Starting my own rabbitry!!!!!!!!!

[Katie Kay]

Hello everyonei just wanted to thank you for taking the time to read this and help me out. i am just starting with pedigree mini rexes, actually i havn't even gotten them yet. but i've been talking to someone and am getting them soon.i have one doe that is a pet and not very good show quality but she is what got me to love the breed.i need an idea of what to do. a list of questions is below if you could answer what you can with the coresponding number that would be great!

1. How many should i start with?

2. What is fair for me to pay for pedigree stock?

3. What size and kind of cages should i have?

4. when to breed?

5. what all to bring for shows?

6. how to show?

7. what to sell young for?

8. how old should they be before i first breed?

9. what colorsare best in the shows and to produce?

10. should i have someone who will work with me?

11. if you said yes to number 10, how many rabbits should we have if we live at too different locations?

12. inside or out?

13. how much time and work is really involved?

14. how much money should i set aside for starting up, like rabbits, cages, that stuff?

15. how much money should i set aside for feed per year for the recomended amount of rabbits?

16. overall would you say it is worthwhile?



thank you for , first, reading all those , second, for taking the time to help me.

thanks again, Katie and her faithful bun, lulu

p.s. any websites of pedigree sellers in WI or just info that would help answer some questions is welcome and appreciated. :bunnybutt:

 

[mistyjr]

Have you looked at ARBA Website to make sure one of these rabbitry names arent taken!

http://www.arba.net/Rabbitries.htm

But I aint done answering your questions

 

[mistyjr]

1. How many should i start with? -- You should get a breeding pair to start out with. And when you get those litters, Pick out the best of that litter to keep to show/breed or whatever you want!

2. What is fair for me to pay for pedigree stock?-- I pay between $20.00 to $30.00 per rabbit

3. What size and kind of cages should i have?-- I have cages that are 3x3 for my Mini Rex's and they are fine with that size.

4. when to breed?-- You can breed anytime. But you want to wait until the rabbit is 6 months old. But You can breed at anytime. Some breeders will breed an rabbit let them have babies and then breed when the babies are a few weeks old. I dont do it!

5. what all to bring for shows?--- I got a binder full of info. Like my pedigree's, Calendar. Or just whatever you need in there. Grooming tools, Food/ Water for the bunnies, And an show table if you got one.

6. how to show?--- Here's a good website to read on!
http://www.welshrabbitry.com/showingrabbits.html

7. what to sell young for?-- You can sell the babies for $20.00 to $30.00 or whatever you want to sell them for!

8. how old should they be before i first breed?-- at least 6 months

9. what colors are best in the shows and to produce?--- Any

10. should i have someone who will work with me?--Going to shows will also help.

11. if you said yes to number 10, how many rabbits should we have if we live at too different locations?-- How many you can handle.

12. inside or out?--Mine are all outdoors

13. how much time and work is really involved?-- A few minutes each rabbit.

14. how much money should i set aside for starting up, like rabbits, cages, that stuff?--??

15. how much money should i set aside for feed per year for the recomended amount of rabbits?--- My rabbit for is $9.00 for 44 pounds. And It last me 1 month

16. overall would you say it is worthwhile?--Yes, It fun and you can get out of the house. Meet new people

 

[mistyjr]

Here is another site that you need to look at before breeding and buying rabbits.. It's a website for color crossing rules.
http://mr-colors.tripod.com/

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

1. How many should i start with?

- How many rabbits you start with depends on how much room you have, and how many cages you have. It would probably be best to start out with at least two breeding pairs, or maybe 3 does and 1 buck. There are several different combinations, and you have to find one that is suitable for your facilities and the time you are willing to put into them.

2. What is fair for me to pay for pedigree stock?

- Different breeders ask different prices, but the most important thing is to make sure that they are pedigreed, and are very nice show/breeding stock. Usually Mini Rex will probably run from about $35 to $100+, but this depends on where you are and what breeders around you offer. Just make sure you get nice quality stock.

3. What size and kind of cages should i have?

- There are different brands of cages, but for Mini Rex you should have at least 24x24 size cages. And brood cages could be larger. For instance, I have my brood does in 30x30 cages, and are suitable for a Mini Rex doe and a small litter. The bigger the better, so look into what you're willing to spend on cages.

