Wondering how you can grow your own healthy sustainable rabbit meat in a small garden? Growing your own rabbits for meat involves choosing the type of rabbit, providing a great home, allowing them to express their natural behaviour and humanely dispatching.
Whether or not it is worth it is up to you. There is work involved, but the reward is your own low cost homegrown meat free from chemicals, hormones and packaging with zero food miles.
In this post we will lay out exactly how to grow your own rabbits step-by step. So that you can enjoy your own tasty fresh meat.
How to Grow Healthy Sustainable Rabbit Meat in a Small Space, Is it Worth It?
Step 1: Choose the type of rabbit
The first crucial step in rabbit farming is selecting the appropriate breed for your needs. Consider factors such as size, temperament, and meat quality.
Popular meat rabbit breeds include
- New Zealand Whites,
- Californians,
- Chinchillas,
- Rex and
- Flemish Giants.
Research each breed’s characteristics to ensure it aligns with your goals.
Step 2: Provide a great home for your rabbits
With housing, create a comfortable and secure environment for your rabbits. Construct or buy a well-ventilated hutch or cage with ample space for movement.
In the wild, rabbits rely on hiding as a primary defense mechanism against predators. They seek shelter in burrows or dense vegetation. It is important to provide hideaways or enclosed spaces in their enclosure that can make them feel secure.
Ensure proper bedding, nesting areas, and protection from extreme weather conditions.
Additionally, establish a balanced diet for your rabbits, incorporating hay, pellets, and fresh vegetables. Regularly monitor their food intake to maintain optimal health.
Step 3: Allow your rabbits to express their normal behaviour
It is important when breeding rabbits for meat that they are able to express their natural behaviours.
Rabbits need:
- Space to exercise and move around ideally on grass
- Chew toys to satisfy their natural urge to chew, as their teeth are continuously growing
- Grooming to prevent fur matting and hairballs
- Space to thump their hind legs on the ground in response to perceived threats or unfamiliar sounds. This behavior signals their need for caution.
- Other rabbits to socialise with, otherwise they get lonely and it affects their mental health
Before you start make sure that you can recognize signs of illness or injury, such as changes in eating habits, lethargy, or unusual behaviors. Provide prompt veterinary care if needed to maintain a healthy rabbit population.
Step 4: Dispatch
When it comes to harvesting rabbits for meat, it’s important to approach the process with care and respect. The dispatching stage involves humanely ending the rabbit’s life.
This step usually occurs around 8-12 weeks of age, depending on the breed and the weight the rabbit has reached. Consider using humane methods such as cervical dislocation or stunning followed by bleeding.
Is it worth it? What are the pros and cons?
Keeping rabbits for meat is a very personal choice. Only you can decide if it is worth it. There is work and cost involved as outlined in the steps above.
The benefits include:
- Chemical and hormone free meat
- Year round meat
- Zero packaging
- Zero food miles
- Full understanding of the provenance of what you are eating
- Animals that have lived a great life with you and experienced a quick and humane end
- Free manure to benefit the garden
If you are willing to do the work and enjoy the benefits, then keeping rabbits for meat is a great way to provide sustainable meat for your family and friends.
Can you keep rabbits for meat in the UK?
Rabbits are like chickens in the UK and do not need to be registered with DEFRA. There is no need for a County Parish Holding (CPH) number.
The main legal requirements are to meet the Animal Welfare Act (2006) which says that all animals in the UK should be given:
- A proper diet
- Suitable housing
- Being allowed to express their normal behaviour
- Protection from and treatment of, any illness or injury
There is also guidance from the government on slaughtering rabbits for small scale suppliers.
How long does it take?
Rabbit gestation is around 4 – 6 weeks.
Then it will be around 8 – 14 weeks to raise rabbits to be ready for slaughter. Rabbits dispatched at 8 weeks will be smaller and more tender for quick cooking. Older rabbits over 12 weeks will be tougher and more suited to stews and casseroles.
What rabbits are best?
There are many different types of rabbits suitable for meat. The best for you is likely to be one that you can get hold of locally. It may take some searching when you first start out. But here are some suggestions to get you going:
New Zealand – Probably the best as they are some of the top breeding rabbits for meat.
Californian
Chinchilla
Rex
Flemish Giant
What to feed meat rabbits?
Meat rabbits should be fed the same as any other rabbits. The basis of their diet should be hay or grass. Grass is often in the form of pellets.
Other leafy greens/herbs or weeds can also be given to rabbits daily. There are many garden plants that they will eat and convert into rabbit dung which is great for the garden.
Root vegetables like carrots should only be given as treats.
Conclusion
By following these step-by-step guidelines, you can successfully raise and harvest your own rabbits for a fresh and sustainable meat source.
Remember to prioritize the well-being of your rabbits throughout the process, from selecting the right breed to providing proper housing, nutrition, and veterinary care.
I would love to hear how you get on with raising rabbits for meat in the comments below.