Rabbitry Startup Help

[Mrr]

Hi there,

My boyfriend and I are looking to start our own rabbit farm next month, but before we do so I need to know as much as possible about absolutely everything - enclosures, breeding, weaning etc.

I've gotten quite a bit of information on the breeding and weaning process, what I'm looking for right now is information on cages. From what I've read so far, wire cages would be the best choice. I'm just not sure what size mesh to use for the floor/walls? We're looking at breeding New Zealand/Flemish giant mixes. Also, would I need to put any bedding or anything in the cages besides just the feeder and water bottle? I see some pictures of rabbitries where its just a bare wire cage with nothing in it and I feel like that doesn't seem like enough.

Also, how do you guys keep your rabbits warm in the winter if they are housed outdoors? I live on the west coast of Canada, so it gets more wet than cold here in the winter, but the temperatures can still get quite chilly. Any tips?

I'm sure I'll have more questions soon but right now those are the two I'm struggling with finding answers to. Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[majorv]

Do you plan to build your own cages, or are you looking at hutches? Most breeders buy hanging cages if they'll be in a barn. We have stackable cages, all purchased. I wouldn't keep any rabbit on a wire floor without a resting pad or ceramic tile that they can get on. Flemish need to be on solid floors due to their weight and propensity towards sore hocks.

 

[majorv]

As far as cold weather, rabbits do pretty good in cold, as long as they're protected from the wind and rain. We hang heavy tarps around our cages during the winter and they do fine.

 

[Mrr]

Thanks for the reply! We're buying a few second hand hutches this weekend just to get started. The goal is to start building our own enclosures over the summer when we have a bit more free time (we're both heavily involved with our rugby teams and the upcoming playoffs next month). The ones that we are buying look to have floor that is partially wire, and then a solid area.. Would that work?

 

[majorv]

That should do fine. If you do end up with Flemish or mixes who look Flemish you'll have to use all or mostly solid floor with bedding. NZs and Cals do fine with wire as long as they also have something solid to sit on too. Make sure you sanitize second hand hutches. You don't want to expose new rabbits to any bacteria that might be left.

 

[Mrr]

Out of curiosity is there another breed you guys would recommend? We're doing this for meat purposes and chose a Flemish mix because of their size, but the more research I do suggests that they may not be the most cost effective and won't produce that much more than a medium sized breed. Would it be better to go with a different kind you think?

 

[majorv]

There are a number of different breeds you could use but the most common is New Zealand and Californian. They're both about the same size, if you wanted to cross breed. Both have fairly large litters. We did Cals for a couple of years as an FFA project. Both does had 7 kits. They're pretty docile and make good mothers.

 

[Mrr]

Great! Is it too ambitious of me to consider playing around with a few breeds just to see which works for me? Or should I choose one and stick to it? If I did, I would definitely have a New Zealand pair in there since they seem to be the most highly recommended.

Another question - sorry.. I came across a local ad selling "New Zealand whites Spanish cross".. What kind of Spanish breed is there? I'm confused because I hadn't heard of that one before

 

[majorv]

It's your choice if you want to try different breeds first. Do what works for you. I've never raised NZ's so I can't help with what that is, sorry.

 

[Watermelons]

You will definitely want to keep them in some kind of shelter like a barn, shed, etc just due to your location. Wind and Rain protection will be the big ones in the spring, fall and winter.
As well as good fans for cooling these areas in the summer since we can go from 0 to 20 in 1 day. Rabbits don't do heat very well and they do heat even worse when there are extreme changes from night to day or 1 day to the next like we can often get here.

 

[woahlookitsme]

As gr as breeds New Zealand's and Californians do great as a meat breed because that is what their breeds are specialized for. Research the different 'Commercial' type breeds and see which ones might fit with your area. Florida whites are also a great commercial breed and a little more forgiving in space since they get to a smaller size than cals or nz.

For finding stock I would suggest searching for a breeder through an organization. This way your are more likely talking to someone who knows their stock and will be willing to take back or replace animals if something doesn't work out

 

[woahlookitsme]

Here's some places to start:
http://www.aarabbits.com/canadian-rabbit-breeders.html
http://www.drcba.ca/BreederListings.aspx

Also try googling Canadian rabbit breeders or even type in your city