How to Raise Backyard Rabbits

And, in MY opinion, using rabbits as meat isn't a ridiculous idea. If they weren’t suppose to be meat, then they’d be a plant. And we could still eat them.
My dream is to get land, and make food for my family, and more. The "more" part I plan on giving to the hungry and poor, for free. I mean I obviously can't feed the whole world, but it's the little acts of kindness that matter. So maybe if your against the idea of breeding animals for meat, make some gardens. Of course keep what you like/need. But you could also give, maybe to some families in need that are in your community. Something like that. Instead of beating eachother up about our opinions, let's help those who are unfortunate enough to not have a choice. Let's give them a choice.

Maybe some in this topic should consider arguing against what you really believe is wrong. Animal Cruelty. Donate to animal cruelty shelters, boycott buying pets from petsmart (who supposedly get all their animals from careless money hungry “breeders”), challenge big meat markets and push them to have better, cleaner facilities and animal treatment. Don’t beat down on the small farmer/backyard people. Just because someone breeds animals to make meat, doesn’t mean their cruel.

Animals have survived all this time among eachother by setting boundaries. It was like the Special Law that was never broken. All species that come to my mind set up boundaries between others of the same species, whether they live in groups, or alone. The subject and controversy between vegans/vegetarian humans and omnivour-humans makes me think (as do other many debated, highly effective/important topics) that a political/economical/social/mental, even physical “war” will be apon us if we can’t set our differences aside. Let’s actually learn from the animals that we talk about. If we can set boundaries, where opinions and values aren’t violated and inconveniently opposed of, maybe we can stop this oncoming “war.” Those who don’t grasp the “war” concept, think about it. All of the legal crap that could be done to either side, will just create turmoil and upset. Who wants our children, their children, and so on to live in that kind of world and environment. Everyone has opinions about what’s better and what’s not, what’s right and what’s wrong.

It amazes me how many people have forgotten that we are hunters. While some may choose to live off of salads, that is their choice. Rabbits are a good source of protein and if tanned correctly provide a wonderful amount of warmth in gloves, hats and linings. Just like a cow is steak and leather and pigs are ham and the cute little lambs can be wool or lamb chops animals serve a purpose. Trust me an alligator never things twice about eating us if he's hungery nor a shark, nor a mountain lion.

I love bunnies as pets. I raised a science room bunny for a retired teacher in my backyard free range for several years until he moved on. For a few seasons, he had a little pal who didn't make it through winter. I recently moved to a more rural area with 10 acres and I can't wait to raise a whole big bunny family. I'm liking the idea of using the "bunny barn" method. I think it would be closer to a normal family dynamic. The difference in my big bunny's personality once we got him a friend to play with was enormous. I wonder how I could incorporate the 'free range' concept into the bunny barn practice. Would they return to nest like free range chickens? I will just have to try it. I could stand to lose a few rabbits to the field should it not work as planned. Anybody heard of this idea before?

Obviously, some people have never had their children get hungry and couldn't afford to run to the store to feed them. I have been in that postion before... it's not a pretty picture. We have tought our children to look at animals that were raised for meat as food to survive. So when porkchops, rabbit stew, or what ever the meat was on the table, was something they enjoyed and appreciated. By the way, the animals still were givin names by the kids. These children are grown and have children of their own now. They have taught their children the same way. When pork chops were set on our table, the grandchildren knew that we raised them and always commented as such...."Granny, Arnold sure is good!"

I don't understand why everyone is writing to complain about
this article, I would not write to your local vegetarian magizine
and complain that there are not enough meat articles. This magazine
was started years ago for people who wanted to live off the earth.
If you are a tree huggin, non animal eating type, why would you
even read this magazine. There are plenty out there for you. Leave
us our magazine and stop trying to make our lifestyle something
ugly.

If we're not supposed to eat animals, then why are they made out
of meat?

I think we all need to realize that each person will have pets
as hobbies or be true farmers and raise food. It all depends on
your economic need. Groceries stores overflow with food, but most
have been raised or farmed on the petro-chemicals. Not everyone has
space to raise their own beef or pork that is more acceptable as a
farm animal. This article provides options. Don't get all bent out
of shape that this is not your thing. I have adorible bunnies, but
if I had to feed my family because of economics, they would
suddenly become rabbits and be apart of our daily menu. What about
primates that are disappearing off this planet! Maybe if we
introduce quick breeding rabbits, the other species may make a
comeback because they are all becoming endangered species as they
feed the starving world.

We raised rabbits for years. When the kids were little they had
their pet 'bunnies' and their pet 'bunnies' had baby 'rabbits'. We
ate 'rabbit' meat, not 'bunny' meat. Some of you don't see the
difference between the two. Well, in all reality, there is no
difference. Other than the 'bunnies' had names and the 'rabbits'
were food. Just like the unnamed chickens, geese, turkeys, pigs and
cows. Oh and by the way we didn't name our vegies either.

For historical examples of gentle vegans visit this page and
click the many links.http://www.vegetariansareevil.com/manson.html
Sorry, the URL name is inflammatory, but the articles on Charles
Manson and Pol Pot are very interesting.

