# ANYONE Grow animals to feed their dogs?!



## MrsWoodcock (Oct 21, 2010)

I found a farm on Craigslist that are selling White New Zealand Rabbit for 1.50 a pound live, or 4 bucks a lb whole. 4.50 a lb in pieces. 

I was thinking, how difficult would it be to get mom and dad rabbits together.... and let them have babies, and be able to feed rabbits that way? or would that be a lil dark.... and twisted lol

To some perhaps, but to me im thinking CHEAP MEAT! and ongoing... cause we all know rabbits....... well .... they sure do love alot. :wub:

haha

Anyone done this? know someone who has? opinions?


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## Verivus (Nov 7, 2010)

I know someone on another forum who grows their own rabbits for their dogs. Honestly it's too much work for me.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Laurie use to grow bunnies...on her site use to be instructions.
I had a source that had great danes, he also raised rabbits, but just recently stopped. His prices were very low! My dogs don't like rabbit so I didn't take advantage of it.


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## BRITTani (Feb 10, 2011)

Well I know people who raise rabbits to feed their snakes...(I'm into those too) and its not as cheap as one might think


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## krystyne73 (Oct 13, 2010)

I have some in the front yard for you to catch lol they are running wild here.


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## MrsWoodcock (Oct 21, 2010)

krystyne73 said:


> I have some in the front yard for you to catch lol they are running wild here.


They are here as well, but they have learned to stay far away from my yard.... lol


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## MrsWoodcock (Oct 21, 2010)

onyx'girl said:


> Laurie use to grow bunnies...on her site use to be instructions.
> I had a source that had great danes, he also raised rabbits, but just recently stopped. His prices were very low! My dogs don't like rabbit so I didn't take advantage of it.


Yeah, my dogs havent had a chance to have rabbit, so i think husband and i are gonna buy 2 live rabbits on saturday, one to make stew, and the other to let max and ruby try it. and if they like it... and we like it... and we can accomodate rabbits and baby rabbits, and financially it is cheaper than buying rabbit meat already skinned and pieced..... i think we will eventually go that route


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## wilbanks17 (Feb 11, 2011)

seems like alot of work, and the cost of raising & feeding them may not be worth it, jmo


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## DharmasMom (Jul 4, 2010)

Rabbits are cute, friendly and have quite a bit of personality. That's just sick. Plus I could never kill an animal for any reason. If I had to kill my own chickens, pigs or cows I would just have to be a vegetarian.


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## wilbanks17 (Feb 11, 2011)

DharmasMom said:


> Rabbits are cute, friendly and have quite a bit of personality. That's just sick. Plus I could never kill an animal for any reason. If I had to kill my own chickens, pigs or cows I would just have to be a vegetarian.


sounds like my mom, she says that all the time


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## MrsWoodcock (Oct 21, 2010)

DharmasMom said:


> Rabbits are cute, friendly and have quite a bit of personality. That's just sick. Plus I could never kill an animal for any reason. If I had to kill my own chickens, pigs or cows I would just have to be a vegetarian.


Yeahhhhhh Im can skin a dead animal. and i can kill an animal who has been shot and in pain. But i cant just out right kill an animal. THAT is where my father comes into play. He is a country boy at heart, has killed many animals for food. squirrels included lol So, IF we were to do this, my father would do the killing. Bunny rabbits are adorable, and this isnt something we have set in stone AT ALL.... this is something that if financially is better, would be an option....


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## krystyne73 (Oct 13, 2010)

I am pretty sure I have seen them for sale on craigslist for sale already butchered for cheaper than it would be to raise them. Plus the cleaning and care ugh I don't like rodents/rabbit poop.


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## tierra nuestra (Sep 8, 2010)

I butcher my older ewes and rams for meat.but you have to have the stomach for it.it seems easy before you actually have to kill the animal wether it be rabbit,sheep or chickens but when you actually have to hold the animal down and either slit the throat,chop the head off it's pretty hard the first few times.be prepared for those cute little bunny eyes and the soft velvety little nose that twitches in fear as you do the dirty because once you start you cannot stop half way and change your mind.its all or nothing.


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## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

We are getting ready to raise chickens this summer. Our main purpose is to have eggs, the surplus of which will go to the dogs, and any chickens that end up being roosters will be raised to size and then processed for the dogs.

And after you factor in the cost of the brooder box, the chicken coop, the fence, feed, grit, feeders and waterers, I could probably have fed my dog premium kibble for about two years. No way in heck is this cost-effective as a means to feed your dogs.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

DharmasMom said:


> Rabbits are cute, friendly and have quite a bit of personality. That's just sick. Plus I could never kill an animal for any reason. If I had to kill my own chickens, pigs or cows I would just have to be a vegetarian.