4. when to breed?

- The best times to breed are probably around shows, so that the babies will be 8+ weeks by the time the show rolls around and you can show them and offer them for sale there.

5. what all to bring for shows?

- Lots of things, really. Haha. Your rabbits, chairs to sit in, copies of their entries, extra entry fees $$, food and water for you and your rabbits, proper clothing for the elements, and much more!

6. how to show?

- Attending a rabbit show to watch, or even joining 4-H will help you understand how rabbits are shown. There is the prep work - grooming, clipping nails, tattoooing, etc. and then there is the showing, which is just putting your rabbit up on the table with it's correct class and variety, and then letting the judge handle the rest.

7. what to sell young for?

- You can sell young kits for show, breeding, and pets... and then there's the other one reason, but we aren't allowed to discuss it on the boards, and depending on you personally, it might not be something you'd want to sell for.

8. how old should they be before i first breed?

- Mini Rex should be at least 6 months old before you first breed.

9. what colorsare best in the shows and to produce?

- There are lots of different colours of Mini Rex. You can have solids or brokens. Just like type, it's important to pick a well-coloured rabbit. Charlies can't be shown, but are often used in breeding, and harlequins in Mini Rex aren't showable yet, so it's best to stay clear of that colour. No colour is really the "best in the shows", and the best to produce. You have to make it the best to produce, and the best in the shows.

10. should i have someone who will work with me?

- A mentor is always a good thing for new breeders. I suggest joining a 4-H club specially for rabbits. You will get lots of help from your leaders and other youth breeders in the club.

11. if you said yes to number 10, how many rabbits should we have if we live at too different locations?

- That's a co-rabbitry, and you don't have to do that in order to have someone work with you. You can have someone that will just be there to help you along the way, and answer the questions, and maybe in the future a co-rabbitry could work. As a new youth breeder, I do not suggest getting into a co-rabbitry agreement.

12. inside or out?

- I'm assuming this means inside rabbits or outside rabbits. If you mean inside a house, then that might be tricky, but if you mean inside a barn, then that would be ideal. It depends on your facilities though - do you already have a barn? Can you build a barn? If not, then maybe having cages outside is the best bet. You could put them under a portable carport to protect them from the elements, and surround it by fencing to protect them from predators. Really, it's all about what you have and what you can afford.

13. how much time and work is really involved?

- Quite a bit, especially if you show and breed, and are involved in 4-H. You have to have enough time to evaluate litters, clean cages, handle your rabbits, take time to talk to potential buyers, post up flyers/ads, etc. There is a lot of work and time involved, even stress and emotions too.

14. how much money should i set aside for starting up, like rabbits, cages, that stuff?

- Once again, really depends on how many rabbits/cages you are going to start out with. You at least need cages for the rabbits you plan to get, and then about 2 to 4 more cages for seperating kits at weaning time - and the amount of these cages will depend on how many breeding does you have. I'd set aside a good portion - about $500+ Getting started with quality equipment and rabbits is very costly. And not to mention, you should have an emergency fund set aside in case you need to take a rabbit the vet.

15. how much money should i set aside for feed per year for the recomended amount of rabbits?

- Depending on where you live and which feed you buy, prices will be different. I don't set aside any money for feed yearly, I just buy it when I need it, lol. I usually spend about $35 on feed, hay and shavings every 2-ish months for 7-10 rabbits. But just the past 7 months, I've spent $500+, even though more than $300 of it was for cages/cage stands, the majority of the rest of it was feed.

16. overall would you say it is worthwhile?

- Definitely, if you do things right and are doing well at shows, and breeding good quality animals. Plus, you get to spend time doing what you like, and you make new friends and memories along the way. I wouldn't trade it for the world, even with all the mistakes that happen along the way, it's definitely been worthwhile.

Rabbitry Name:

As for your rabbitry name, I definitely suggest you look at the rabbitries that are already registered with ARBA. They won't allow you to register a rabbitry with them if it's already taken. Then if you find that some of your choices are taken, you can cross them out and choose from the ones left.

