist]

@econewpower Inbreeding is not a problem. It is mostly a social taboo. Rabbits don't have social taboos. The problem with inbreeding is that genetically recessive disorders are brought out more often. This is eliminated in animal husbandry by using stock with good genes and by selective breeding. (Don't breed the ones with faults.) Having said all that, however, iIt is best to breed father to daughter and mother to son, rather than brother to sister. Other than that it is fine.

[ptvids1]

you said they have the babies out of the cage b and if you have to move them in yourself then will the mother abandond them or will she still accept the? also if she doest accept them then what can you do to get it food if the babies cant eat solids yet? thanks

[thenewsurvivalist]

@ptvids1 I handle the babies all the time. The mother will not abandon them. Neither will wild rabbits. That is an urban myth.

[1IIIIIIIIII1]

CAN YOU TELL ME HOW MANY BREEDING PAIRS OR FEMALES A GUY WOULD NEED IF YOU WANTED TO BE ABLE TO EAT ONE RABBIT A DAY YEAR ROUND? THANKS

[thenewsurvivalist]

@1IIIIIIIIII1 I haven't figured it out. One female will produce 8 young. Gestation is 31 days. You can keep them pregnant pretty much all the time, but it is best to give them about 2 weeks from when they deliver until they are re-fertilized. (They can be pregnant while they are nursing.) You will need a lot of hutches or several large pens.

[1IIIIIIIIII1]

@thenewsurvivalist thanks very much. Is inbreeding a problem? I would guess not with rabbits since they probly do a lot of that in the wild. At what age do they have to be in seperate homes? Do they fight each other? thanks

[thenewsurvivalist]

@1IIIIIIIIII1 Inbreeding is not a problem. It is best to mate father with daughter or mother with son rather than brother and sister. The males will fight once they become of age. The females are not as likely to fight but they can. It is best to give adults each their own hutch. I seperate the males at about 8 weeks and the females a little later than that.

[dendog21]

LOL that was hilarious watchin the little bunny fall over. He needs a carrot stick

[holly92087]

you can't keep the rabbit on wire flooring, u have to let them stay on a hard flooring! the wire flooring would give bunny sore foot

[thenewsurvivalist]

@holly92087 Not true. I have kept many generations of rabbits on wire flooring. According to what I have read, some rabbits may get sore haunches, but this problem is not common. If it happens you should certainly give them something solid to rest on until it heals. I have been keeping them for years in all wire hutches on wire floors and have never seen sore haunches or feet.

[dylan1094]

what are some things you make out of rabbit meat?

[thenewsurvivalist]

Check with the American Rabbit Breeders Association for a list of breeders or ask around at your local animal feed stores and hardware stores, etc.

[gettinready100]

hi i have been thinking about getting some rabbits and raising for meat but i havent yet . where do you get your rabbits from?

[MrEazydro]

hey what book did you read about breeding rabbits??

[thenewsurvivalist]

@MrEazydro The book that is advertised at the bottom of this video. Just click on the ad at the bottom.

[marlin187]

How long should I leave the female inside the male cage and when will the buck be ready to engage again ? Thanks again please keep posting

[thenewsurvivalist]

@marlin187 Watch them. After the buck is done he will fall over on his side with blissful satisfaction. Take the female out. Put her back in 8 hours later for the same thing (just in case it didn't take the first time) & take her again as before. That's the way I do it. Some put them together for hours but that can lead to fighting & the doe might even bite the penis off of the buck. Ouch! Not good. It only takes a few seconds. Watch them do it & then take her out. Then he's ready to go again.

[thenewsurvivalist]

@FenixPryme I have pretty much covered the rabbits so I am not planning on doing any more any time soon. My rabbit videos were intended to be an introduction to get people interested in growing their own. That's why I recommend the book in the videos. Do more research yourself. The book is great.

[thenewsurvivalist]

@FenixPryme I am not sure what the water fixtures are called but you can easily find them at Bass Equipment (do a search for "Bass Equipment") which is where I bought mine: BassEquipment period com

[eddie24ification]

Considering the fact that rabbits are very sensitive to ammonia, i would like to know how good the circulation in you garage is?

[thenewsurvivalist]

@eddie24ification There is absolutely no ammonia smell in my garage. That's what the worm boxes under the cages is for. In the Summer, I leave the garage door open so circulation is great. When it is very cold, of course, I keep everything closed to prevent drafts that would make the rabbits sick. There is no smell to speak of Summer or Winter.

[barakuda1111]

Very informative video. Thank you so much :)

[Cfoster1999]

where did u get your books

[thenewsurvivalist]

@Cfoster1999 The link for the book is in the video. Just click on it.

[taeyedoc99]

It is a wonderful video, so informative. Thank you!

[callofdutybeast123]

That was very informational thank you that really helped me because I'm breeding my rabbits as we squeak!!

[budmike81]

you can make a nest in that beard...just joking...nice rabbits

[youtubsuxfv]

hey i have another question , how much and how do you feed your rabbits when they are nursing and how much feed do you give them when kitts start growing?

thanks

[youtubsuxfv]

And what do you feed them on what is the name of the pellets?

[thenewsurvivalist]

@youtubsuxfv I buy Purina Rabbit Chow (pellets) in 50 lb bags or an equivalent. (Actually, usually a generic equivalent because it is the same quality but costs less--about $12 a bag as opposed to $14.)

[youtubsuxfv]

@thenewsurvivalist Thanks alot for the info. and Merry Christmass!

