If you are looking to become more self-sufficient, then raising meat rabbits is a great place to start! And to do that, you have to start with meat rabbit breeders.
We purchased our first meat rabbit breeders from two different people we found on Craigslist so that they were unrelated. With our two females and one male, we were ready to go. (Turns out those two females were actually males!)
But, finding the perfect starting ground was not easy. I hope this guide helps you and provides you with the resources you need to get started.
Let’s dive into everything you need to know about finding the most healthy and productive meat rabbit breeders…
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What Are Meat Rabbit Breeders
To start your own rabbitry or small rabbit operation for meat, you need specific rabbits that are your breeders. These are the rabbits that keep producing meat for you until they need to be replaced.
First, you want to consider how many meat rabbit breeders you want. We started with two females and one male. We currently now have four females and two males. The extra male is in case another male gets sick.
It comes down to, how much meat do you want at a time?
Next, you’ll want to consider your meat rabbit breed. We use New Zealand and Californian rabbits in our rabbitry. However, there are other breeds that may work like Giant Flemish, Silver Fox, and Rex rabbits. Do your research to find out what suits you best.
This is a great place to start when learning about different rabbit breeds.
I suggest getting your meat rabbit breeders from different sources. You don’t want to breed siblings with each other and if they are in the same bloodline in another form, you may still have defects when breeding.
Related Post: How Much Does It Really Cost To Raise Your Own Meat Rabbits?
Where To Buy Meat Rabbit Breeders
We have found that the best place to buy meat rabbit breeders, and the only place we have bought ours from, is through Craigslist. You can also search for local rabbitries or rabbit farms in your area or you could find someone selling off their rabbit from their previous 4-H project.
Other places to look would include a local farm near you. Perhaps they have an ad out in the newspaper, on a community bulletin board, or you find out by word of mouth. Local agricultural programs in schools or county fairs may have ideas of where to find rabbits for sale.
You may also find some online through other sources but be careful of scammers and only trust reliable sources. This site, ARBA, is a great place to look as well. I would not suggest purchasing your rabbits from a pet store.
What To Look For With Meat Rabbit Breeders
First, you want to make sure your rabbit is healthy!
Start with inspecting their eyes. They should be clean and free of goop. Check the ears and look for ear mites. Also, check the feet to make sure they are not covered in sores from cages with wire bottoms.
Also, rabbit teeth never stop growing. Check that the rabbit does not have overgrown teeth, meaning it never had anything to chew on to maintain the length. Check that it has teeth that are growing straight and not twisted or broken in any way.
You can also check their bottom to make sure they are pooping correctly and do not have diarrhea.
Rabbits can sometimes be sneezy, have a drippy nose, and ultimately, have a cold. One mistake we made with our first purchase was that the rabbit was not living in clean conditions. We weren’t around it long enough to notice the sneeze and runny nose it had.
Be sure to see where the rabbit has been living and double-check that it is not sick. Thankfully, our rabbit recovered but yours may not.
Related Post: 2 Easy Animals Every Homesteader Should Own For Self-Sufficiency
Second, you want to make sure your rabbit is young, preferably around 2-4 months old. This is young enough where you can do most of the rearing of the rabbit to ensure it stays healthy and that you know what the rabbit is eating.
Also, if your rabbit is older or past six months, you won’t be getting your full use of it. You may have missed several months of breeding potential. It may also be too fat or have behavioral problems. It’s best to be sure that you are the one controlling its upbringing.
Third, you will want to double-check the gender! When we purchased our first two female breeders we drove quite a distance to get them. Turns out, a few months later when we tried to breed them they were males!
Females sell better than males and sometimes I think people list them as the wrong gender to sell them quicker. But, there is also a good chance it is unintentional.
Rabbits are extremely difficult to sex when they are young. The male and female parts can look very similar. Do your best to learn the differences beforehand and when you are picking up your rabbits, double-check the gender.
Also, pick up on cues from the person you are purchasing the rabbit from. Do they seem to know what they are talking about? Do they have experience in the rabbit farming industry? How long have they been doing it for?
Lastly, consider the option of a pedigree. A pedigree is basically the family tree of the rabbit showing that they are purebred. Rabbits with pedigrees usually cost a lot more money and, in my opinion, are not necessary if your main purpose is raising the rabbits for meat.
If you are looking to see your rabbits, then it may be worth it to find rabbits with pedigrees.
Questions To Ask
Ask the owner of the rabbit what food they are feeding them. You will want to maintain the same food source or slowly introduce them to a new one. Ask the owner to take a scoop or two of their food source for the transition period. This includes the hay they are getting and fresh grass or pasture.
Also, make sure you know the exact birth date of your meat rabbit breeders. This will help you in knowing key information like when to start breeding the rabbit and when to retire the rabbit.
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Well, there you have it! How to buy meat rabbit breeders, where to buy them from, and what to look for!
Let me know in the comments below if you have any further questions about raising meat rabbits. I would love to help you get started!
Kelsey at GoodPointGrandma
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Good tips for those looking for rabbits to use like this. This is waaaaay out of my league, but great that you have info to share!
Thanks, I hope it helps lots of people! (:
I’ve been hearing a lot about rabbits as a great source of protein for preppers. Interesting read.
They are a great source of protein!!
This is like another world to me but I love learning about things that are different from my experiences so I’m really enjoying your posts on these topics! There are so many things that go into this sort of homestead living that I never would have thought about.
Thanks Becky!!