3 litters right now, they grow fast and should be ready fall time. Nice having a variety for dinner.

New Zealand whites and californians here

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.

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...."

"One ping only".............

Someday I'd like to have Rex rabbits. Their fur is very like plucked and shorn beaver , in softness.

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

Sharon, your beautiful, semi feral rabbits appear to be mostly of red and black New Zealand heritage, with something smaller bred in.

We have a white New Zealand, that's been running loose on the farm for close to 3 years. I could easily shoot it and sell it for pet food, but I kind of like seeing it run around. I am amazed that nothing has caught it.

When I was a kid, the cemetery near my maternal grandparents' house had some feral Siamese Satin rabbits. My siblings, cousins and I used to run them down every once in a while. They ran at least as good as a cottontail.

I learned early that we could catch cottontails by taking turns chasing them in a circle. We stopped because the cottontails would shiver and die after we exhausted them.

Keith

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.


Augustus was an absolute stud.


We process several hundred annually.


I like to heat shrink the rabbits, they look professional. We process at 5lb live weight or 12 weeks of age for meat.


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.

Almost forgot to add this! We like to roast our rabbits, bbq/smoked is good, fried is how I grew up. But one of my new favorites is to make them into sausage! Seasoned nicely, they are Brat sized and grill up great.

That sausage looks awesome Pintail, care to share the recipe?
We have a couple NZ Reds that keep us with plenty in the refrigerator.

Pintail, those are some beautiful rabbits live and processed. Those sausages look superb.

Keith

Sharon, well done on dropping the "Hunt for Red October" quote.

That's a nice set up you have Bdaniel. Looks clean and easy access

Thank you Keith, for helping me figure out my rabbits breeds. Just petting them is good for health !

Drake 04, what gorgeous rabbits . Love how you package the meat. I would buy them if they were near me . Like the furs too.

Aaron, for me, that is the all-time greatest movie ever made. Despite that I can't stand one of the actors, it's still worth enjoying the movie because of the rest and quality of production.

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.