This article is appalling and horrific. In no way shape OR form
is breeding OR slaughtering rabbits good for the earth. Get a grip.
This is not an eco-saavy or eco-friendly magazine. The author of
this article & their chief editor must have not taken notice of
the environmental devastation that overpopulation of animals does
to the earth. What about the left behind by products of rabbit
slaughter? What about killing an innocent, loving, intelligent
animal? Have you ever owned a rabbit??More importantly, have you
ever interacted with one? They have the intelligence of a three
year old. Would you slaughter your 3 year old? In my opinion you
should take up a topic that youre familiar with. PLEASE. DO US A
FAVOR!Do you pick up a National Geographic and read about how
deforestation is good for the Earth? No!

To EVey. Abusing dogs, beating them, starving them, forcing them
to fight and suffer their wounds, shocking them with electric
probes and pumping them full of steroids is a FAR cry from caring
for, loving, feeding and eventually killing, in a quick suffer-free
method, rabbits. The only reason you people are getting so worked
up is because when you think of "rabbit" you think of cute tiny
little Thumper the bunny. I have a pet bunny rabbit, a Dutch named
Clover. I also have two pet chickens, a rooster and a hen. My
family raised goats for a time, we never milked them or used them
for meat. I do however eat chicken, and I eat rabbit when my dad
hunts for them. My family raised 3 pigs to eat too. There is a
difference between abusing an animal and eating one. And I applaud
those of you who choose a vegitarian lifestyle, but you should not
think y9ourself better than everyone else for it, it does not make
you the pinnice for holy morality, I know plenty of vegitarians and
one vegan. They are no better than anyone else I know, they still
cheated on tests in highschool, one still drank and drove, one
stole a 500 dollar ring from her mom once. Just because you eat or
don't eat something doesn't make you an Insta-saint.

Rabbits meat is lean and nutritious. Moreover, it takes much
less feed to produce a pound of rabbit meat than it does a pound of
beef. That's worth considering in a world that doesn't succeed in
feeding its hungry.I'm all for raising animals humanely (on
pasture). As for whether we eat them or not, both choices have
implications. For us to eat meat, an animal must die. But should we
eschew meat, a meat animal no longer has a reason for being born or
hatched in the first place. So is a short life better than none?
Maybe not on a factory farm, but perhaps on an intelligently,
humanely managed one.If we all become vegans, what happens to the
panoply of domesticated animal breeds raised for meat? Are they
important as polar bears are important, or black-footed ferrets?I'm
not judging anybody's choices; I just don't see the answers as
simple ones.

Oh Boy... The PETA(People Eating Tasy Animals) members are out,
aren't they?! Backyard rabit raising has been an intragal part of
homesteading for many years & I'm glad to see you publishing
such an article. This is the type of article that helped your
magazine thrive from it's 1st issue.Keep up the good
work!

I am amazed at the comments of some on this subject,you cannot
force others to think as you do Thank Goodness !! We have rights
and free will I raise rabbits and chickens for meat also lots of
vegetables.Humans are omnivores but if you wish to eat only
vegetables then that is your decision and I would not
interfere.

to joyce in florida;you could also place used coffee grounds
(free from starbucks) in your bin of rabbit droppings. i use coffee
grounds directly on/in ant piles to discourage them. it is also
good to mix w/compost. just don't use directly on plants, must be
mixed.

From the responses I have seen to the article about raising
rabbits, I must conclude that all of the people responding
negatively, must be vegatqrians. Because, if they are not
vegatarians then they have no right to talk about the wrongs of
killing animals for food. So, if you eat meat in any form please
refrain from making negative remarks about how some of us get our
meat. I myself raise several kinds of animals for meat and what I
don't raise I buy from a friend. The point of all this is if you
eat meat someone somewhere killed it.

you know i think its funny about how we think food just apears
on the self at the grocery store. Dont you think some one has to
raise it or grow it ??? ...Come on people wake up and smell the
bloody coffee with out the farmer i would say about a 1/3 of the
people would starve because they dont have the basic knowladge of
how to grow foods and to butcher animals. nevermind bites tounge
before i piss off the tree huggers who go to the store and buy the
socalled free food

O.K......one last post. I own a farm which were refer to as a
'barter farm'. There are several small farms (<10 acres) in our
area (Upper Peninsula of Michigan). A barter farm is a concept of
several small farms working together to specialize in one or two
particular crops and/or animals to 'barter' with the others. Some
are good at gardening, others good at raising beef, and others
raise hay and grains. I raise (for the group) rabbits, chickens and
turkeys. We keep milking goats for ourselves, but contribute the
others to the group. We (collectively) live a very good, healthy
life. We have no other common ties (religion etc) other than being
a small farm and sharing the fruits of our labor. I can choose
between a multitude of garden, fruit and meat varieties raised
locally by friends. If I choose to not eat rabbit, its my choice as
is if I choose not to eat green beans.If you dont like it, dont eat
it!!!! If you want more info on establishing a 'barter farm'
community, or info on small scale rabbit raising there are a bunch
of resources. Or, drop me a line, and I will be HAPPY to assist you
in anyway I can. askelfarm@yahoo.comBTW I raise about 100 rabbits
each year. Also 200-250 chickens (plus about 100 laying hens for
eggs and stock replenishment), 25 or so turkeys, and a variety of
water fowl. I get beef and pork plus a wide variety of produce in
trade.WE HAVE NEVER ISSUED A RECALL OF OUR FOOD!!! Eat healthy, eat
happy, and eat locally produced food. Dean
Chapmanaskelfarm@yahoo.com