Re: Let's see your meat rabbits.
[Re: Wolfdog91]
#8429662
07/02/25 04:25 PM
07/02/25 04:25 PM
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Joined: May 2009
Champaign County, Ohio.
KeithC
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: May 2009
Champaign County, Ohio.
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Which ones do the best in hot weather ? Of those shown, Californians and the Champagne D'Argents take hot temperatures the best. I also have Florida Whites, which do well in the heat too. Direct sunlight in hot weather, without shade, will kill rabbits quickly. A lot of bucks go temporarily sterile in really hot weather. Their testicles will extend really far out, to try keep the sperm cool enough to stay motile. You can put frozen 2 liter bottles in with buck rabbits, in 100F plus weather to keep them cool enough that their sperm can still swim well. Last year I had a woman call me worried about "two horrible cancerous looking growths" that were sticking out of her rabbit. They were its balls. It was in the nineties. She was embarrassed after I explained what was going on. High heat hurts human sperm's motility too. That's why men trying to have kids often wear boxers instead of briefs. Keith
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Re: Let's see your meat rabbits.
[Re: wetdog]
#8429663
07/02/25 04:29 PM
07/02/25 04:29 PM
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Joined: May 2009
Champaign County, Ohio.
KeithC
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: May 2009
Champaign County, Ohio.
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What do you do with their fur? My meat rabbits are still running around, they are ready about mid October
The fur gets ground into pet food for reptiles, with whole, frozen rabbits. There's not much of a market for raw rabbit pelts. Diane wants to cure some Champagne D'Argent pelts. Keith
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Re: Let's see your meat rabbits.
[Re: KeithC]
#8429667
07/02/25 04:40 PM
07/02/25 04:40 PM
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Joined: May 2009
Champaign County, Ohio.
KeithC
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: May 2009
Champaign County, Ohio.
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The largest rabbits I keep are Flemish Giants. They are not a good meat rabbit. They have a poor meat to bone ratio. People keep them mostly as pets. The world record Flemish Giant weighed 49 pounds and was over 4' long. The heaviest I had and weighed was 28 pounds, at a healthy weight. This doe is close to that. ![[Linked Image]](https://trapperman.com/forum/attachments/usergals/2025/07/full-11798-262380-img_5618.jpeg) This buck is lighter, but still a very large rabbit. ![[Linked Image]](https://trapperman.com/forum/attachments/usergals/2025/07/full-11798-262381-img_5634.jpeg) Keith
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Re: Let's see your meat rabbits.
[Re: KeithC]
#8429679
07/02/25 05:07 PM
07/02/25 05:07 PM
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Joined: Jun 2010
Iowa
~ADC~
The Count
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The Count
Joined: Jun 2010
Iowa
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Re: Let's see your meat rabbits.
[Re: KeithC]
#8429680
07/02/25 05:09 PM
07/02/25 05:09 PM
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Joined: Oct 2017
perry co.Pa
wetdog
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Oct 2017
perry co.Pa
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What do you do with their fur? My meat rabbits are still running around, they are ready about mid October
The fur gets ground into pet food for reptiles, with whole, frozen rabbits. There's not much of a market for raw rabbit pelts. Diane wants to cure some Champagne D'Argent pelts. Keith I didn't think reptiles could digest fur. There's a market for rabbit fur, you just gotta make some phone calls
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Re: Let's see your meat rabbits.
[Re: KeithC]
#8429823
07/02/25 08:11 PM
07/02/25 08:11 PM
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Joined: May 2013
Northern Michigan
J.Morse
trapper
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trapper
Joined: May 2013
Northern Michigan
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I prefer these as my bunny beef. ![[Linked Image]](https://trapperman.com/forum/attachments/usergals/2025/07/full-33435-262434-img_0953selkirk_hare_camp_1974.jpg) This was over 50 years ago when I was a skinny teenager!
Last edited by J.Morse; 07/02/25 08:12 PM.
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Re: Let's see your meat rabbits.
[Re: Wolfdog91]
#8429978
07/02/25 11:05 PM
07/02/25 11:05 PM
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Joined: Jul 2012
N. Carolina
Scout1
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jul 2012
N. Carolina
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I heard Which ones do the best in hot weather ? that the Tamuk's were bred for the heat. Came out of Texas A&M. They told me the bucks are still good in high heat.
------------------------------------- Paying Top Dollar for Alien Parts.
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Re: Let's see your meat rabbits.
[Re: gcs]
#8430127
07/03/25 11:30 AM
07/03/25 11:30 AM
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Joined: Oct 2009
east central WI
k snow
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Oct 2009
east central WI
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I've often wondered if they'll thrive in a fenced yard, free rein on pasture.... supplement with pellets and let them do what rabbits do...
Had rabbits years ago in hutches... just generic cross breeds. Too many aerial predators here to get away with that.
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Re: Let's see your meat rabbits.
[Re: KeithC]
#8430132
07/03/25 11:45 AM
07/03/25 11:45 AM
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Joined: Jan 2007
MD
DaveP
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2007
MD
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Re: Let's see your meat rabbits.
