Breeding Rabbits
Information including Rabbit Breeds, Pens and Care
Well June is half way gone and I'm still running to catch up. Funny how all winter I had nothing to do, and now I have so much I don't know where to start.
AN INTRODUCTION TO BREEDING RABBITS
WHY BREED RABBITS AND RABBIT HOUSING

Cross bred litter of Dutch x Flemish. These will be used for agility and hopping.
For me, I don't eat rabbit, however I do study and raise them in a way that would benefit meat growers and I work with a world wide group that studies rabbit housing for meat sources for 3rd world countries.
What I do as an end product with my own rabbits is agility, hopping and showing on the breed table in ARBA. Don't forget all the movies and popcorn we have shared together. It doesn't matter what you do with your rabbits if they are not housed correctly and costing you an arm and a leg, they are not worth it. So lets start with housing.
KEEPING RABBITS IN RABBIT PENS AND CAGES

A row of rabbit pens. Note that the grass in the pens is left unmowed. The rabbits love the shade and a hiding place. These are 20x20 pens with high voltage hot wire on the top.
I have a Dutch rabbit that runs freely in the yard. She never leaves, and even comes to the door when a storm comes so she can sleep in her cage in the warm dry house. She hates to be handled, she is not a pet. She is a rabbit that knows how to get what she wants.
BREEDING RABBITS AND WHAT TO FEED THEM
I have a friend that goes through 150lbs of rabbit feed a week and has less then 25 rabbits. That's 20.00 dollars times 3 every week. I go through 3 bags a year.
I spend about $100.00 per rabbit pen. So the pens are not cheap, they are however permanent and once built will be there looking new for over 20yrs. That's how old my oldest pen is so I don't really know how many years they look brand new. These rabbit pens are 20x20 with shelter.
BREEDING RABBITS AND MAINTAINING YOUR RABBIT PENS
You will also want to have one extra pen for what is like pasture rotation. You will need to let your pens rest and re-seed just like a pasture. You will want to burn or lime your pens when empty to clean the soil.
DOES AND HOUSING BREEDING RABBITS

2 does that were raised together also are hutched together (one hutch, 2 compartments) and bred the same day so that they can also baby sit each others kits when weaning day arrives. These 2 does and their young will form a family that will take up one pen. The bucks however will be removed at about 3-4 months.
BUCKS AND HOUSING BREEDING RABBITS
BREEDING RABBITS, THEIR KITTENS AND RABBIT CARE

A fresh pen before the rabbits are re-introduced. The circle to the right of the pen is a small water hole where a solar fountain goes to help keep clean circulated water at all times. The down fall of this pen is the ground shelter is to close to the fence. This shelter is where the rabbits WILL dig, it needs a center location.
BREEDING RABBITS AND USING PERMACULTURE METHODS IN DEALING WITH RABBIT DROPPINGS

Outside view of the rabbit hutch, note the baby chicks on the ground. They have a small door leading under the hutch where they sleep and help scratch around all that rabbit poop.
Yes, I know how good it is for my garden. I get enough from the pens I don't need more work. This is me, you can get on your belly and scrape the crap out from under the 16x16 hutches if you want to.
CHOOSING A GOOD RABBIT BREED WHEN BREEDING RABBITS
4 cows eat less then 50. That's about what my neighbor would have had to raise to get the same profits. So if you buy a rabbit for 5.00 at the local sale barn you can't expect to get more then 5.00 out of the bunnies that rabbit produces. If you have 6 bunnies in a litter that's 30.00 and your bag of feed is 20.00 so you are behind 10.00 already. This is not profitable and it is stupid farming.
Even if you don't plan to show, find a pure rabbit breed you like. Others that do show will pay good money for a good rabbit. If you are only breeding for meat, get a meat rabbit you can depend on. These little things will save you heart ache and hundreds if not thousands of dollars as time goes on.
MAKING MONEY THROUGH BREEDING RABBITS

Baby Flemish Giant Rabbits in their hutch
My Flemish Giants start at $100.00 US a bunny, a far cry from the $45.00 US for the cross-bred Flemish at the local sale barn. This extra $50.00 US for having a complete honest pedigree and to have taken the time to have the rabbits inspected and registered, made me $50.00 US per head. Remember, both the sale barn rabbit and my rabbits all eat the same. You make money not when you sell, but when you buy.
HAVING A BUSINESS PLAN WHEN BREEDING RABBITS