Emily

ETA: Spelling

 

[Blaze_Amita]

1. How many should i start with? I would start with a Trio- 1 buck, 2 does

2. What is fair for me to pay for pedigree stock? I've paid as little as $10 for a nic buck, and has high as $40 for good quality- depends on colors and bloodlines

3. What size and kind of cages should i have?, I have wire floor, resting mats for my rex furred and trays below

4. when to breed?You'll have a higher sucess rate in spring and fall, winter could turn out too cold and summer too hot

5. what all to bring for shows?, CHAIRS! I always forget mine. grooming table or something to groom on- I use a small peice of carpet on my show carriers. I bring my pedigree book, a book for me to read, snacks/lunch if you don't want to buy something(I do because of my own personal allergies), SOmehow for people to get ahold of you like a business card

6. how to show?- put the rabbit in one fo hte holes in front of hte judge when your class is called, then stand back and listen as the judge goes through each rabbit to hear wha the has to say about them. you can write it down to help you better remember, or see if the writer will fill out a comment card for you. If you have questions for the judge, wait until after the class/breed is over to ask him/her

7. what to sell young for? Depends on quality. I have soem pet quality that I sell $5, but I've sold some good holland lop babies for $35 because they were excellant quality and bloodlines, and very good little show buns.

8. how old should they be before i first breed? Doe at least 6 months, but before 1 year.

9. what colorsare best in the shows and to produce? color doesn't matter as much as type.

10. should i have someone who will work with me?work with, like sister rabbitry? I have one, but that was when I was still in NY, we're still sister rabbitries, just one in KY one in NY. Having a friend working with you is always helpful, they can help critic babies

11. if you said yes to number 10, how many rabbits should we have if we live at too different locations? That's up to you and your partner to work out, If you swap around bunnies, just remember to have quarantene cages, so you don't swap diseases as well as bunnies

12. inside or out? I've kept mine outside, this was the first winter, this past year, that I didn't heat

13. how much time and work is really involved? Depends again, on breed. woolie breeds take longer, because of the more consistant grooming. It also will depend on how you are set up. I"m on trayed cages, so I have to clean them twice a week. just the cage cleaning and what not I would sayI put aside close to 3 hours a week, I have 18 holes.

14. how much money should i set aside for starting up, like rabbits, cages, that stuff? It's hard to give you straight answers, a lot of things depend on hwo you decide to set thigns up. straight wire cages with resting mats(because you're going mini rex) you can actually build yourself, instead of buying cages, but ot buy and start up it is expensive, I tied up close to a grand in cages and barn for them when I first started.


15. how much money should i set aside for feed per year for the recomended amount of rabbits? depends on prices in your area and which feed you go with I'm using two different types of feed, one for the Vlops and the other for everyoen else

16. overall would you say it is worthwhile? Yes. I work alot of hours both with the buns and at my job, but it's worth every minute that I'm at work, earning the money to keep my buns happy, healthy and comfy. I've even finally won my first leg the end of last year with a home bred baby.

 

[Blaze_Amita]

and on a quick note, I know there's a rabbitry called Silver Lining, it's a dwarf breeder in NY. A friend bought a few from them

 

[TinysMom]

I just got back from a show and I'm dead tired - but I want to stress the fact that starting with AT LEAST a trio is the best way to do this. Why? Because you can breed both does at the same time and hopefully have a back-up mom for fostering if needed.

I also wouldn't worry as much about how much you pay - as the quality you're getting. Let me explain.

This weekend I wound up looking at (and buying) a holland lop trio (to add another breed to my rabbitry). I looked at a couple of bucks - one was a broken tort buck and he was only $40 and supposedly out of some good lines. But - the breeders who know Hollands were warning me to stay away from him and they showed me other Hollands that had more strengths and not the weaknesses he had.

I wound up paying $45 for my buck (and I was told that was a steal by a couple of the breeders) - but the woman had a lot of bucks and needed cage space. I paid $50 for one doe (same breeder) - and then $40 for my second doe (a different breeder).

But I didn't look at price in each case - I had the breeders helping me pick out the animals based upon the strengths and weaknesses of each animal.