[Re: KeithC]
#8430195
07/03/25 02:23 PM
07/03/25 02:23 PM
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Joined: Mar 2011
Montana , Big Mtns.
Sharon

"American Honey"
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"American Honey"
Joined: Mar 2011
Montana , Big Mtns.
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Keith, what gorgeous rabbits you have. They look happy and healthy. Everyone's rabbit pics are so enjoyable. I have semi wild rabbits , who found my place from somewhere a distance from here, obviously. They are loose and I feed and care for them. And take out predators , as I've always done on my place anyway. They are fun for me. I love seeing them spaz out leaping when they feel good , and I pet them when I give them treats. They are still wild and are good at keeping safe. Don't know what breed they are, they don't get very large. I tell myself , if I get too many , I can choose which ones to put in my freezer. They are a fun hobby for me. I do love rabbit meat, it's among the best out there , to me. Thank you for the neat subject and pics. " Then I shall live in Montana. And drive a pickup truck. And raise rabbits...." ![[Linked Image]](https://trapperman.com/forum/attachments/usergals/2025/07/full-20139-262511-img_0280.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](https://trapperman.com/forum/attachments/usergals/2025/07/full-20139-262512-img_1052.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](https://trapperman.com/forum/attachments/usergals/2025/07/full-20139-262513-img_0276.jpg)
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Re: Let's see your meat rabbits.
[Re: KeithC]
#8430442
07/03/25 08:59 PM
07/03/25 08:59 PM
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Joined: Jul 2012
N. Carolina
Scout1
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jul 2012
N. Carolina
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What age do you all start culling your older rabbits? I am assuming to just make stew out of the older ones. I'm getting ready to rotate some younger does and a buck in place of my 3 1/2 year olds. I have new zealands now. I got a young rex buck I will start using.
------------------------------------- Paying Top Dollar for Alien Parts.
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Re: Let's see your meat rabbits.
[Re: Scout1]
#8430529
07/03/25 11:41 PM
07/03/25 11:41 PM
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Joined: May 2009
Champaign County, Ohio.
KeithC
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: May 2009
Champaign County, Ohio.
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What age do you all start culling your older rabbits? I am assuming to just make stew out of the older ones. I'm getting ready to rotate some younger does and a buck in place of my 3 1/2 year olds. I have new zealands now. I got a young rex buck I will start using. For breeders, I usually cull the does when they start having small litters and the bucks if the does they are bred to don't take a few times, in cool weather. That's usually around 2 1/2 to 3 years. It can vary a lot. Fat rabbits become less fertile early. Fatty ovaries on a doe will make her have small litters. If I have what I think is a better rabbit coming up and I'm short on cage space, I'll often cull an older, still productive rabbit. Most of the rabbits I raise or buy go into pet food. I sold a little over 29,000 of rabbit in 2022. I was moving so many rabbits I bought a refrigerated box truck to haul them in. I lost most of my market when I almost died from the adverse reaction. The best market for kits is for 4H meat pens. You can buy good quality rabbits, very cheaply, if you cull buy for a fair. I've bought rabbits from both the President and Vice President of the Ohio New Zealand Rabbit Club within the last month. I got the winning meat pen white New Zealands from the club picnic, which were raised by the VP. I kept them. Keith
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Re: Let's see your meat rabbits.
[Re: KeithC]
#8430627
07/04/25 08:54 AM
07/04/25 08:54 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
So. IL
pintail_drake04
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
So. IL
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Dad and Grandpa raised rabbits commercially may decades ago. They had 500 breeding does at one time along with mink and chinchillas. I have raised New Zealand Whites, Californians, Champagne D'Argents, NZW x Calif cross, and Rex. I much prefer the rex for meat rabbits. They are very docile compared to the NZW and Califs. We raise Show stock, breeders, pets, emotional support animals, and for meat. Not to mention, the pelts and fertilizer are an added bonus. I put about 1 ton of rabbit berries on my garden/raised beds annually and sell the rest. I sold this one, she was a show rabbit. New owner told me she placed Best of Breed at a show in Nebraska. I kept this one, she was a show rabbit and produced big litters. ![[Linked Image]](https://trapperman.com/forum/attachments/usergals/2025/07/full-665-262625-black_otter_buck_edited.jpg) Augustus was an absolute stud. We process several hundred annually. ![[Linked Image]](https://trapperman.com/forum/attachments/usergals/2025/07/full-665-262626-butchered_rabbits_in_pot_8_21.jpg) I like to heat shrink the rabbits, they look professional. We process at 5lb live weight or 12 weeks of age for meat. ![[Linked Image]](https://trapperman.com/forum/attachments/usergals/2025/07/full-665-262627-butchered_rabbits_8_21.jpg) I used to have a couple local buyers for the raw pelts before covid. After that, IDK what happened to them, they haven't been back. ![[Linked Image]](https://trapperman.com/forum/attachments/usergals/2025/07/full-665-262629-pelts_1_23.jpg)
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Re: Let's see your meat rabbits.