[youtubsuxfv]

how much do you feed your rabbits per day?

[thenewsurvivalist]

@youtubsuxfv Enough so that they are hungry when I feed them but not so much that there is usually left overs from the day before. Leftovers every day, feed them less. Never any leftovers and rabbits very hungry, feed them more. I'd say about a half cup of dried rabbit chow pellets per rabbit per day on average.

[foxvalley560400]

how did you know the female rabbitt was .... well ill say in season ????

[thenewsurvivalist]

@foxvalley560400 Rabbits are ALWAYS ready!

[barneythesnakeking]

do you think I can get introuble if I raise rabbits in my trailer park?? lol (serious question) thanks!

[thenewsurvivalist]

How would I know? The way I see it you have 3 choices: 1) Keep it a secret, 2) Ask for permission, and 3) Just do it, try to keep it low-keyed, and beg forgiveness if you are caught.

[sleepyhines]

@lirdoss Hi, I live in Florida and our summers are practically year long. We noticed that our rabbits had a hard time with the heat. Here is what we do. We take 2 litre coke bottles and fill with water and freeze. we would then put them in the hutch with the rabbits and the cool that the bottles gave off would help. the rabbits would lay net to them when they were hot. one bottle would help them cool for apprx 6 hours. nights weren't an issue just during the etreme heat of the day.

[thenewsurvivalist]

@sleepyhines That's a good idea. Here is another way to keep rabbits cool when it is really hot. Rabbits radiate excess heat from their bodies through the circulation of blood through their ears, in a similar way that your automobile keeps your engine cool by circulating water through the radiator. When it is really hot I keep a mist spray bottle handy and periodically, at the hottest time of the day, spray their ears with water. At first they don't like to be sprayed but they soon enjoy it!

[123swagner123]

You shouldn't pick rabbits up by the scruff of the neck because it can eventually cause the skin to actually separate from the rabbits shoulders which is very painful.

[thenewsurvivalist]

@123swagner123 That is contrary to what I have read in rabbit books. How do you suggest you pick them up? Certainly not by the ears! These are not pets and they are not used to and won't tolerate being picked up like you pick your pets (these will kick and scratch you painfully.) Perhaps you are used to picking up tame rabbits. For rabbits that are not pets, picking them up by the nape of the neck is the best way. (They are also not picked up as often as pet rabbits, which me be a difference.)

[stanhoag]

These videos are very informative and the information is greatly appreciated, thank you for taking the time to make these!

[hotstuff7655]

Now that's what i call Easter.

[joeblow320]

I also want to know about the smell. Im going to probably start raising some rabbits, but am not sure to make a setup on the deck right out back next to the house, or further out in the yard if the smell is bad.

[thenewsurvivalist]

@joeblow320 There is no smell. As long as they are not actually in your house, you will be perfectly okay. If you do notice some smells, just mix in some peat or soil and stir it up. Put some earthworms in there too. We are talking about rabbits here, not sows.

[lucasthedogman]

i really really like your videos!! thank you very much!! at what age would you butcher this breed of rabbit? and also about what is the wait of the meant when you are done?

thank you very much

[bloodylover101]

do you get alot of urine on the walls or does it run off the board with minimal splash??? hows the odor in ur garage?

[thenewsurvivalist]

@lirdoss I don't know that it matters. When my rabbits have their bunnies in the heat of the summer, I usually take out some of the fur that the mother has put in her nest to protect them somewhat from the heat.

[breakneck14]

Thanks for this video.

You should consider making a video showing the process you use to turn them into food. Of course not one showing the killing as I'm sure it would get the PETA people all riled up but one after that is done.

[thenewsurvivalist]

@breakneck14 Stay tuned... for part 3

[1missfire]

What did you cover the plywood with for the droppings to roll off of, I was going to use the clear corrugated fiberglass panels. Thanks

[thenewsurvivalist]

@1missfire I covered the plywood with black plastic sheeting. This isn't necessary but it makes your plywood last much, much longer because it doesn't get soaked with urine which makes it rot quicker make it necessary to replace it sooner. It is also easier to keep it cleaner. Corrugated panels will work as long as the ridges run downward as opposed to across. If the run across it will just trap the droppings. You do have to push the stuff off from time to time so keep that in mind.

[thenewsurvivalist]

@GulfCoastJaguarundi I started with 6 hutches and now have 8 in my garage. I don't have any more space so that's it. You keep 1 rabbit per cage so I try to keep about 6-8 rabbits at any one time. The exception is when I have babies, will keep them 2-3 in a cage at a time, especially the females, while when they are young. Adults really need to be one to a cage. If I wanted to breed a lot I'd keep more females than males, but I just breed them 1 pr at a time because that takes care of our needs.

[route66express]

Looks like you've got a great set up, awesome work there!

[watuwaitn4]

what age is a good time to butcher? Does it cause any problems to mate the new doe (when old enough) with a brother or her father? How old should they be before you mate them?

[thenewsurvivalist]

@watuwaitn4 You can butcher them in 3 months. It is best to mate father to daughter and mother to son rather than brother to sister. There is no problem with inbreeding, especially if this rule is followed.

[watuwaitn4]

@thenewsurvivalist ... Thanks so much for posting this video, I've been thinking about breeding rabbits.

[MYAR15SaysImFree]

great info. Ihave had pet rabbits. It looks like you can get alot of rabbits fast and on a schedule. Thanx for the info.