After starting out in lionheads the "wrong" way...I'm very pleased with my start in Hollands.

So I would talk to several breeders at a show (where you can see animals from MANY breeders) and have them help you pick out your animals.

My main advice is PICK YOUR HERD BUCK FIRST - and be prepared to pay a bit more for him. He will influence every litter you have.

Once you have him picked out - then pick out your brood does.

By the way - some breeders there have paid $150 - $300 for their main herd bucks (which are way better than mine) - I knew I couldn't afford to start out in that price range.

The plan that was suggested to me was to work with this trio - set aside all the $$ I make from sales of the babies into an envelope and save it until I can get a REALLY EXCELLENT herd buck.

But this is one of those cases where I might have an idea in mind of what prices are in the area - but I would budget my money so that I could afford a NICE buck instead of just one that is the right color or from a nice breeder.

By the way - the three breeders who helped me - none of them sold me anything. They just took me under their wing - examined the animals for me - had me examine them and showed me what they meant - and then made their suggestions. One of the breeders told the man I bought one doe from - that if I didn't buy her - she wanted her (the $40 doe).

That was before the doe took best in her class of Junior brokens.

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

I checked out the available rabbitry names and the following names of your options are available:
1. Northern Lakes Rabbits
2. Magical Minis
3. Just Fine Rabbits
4. Wisconsin's Best Rabbits (although I don't suggest this one, just because of the "best" in there. )
5. Wisconsin Minis
6. Northern Mini Rex (although it's really close to the registered rabbitry Northern Lights Mini Rex in North Dakota)
7. Fine Line Rabbits (I like this one! Very catchy!)
8. Sunny Days Rabbitry

Kit'n'Kaboodle is already taken, and according to Blaze, so it Silver Lining. But, the majority aren't!

Emily

 

[la~la~land]

1. How many should i start with?

A trio. 1 buck and 2does. (I must find some does to complete my trio. My parents will be thrilled :brat

2. What is fair for me to pay for pedigree stock?

Hmm, I've seen anywhere from 10-100

3. What size and kind of cages should i have?

My cages are either half wire half wood bottomed or all wood and range in size from 3x3 to 4x3

4. when to breed?

I've had the most luck in spring and fall.

5. what all to bring for shows?

Pretty much what everyone else said.

6. how to show?

Pretty much what everyone else said.

7. what to sell young for?

Depends on quality.

8. how old should they be before i first breed?

6 months

9. what colorsare best in the shows and to produce?

Any accepted color will work but I've seen the most wins in broken/solid black.

10. should i have someone who will work with me?

Pretty much what everyone else said.

11. if you said yes to number 10, how many rabbits should we have if we live at too different locations?

12. inside or out?

A shed or barn is best but mine do fine outside.

13. how much time and work is really involved?

Alot, but its worth it.

14. how much money should i set aside for starting up, like rabbits, cages, that stuff?

Pretty much what everyone else said.

15. how much money should i set aside for feed per year for the recomended amount of rabbits?

I spend about $16 on a 50lb bag.

16. overall would you say it is worthwhile?

Very :biggrin2:

 

[iluvdutchrabbbits90]

1. How many should i start with?
I started with 2 does and a buck worked out great for me.
2. What is fair for me to pay for pedigree stock?
20-80 i have spent between 160-180 so far on 6 breeding rabbits.
3. What size and kind of cages should i have?
I like cages with the plastic bottems and wire tops.(I hate wire floors)
4. when to breed?
6-8 months

7. what to sell young for? The more better the quality the higher the price

8. how old should they be before i first breed? 6-8 months

10. should i have someone who will work with me? It helps (as i cant drive yet lol)


12. inside or out? All mine are house rabbits.

13. how much time and work is really involved?It takes me about 40 mins everyday to feed,water,change litter boxes and to handle everyone.

14. how much money should i set aside for starting up, like rabbits, cages, that stuff?
It is not cheap
15. how much money should i set aside for feed per year for the recomended amount of rabbits?
I spend 30.00 a month on food
16. overall would you say it is worthwhile?Yes everytime you have babies its worthwhile:biggrin2:

I answerd wat i could lol

 

[TinysMom]

I know you've had several responses - and I already answered one question but I' going to go ahead and answer more.

