I have to confess something. My rabbit operation is teeny. Other backyard rabbitry owners say that 20 does is small, and mine is miniscule in comparison. I have three does right now, and two unrelated bucks In Springfield, Missouri. Last year was my first season breeding, raising, butchering, and all of that. The image is of my breeders, our family pets. They aren't food, their offspring are.
I don't have room for more than three working does and two bucks because I am housing them in a small storage shed in my apartment's back yard on a piece of rental property in the city. Yes, they have plenty of light, fresh air, fresh greens, outdoor run time, and so forth. I think meat tastes better if it comes from a pampered and happy animal. :D
I still provide enough rabbit meat, fur, and goods for my family, friends, and enough to sell a little of both dressed out rabbits and live breeders/pets throughout the year. I use every part of the rabbit, as we believe that is disrespectful to the animal's sacrifice if we do not do so.
One of the main reasons we got into rabbits (and farming) here in the city (besides it being my passion to support my family with my own two hands), is to be an inspiration and living proof to those folks who say they would like to grow their own food, but don't have the room, money, or time. It also doesn't hurt that I know just precisely what is going into my food, so I'm assured of the safety of my family's diet.
Is there a prize for world's smallest functioning rabbitry? *laugh*
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Comments: 20
Loved the bunny barn!
I admire what you're doing. I've thought about something similar with chickens for years - I think it's going to be part of my community life when I finally get my long-life intentional co-housing community going.
As both an omnivore and an animal communicator, I've got a lot of exploring and balancing to do. Since I also communicate with plants, mountains, machines etc - I know that everything we use without respect, brings us some form of disharmony. We are one with everything - God eats God, whether it's us eating a plant we can also have a communication relationship with, or whether it's various life forms eating us....
I'll be interested, sometime, in hearing how you have resolved the pet / meat conundrum.
People who keep carnivores as pets, do invest, of course, in butchery of other animals in order to keep their carnivores fed.
What a world we live in.
My cousins live in a very small town in NC; they hunt and trap rabbits to use in Brunswick stew.
What do you do with the rabbit waste? Not left over but the droppings? They are great for fertilizer and you might be able to sell that too.
The breeders are our pets until they stop being productive, then they become meat like everyone else if we cannot sell them as pets to new homes where they can live out their lives being loved and cherished. The pet/meat conundrum resolves in my mind as eating an animal that has had more joy and love than the others we usually butcher. One confusing day at the end of a perfect life isn't something I would complain about. *smile*
When I pass from this realm, my fondest wish is to be tossed out in the woods somewhere where my empty shell can nourish the wildlife and the planet. *nod* It is a circle we participate in, an ever-turning wheel of growth and life.
1+1=10 *chuckle*
This time we have three gravid does! At elast we have enough grow out cages for the babies once theey are weaned! (I hope)
HGM Moya, I do ship rabbit meat if it is requested of me. Of course, I don't sell the meat itself, I sell something else, and the meat comes as a "bonus gift", But that is just to save us huge fees for lisencing and inspections, which not only can we not afford right now, but that are also unnecessary due to how clean our entire processes are. I butcher for my own use for my family first and foremost, so health and leanliness is of utmost importance to us.
Cool, We do sell the rabbit manure as fertilizer, as well as feed it to the worms we raise for making vermicompost. The urine works well as a fertilizer as well on salt tolerant plants when watered down properly. Excess liquid gets dumped on our compost heap and helps with nutrients as well as adding necessary moisture for the decomposition process.
Everyone; Thank you for the coments!