Its good to be out of the hutch. This is these bunnies first moments of freedom. As you can see their mother is just happy to be out of the hutch and back home.
Feeding extra rabbits and finding places for extra bucks is not fun and its expensive. I take my extra rabbits to the show with me and they normally sell before the show starts.
When you raise your rabbits in this manner with fresh air, sunshine, grass, clean water, and access to rabbit pellets and corn daily, don't forget the salt. You will have healthy rabbits that cost you almost nothing but the price of the pens and rabbits. You will have more time to enjoy them, less time cleaning up after them, less time feeding, watering, fixing sore hocks and the list goes on.
For those of you who have a negative impression of colony rabbits. I want to let you know that my rabbits show very well, judges are impressed with the over all condition of my rabbits and when told they are colony rabbits, of course they are shocked, they had that bad impression too.
However many of those I show with are changing their minds about giving their rabbits a bit of freedom. I hope you will consider adding rabbits to your homestead as well, and then, allow them freedom to just be rabbits so you both have a much more enjoyable experience.
Please stop by and visit my website for more information on colony raising rabbits.
By Gypsy, our resident homestead blogger from One Sky Ranch
Gypsy's Wanderings Homestead Blog
Did you find this page helpful?
Sharing is a way of saying, "Thanks!"
Follow Us and Keep Up to Date
You can Add your Own Comments and Pages on Breeding Rabbits!
We have lots of pages where you can contribute to throughout this website. We love hearing from our readers, and hope you will be one of those we hear from too. Feel free to add your own tips, comment, and suggestions on breeding rabbits. Do this by using the form below.
Leave a Comment
Do you have anything that you would like to add after reading this page? We would love to hear your thoughts. If you can add additional information to what has been written here you will be adding value to the website! No need to have any special skills - just type and submit. We will do the rest!
Other Comments
Click below to see comments from other visitors to this page...
Pastured rabbits and digging out
Hi, what do you use as a floor, because we lost 1 rabbit as he dug out without a floor. When I use rabbit wire they cannot get to the grass.
Sorry …
Good pens for Rabbits
Good pens for your rabbits! I have beveren rabbits and have just built a large pen too....I agree that rabbits given that extra freedom are happier and …
will my buck kill the babies
i have two does that get along were raised together and a buck .
My homesteading question is will my buck kill the babies if left in the same hutch …
Bunny Bite Not rated yet
While I like the idea and am currently using it. My one year old was bitten on the back of her foot by one of the rabbits. Make sure your kids have …
Rabbits and Predators from Above Not rated yet
I loved the rabbit information you provided.
I am in the process of locating standard Rex's and then I will be off and running. In the meantime I …
Good to know Not rated yet
This is EXACTLY what I had in mind when it came to breeding rabbits (haven't started yet).
People also criticized me for not wanting to do the cage …
Feeding rabbits cabbages, spinach and kales Not rated yet
You can actually feed them on Cabbages, Spinach and Kales - ON ONE CONDITION. You must first dry them. Put them in the sun to loose the moisture i.e. …
Good information on keeping rabbits !! Not rated yet
Thank you for putting excellent information out there.
I have had pet rabbits for years and just decided to raise some meat rabbits. I bought three …
I love this idea of rabbits in an outside pen Not rated yet
I just gave my rabbits freedom this year in a 16x16 outside pen.
Although the rabbits do not have any grass I pick it daily for them. I have noticed …
Breeding Netherland Dwarf Rabbits Not rated yet
I have thought about breeding Netherland dwarf rabbits and now I think I am going to. I have my two females in a large 25' bu 25' pen or bigger as I have …
I think I could do this! Not rated yet
I am trying to find a way to have healthy meat choices and the pleasure of raising my own food. Your site made this easy to understand and do-able! Thank …
Breeding Rabbits Not rated yet
I was thinking of breeding rabbits and both my parents said yes. I was reading up on how to breed rabbits and i know now how to look after them and I am …
Good Information on Rabbits Not rated yet
Thank you so much about the info on rabbits
keeping rabbits outside is great! Not rated yet
I have had my rabbits living outside in a colony pen for about 2 years now,and they are happy, healthy and enjoy life as a natural setting.I can't stand …
My Bunnies Soon coming babies! Not rated yet
I have 2 rabbits that I thought were both girls (of course!)but one was a boy and now the other is pregnant. Here are some pictures... The white is the …
New! Comments
Do you have something of value to add? Leave me a comment in the box below.