Katie Kay wrote:

Hello everyonei just wanted to thank you for taking the time to read this and help me out. i am just starting with pedigree mini rexes, actually i havn't even gotten them yet. but i've been talking to someone and am getting them soon.i have one doe that is a pet and not very good show quality but she is what got me to love the breed.i need an idea of what to do. a list of questions is below if you could answer what you can with the coresponding number that would be great!

1. How many should i start with?
At least a trio and I'm mixed on whether you should get them all from one breeder or from two different breeders. One breeder may have the same weaknesses in all their rabbits so you may want to buy a buck (the best buck you can find) from one breeder and then does with different strengths from another breeder.
2. What is fair for me to pay for pedigree stock?
I see some of the prices people are mentioning and I'm sorta...well - I don't know mini rex prices and of course the prices in various areas of the country will vary based upon how many breeders there are, etc. I'd be prepared with at least $150 though so you could get the very best buck you can find.

Something to consider might be getting an experienced doe that is already bred - or two does that are already bred and then keeping your best buck out of their litters. But they'd have to be bred to some really good bucks to hope for something good.
3. What size and kind of cages should i have?
I think others have answered this and ARBA has size recommendations also.
4. when to breed?
You've already got answers. Of course it helps to breed if your breeding plans and the doe's hormones mesh. Always check her privates to see if she's ready to breed as that will make it so much easier.
5. what all to bring for shows?
I bring rabbits & grooming supplies. Unless I am selling rabbits or hoping to register them - I never bring pedigrees. I used to...not anymore. I've heard of folks accidentally losing their notebook or leaving it somewhere. I suppose I could bring copies of my pedigrees - but I see no need for it. I did it as a new breeder all the time...learned later that I really didn't need it if I wasn't selling anyone.
6. how to show?
Answered already
7. what to sell young for?
I wouldn't even be thinking about this until you see what your rabbits produce. As a new breeder - you might be lucky to sell a rabbit for $20 if a lot of better-known breeders are flooded with overstock and selling them cheap. Then again - you might find you have an awesome rabbit and make more.
8. how old should they be before i first breed?
Answered already
9. what colorsare best in the shows and to produce?
I'd look at the colors that are allowed and decide what you like to work with. For instance - sandies normally win for flemish - but I'm working with light gray. Why? I like light gray and am not a big fan of sandies. So what if I don't win as often? I still enjoy it more on a daily basis. (I'm just now getting into torts and broken torts for holland lops cause I love them).
10. should i have someone who will work with me?
I would have a mentor - yes. But someone who works "with" you? As in shares the rabbitry? Why would you want that? The only reason I can think of is that it would give you more $$ for buying stock and supplies. That doesn't mean you won't find breeders you like and want to buy from/trade with, etc. But I don't think I'd like to have another breeder (even an experienced one) as my partner.
11. if you said yes to number 10, how many rabbits should we have if we live at too different locations?

12. inside or out?
I personally prefer inside - but that is what I do.
13. how much time and work is really involved?
Ha. Depends. When we have a litter of babies - a minimum of an hour a day is spent with the litter(s) for socialization - at least once their eyes open. It takes extra time to clean up after them too.

My herd are also my "pets" - meaning I try to spend time with them playing with them on a regular basis and just going in and talking to them and petting them.

Work is work....I'm not going to try and tell you its all fun and games or its always easy. It isn't. But put on some music and dance while cleaning cages...tell yourself its worth it for the joy of working with those bunnies.
14. how much money should i set aside for starting up, like rabbits, cages, that stuff?
Considering you're going to need cages, water bottles, food and the rabbit...I'd budget at least $100 per rabbit. Sure - you can buy a "cull" bunny for $10 or $20 that someone says is "showable" - but is it really? More on that below.
15. how much money should i set aside for feed per year for the recomended amount of rabbits?
It depends upon how many rabbits you're going to have.

16. overall would you say it is worthwhile?