[Re: Bdaniel]
#8430744
07/04/25 01:11 PM
07/04/25 01:11 PM
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Joined: Dec 2012
Ohio
Cooncreek II
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2012
Ohio
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New Zealand whites and californians here That's a nice set up you have Bdaniel. Looks clean and easy access
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Re: Let's see your meat rabbits.
[Re: Sharon]
#8431011
07/05/25 07:19 AM
07/05/25 07:19 AM
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Joined: Feb 2010
pa
hippie
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2010
pa
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Keith, what gorgeous rabbits you have. They look happy and healthy. Everyone's rabbit pics are so enjoyable. I have semi wild rabbits , who found my place from somewhere a distance from here, obviously. They are loose and I feed and care for them. And take out predators , as I've always done on my place anyway. They are fun for me. I love seeing them spaz out leaping when they feel good , and I pet them when I give them treats. They are still wild and are good at keeping safe. Don't know what breed they are, they don't get very large. I tell myself , if I get too many , I can choose which ones to put in my freezer. They are a fun hobby for me. I do love rabbit meat, it's among the best out there , to me. Thank you for the neat subject and pics. " Then I shall live in Montana. And drive a pickup truck. And raise rabbits...." ![[Linked Image]](https://trapperman.com/forum/attachments/usergals/2025/07/full-20139-262511-img_0280.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](https://trapperman.com/forum/attachments/usergals/2025/07/full-20139-262512-img_1052.jpg)  You should let them into your chicken hotel Sharon! My older brothers raised them when I was just a little duffer and just barely remember it. We were into chickens after that for most of my childhood.
There comes a point liberalism has gone too far, we're past that point.
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Re: Let's see your meat rabbits.
[Re: Sharon]
#8431234
07/05/25 03:57 PM
07/05/25 03:57 PM
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Joined: Jul 2013
Amite county Mississippi
Wolfdog91
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jul 2013
Amite county Mississippi
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Oh, looks like mine ! And it's really nice when you can pick them up and hold them like that. Means that bun is nice and tame. They do make fun pets, from what I've learned, seeing how the rabbit groups on FB show theirs. Pet buns are quite a science in care , according to the bun groups who keep them in different settings other than small cages.
She is going to love that soft fur and how they come running and leaping when she calls them. If she wants two , make sure they are either fixed , or the same sex. Unless she wants to breed for shows or meat ! She was actually talking about getting some to raise for fur...which surprised the heck outta me lol. But I'm terrified to join a ribbit group on FB because if there anything like the chicken people  currently trying. To figure out what would be the best route to go if we do A hutch is just ..meh Traditional cages wouldn't be terrible but would need to make a shed or something for them but would be good for collecting there poop which is something we'd really enjoy being able to do A tractor with raised wire would be easier all around but poop collection would be null but could move them in the shed or under shade in minutes depending on outdoor conditions Then there's the on the ground colony style which I've seen more and more people say they love but that requires more planning a permanent area , adding dig guards and think I need to dose them for some kinda round worm But gotta get the chickens first
YouTube expert
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Re: Let's see your meat rabbits.
[Re: gcs]
#8431240
07/05/25 04:16 PM
07/05/25 04:16 PM
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Joined: Mar 2011
Montana , Big Mtns.
Sharon

"American Honey"
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"American Honey"
Joined: Mar 2011
Montana , Big Mtns.
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Sharon...do yours reproduce running wild and free?, lol Yes they do ! That's why I tell myself when I get too many, I'll choose some for my freezer. The ones who are most friendly I want to keep. So far, it hasn't been a problem...rabbit behavior is such, that once young males grow up more, they get into tiffs with the older males, usually they work things out, but other times, a couple at a time will just leave. I never know where they go. Another time I had a predator problem, but once I put a stop to all that , everything is ok again. So far, I don't have too many. But who knows what the summer will be. Wolfie, maybe something bigger than a small wire cage would enable them to room to live and run a bit. Usually they like to have their toilet areas in certain places, so you should be able to collect fertilizer. Being able to skid living areas is a nice choice, to me. Move it anywhere you want. My coop was like that. You don't need to join a group to glean info . I don't either. I just observe out of curiosity to see how people keep theirs.
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Re: Let's see your meat rabbits.
[Re: Cooncreek II]
#8431870
07/06/25 09:32 PM
07/06/25 09:32 PM
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Joined: Jul 2024
Arkansas
Bdaniel
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jul 2024
Arkansas
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New Zealand whites and californians here That's a nice set up you have Bdaniel. Looks clean and easy access Thanks
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Re: Let's see your meat rabbits.
[Re: KeithC]
#8431976
07/07/25 05:44 AM
07/07/25 05:44 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
williamsburg ks
danny clifton
"Grumpy Old Man"
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"Grumpy Old Man"
Joined: Dec 2006
williamsburg ks
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About 30 years ago my daughters wanted to raise rabbits for 4h. I told them from the beginning we would be eating most of the young. Make pets out of the adults is fine. Did not work. They are not upset now but were for a long time after butchering. I sold the hutches I made. Was not a total loss. Alf alfa hay and chunks from cattle mineral blocks was the cheapest feed.
Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
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