I agree with this. 

I have a wild teenaged rabbit in my backyard and I am worried sick that it is going to be harmed by someone or something. It trusts everyone, it isn't afraid of people. I could never harm a rabbit. I am actually giving it a little extra food to help it out.


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## Miikkas mom (Dec 21, 2009)

I don’t raise any animals but I do have a garden…..:laugh:

Miikka eats 3 vegetables; green beans, acorn squash, and asparagus. So, this year we have made the garden quite a bit bigger and are going to put in lots and lots and lots of green beans and squash…I think asparagus would be to difficult to grow down here in the desert. We’ll freeze the beans and squash for winter feeds.

I agree with DharmasMom…I would never be able to raise bunnies only to kill them. I like the idea of finding a local farmer though, that does do it.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

My brother raises rabbits. He shows them. And sometimes he has to sell some to become some type of food. Helps defray the cost of rabbit food and bedding. But he does not butcher them himself. 

When I was a kid, I was babysitting three kids, and they said the neighbor kid was butchering rabbits for dinner, could we go over and watch. Well, we are all county people and we all tromped over to watch him butcher the rabbits. 

He smacked them in the skull to kill them, then gutted them and the entrails went into a bucket and lurched about in there. Then he skinned them, and then he took the meat up into the house. It was pretty gross all in all. I could NEVER raise a critter and name it, and care for it, and then kill it. I have often considered buying a beef critter to finish growing out for meat. 

But I would give it a name, and then I would be done. I would have a male gelded beef critter to care for for, good for absolutely nothing but making fertilizer. And when after many years it keeled over from natural causes, I would have to rent a backhoe to dig a hole to bury it. 

I better stick to fantasizing about dragging home deer carcasses that I run over pretty regularly for the dogs. 

I would not judge anyone else for trying it though.


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## JustMeLeslie (Sep 15, 2010)

At one time my dad was raising and using rabbits for meat. It was so hard on me b/c I was always trying to save them. I didn't want him to kill any of them. I went out and fed them, interacted with them. He didn't even have to ask me to I just did it. It really hurt me when he would butcher them. He stopped keeping them after a while though b/c the upkeep was too much it wasn't worth it to him anymore. Plus, all the nieghbor dogs kept trying to get them. They would tear through the cages. I have rabbits and I could never use them for food. I am just saying it's so hard when you name them and take care of them and then have to kill them for meat. It's not an easy task. I couldn't do it.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

I have laying hens only right now. I have raised cattle, sheep, hogs, rabbits, turkeys and broilers (chickens) at one time or another. I can not kill them, but did have them processed for both us and the dogs. Club member raises sheep and I buy the culled ewes off of her for the dogs. I had considered raising rabbits for the dogs, but the cost of processing would make them too expensive.


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## lanaw13 (Jan 8, 2011)

We raised rabbits when I was a kid..... my Dad butchered them and I had to "help". We had our breeder rabbits that had names and we never named the babies.... 
I mentioned this idea of cheap dog food to hubby recently, and he said he's not killing them.....!!


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## CLARKE-DUNCAN (Apr 8, 2011)

I would love to raise my own chickens. But I think Nero would eat them before I even got chance to pluck em!


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

It CAN be cost effective to raise your own rabbits - if you do it right.

Doing it 'right' means breeding aggressively. I used to do a 10 day breed back - meaning 10 days after she kindled I would breed the doe again. In the wild she would be bred the day AFTER she kindled.

It also means feeding as effectively as possible. Rabbit kibble is NOT cost effective - you can create your own mix that if cheaper and better for the rabbits! You can also supplement with Hay and other fresh foods.

And it means doing your research and getting your hands on the best quality breeding stock you can right from the start. You want the best feed-to-meat ratio you can get. Fast growers and efficient eaters make for better cost value.

You can raise them colony style - the rabbits all living together in a large enclosed area. That cuts WAY down on the cost of materials to house them.

You can sell a few to help pay for the ones you keep.

This website: RabbitTalk • Index page is an AWESOME source for info on raising any type of rabbit - meat, pet, or show.

There is also a Yahoogroup for raising colony style and many groups devoted to meat breeds.

Killing them is simple - I have pictures on my website on how to use a broomstick or pipe to do it quickly and painlessly.

Butchering and cleaning them is also easy - MUCH easier than chickens!!


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