In a heartbeat.

thank you for , first, reading all those , second, for taking the time to help me.

thanks again, Katie and her faithful bun, lulu

p.s. any websites of pedigree sellers in WI or just info that would help answer some questions is welcome and appreciated. :bunnybutt:

I'm about to share some things that are probably going to get me flamed...but that is ok. I've learned the hard way...and perhaps I can save you some time, money and heartache.

If I had it to do over again - I would never EVER buy a rabbit for my herd without first attending a show and putting my hands on the rabbits and having other breeders who actually breed that breed - explain to me what it is that I am looking for.

I also would want to look at rabbits from SEVERAL breeders - not just one or even two. Sure - the breeders are nice - we're all nice - and we all like to make a sale. But the fact is...you're not out to make friends right now - you're out to get your own herd of rabbits and that means that you need to know what you are looking for.

So don't buy a rabbit until you've seen it - and preferably not until you've seen different breeders' rabbits all at the same time and someone has explained to you what you need to look for in that breed of rabbit.

Secondly - I want you to repeat this to yourself every day until you believe it and mean it.

Are you ready?

[align=center]When it comes to buying a rabbit - the pedigree and the names on it are "worthless".

[align=left]I'm sure that wasn't a very popular statement - but that's ok. Let me explain what I mean.

I looked at some rabbits this weekend. One of them said on the "for sale" sign..."Out of XXX lines". Now I understand that this was something most holland lop breeders might know about - so I asked them - and yes - they knew those lines.

But here was the kicker...that rabbit was NOT show quality at all. The crown was horrid - the shoulders were weak and the rabbit was cowhocked.

I can take an awesome rabbit - breed it to a piece of junk - and get junk rabbits but still say they're out of "XXX lines".

Well maybe a generation or two ago they were...but now?

THE ONLY TIME you should consider a pedigree is after the rabbit has passed your hands-on test and you are ready to consider it. Then - if you've had enough experience with different lines - you might have an idea of how they'll work with your lines - but that is at least a couple of years down the road.

Here is the important part to remember...I am NOT saying that a pedigree is worthless. It is very valuable when it comes to registering your rabbit and building your "legs" and "championships". But for BUYING a rabbit - that should not influence your decision until you have examined the rabbit hands on and know its strengths and weaknesses.

Finally - I want to get into the whole "Showable" aspect of rabbits.

I'm going to give you a couple of examples.

I have a litter of flemish giants here - well - two litters. One litter I know is not showable because they have poor support for their ear base and their ears are lopping. I would NEVER sell those rabbits as showable.

BUT - in the other litter - I have some that are free of disqualifications - therefore they are "showable" to some breeders - but I would not sell them as "showable" because I know of a weakness either that they have finer bone than they should or they have what I consider a major fault even if it isn't a disqualification.

What you need to understand is that when someone is selling you a "showable" rabbit - they mean it is free from dq's. It doesn't necessarily mean that they would win or even do well on the tables.

This is why it is important for you to know the standard - have several breeders explain their interpretation of important features - do hands-on work, etc.

I hope I haven't discouraged you - but these are some things we often neglect to tell newer breeders and I so wish now that I had known these things before.

I had to make some tough decisions about my own flemish herd over the weekend - realizing that I need to retire some of them (even though they could give me babies) - because the quality they can give me isn't the quality that I want/need and I'd just be producing "junk quality" babies when it comes to showing, etc.


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[Blaze_Amita]

Peg, what you said is not offense in any means, I wish i had, had that information before i started. now I know when i'm looking at rabbits to type and hands on.

 

[TinysMom]

I look back now at many decisions I made - sometimes based on "X lines" and sometimes based on "ooh..this breeder is so nice to help me. I 'ought' to buy from them."

OUCH.

This weekend I made the heartbreaking decision to NOT breed Hermes anymore because I realized he not only hasn't grown into the "type" of rabbit I need - but he has poor ear control and that passes on to his kids.

Based upon the judge's comments and other breeders - I realized that breeding Athena wasn't a wise decision for my lines also.

In addition, I know Sophia has a hard time getting pregnant - but I saw what I believe are her littermates and they're AWESOME. So I know I can work with her to get her "showable" - but that breeding from her probably isn't a good decision. That is especially true when I remember that Calypso and Harmony are SO MUCH better.

So I've decided that for breeding only - I will use Mercury, Calypso and Harmony. As much as I LOVE Nyx - I really don't want to bring black into my lines. I also don't want to work with light gray or steel or white.

So I will probably show Nyx but not breed her.

However, it took me going to the state show (and thinking I'd be going to Nationals in two weeks...HA HA...no way will I go now and try to compete) - and seeing the other flemish and getting over my "barn blind" issues to really see what my flemish were like and to make these important decisions.

The upside is - I got to meet several holland lop breeders and they helped me pick out the start of my holland herd. They taught me the various things I need to look for and they all checked over each animal (three different breeders) and gave me their opinions. They steered me away from a buck that was from "XXX" lines because he was really a "junk" bunny as far as showing goes and helped me find a somewhat promising buck. They would have liked to see me get one from Mary Crawford who has awesome animals - but her bucks are $150 and up. So they encouraged me to work with this trio - save my money - and buy a new buck next year or maybe this fall.

I am so excited about this new breeding project because I feel like I'm going into it the "right" way for once.

 

[bearbop]

1. How many should i start with?- Well hey buddy, well i think that u should start with three, or four three and four are really good numbers.

2. What is fair for me to pay for pedigree stock?-

3. What size and kind of cages should i have?- Well i think that u should get a hutch like big enough for the baby rabbits to grow. but maybe just medium sized rabbits.

4. when to breed?- Well you should breed the rabbits during April, they are old enough to show and sell at the county fair and the arba shows

5. what all to bring for shows?- Brushes, Water bottles, food dishes, food, water

6. how to show?- make sure that u place them correctly on the table and make sure that they look there best

7. what to sell young for?- well it depends on how well they are, pedigreed should be 20.00 and non pedigreed should be 10.00

8. how old should they be before i first breed?- about a year old

9. what colors are best in the shows and to produce?- all of them

10. should i have someone who will work with me?- yeas because it is obviously me. lol

11. if you said yes to number 10, how many rabbits should we have if we live at too different locations?- are u talking about me? maybe each 6 rabbits

12. inside or out?- you can do both

13. how much time and work is really involved?-it depends on how much rabbits u will have

14. how much money should i set aside for starting up, like rabbits, cages, that stuff?- as much as u can

15. how much money should i set aside for feed per year for the recomended amount of rabbits?- 40-50 dollars

16. overall would you say it is worthwhile?- yes even though i am just starting

 

[Katie Kay]

Thank you to everyone who responded and i will have time to post more questions later. keep responding

-katie

 

[Silver Star Rabbitry]

"What is fair for me to pay for pedigree stock?"

Depends on what quality rabbits you want to start out with. Anywhere from $15 to $150

"How many should i start with?"

You need to start out with a trio or two bucks and two does.

"What size and kind of cages should i have?"

Wire bottomed cages. They are the easiest to keep clean.

"what all to bring for shows?"

Cary cages, water and food dishes, brushes, pedigrees (just in case you end up selling one)and a grooming table

"what to sell young for?"

Depends on what quality they are and what quality their sire and dam are. $10 to $150

"how old should they be before i first breed?"

6 months.

"how much time and work is really involved?"

Alot of work is involved, especially if you are showing them but I believe that it is all worth it.

Good luck!

Emily

Silver Star Rabbitry
Raising and Showing Quality Silver Marten Rabbits in North Louisiana.

http://silverstarsilvermartens.webs.com/
http://silverstarrabbitry.blogspot.com/

[email protected]

 

[pamnock]

I would highly recommend joining ARBA and purchasing the Official Guide to Raising Rabbits and Cavies. It's packed with info that will help to answer all your questions. You'll also find the Standard of Perfection a "must have" because it contains judging specifications for all the breeds.

Also, there's a few copies of Rabbit Production currently on Ebay for about $20. This is a rather expensive book, so you might want to check those auctions out. Rabbit Production (Cheeke) is considered to be the rabbit breeders "bible".

 

[bearbop]

Katie Kay, how are u? did u find what we are looking for