What do you feed your rabbits?
I grow rabbits for meat and the only compromise I have seen for feeding naturally this way is slower growing rabbits. So, if meat rabbits are your objective, and you want fast and high production stick with pellets and good MUST HAVE grass hay. If you are homesteading and want to raise your own, take the extra time do your research!
What is the best diet for rabbits with kidney disease?
PELLETS AND NUTRITION FOR MEAT RABBITS. Plant protein is good for rabbits, but alfalfa also contains a comparatively high amount of calcium. High calcium levels can cause urine of a “sludge” constancy and eventually kidney stones. Timothy grass is great, but brome and orchard and any other horse quality hay is good.
How do I get my Rabbit to eat conditioner food?
Start by feeding your rabbit a small amount, such as a teaspoon. Then, slowly increase the feed over the month before its show. As you increase the conditioner food, make sure you decrease the same amount of its normal food so you don’t overfeed your rabbit.
Do I have to feed my rabbits pellets?
But you don’t have to feed your rabbits JUST pellets. Many additions and treats can benefit your rabbits health. Grass hay: In addition to being used by a doe to make her nest when she gives birth, grass hay is great to feed your rabbits daily. It’s high in fiber which aides in digestion.
What should I feed my meat rabbits?
You can also feed vetch, cow peas, and other rich hays. You can give your rabbits dried scraps of bread and crusts; also any kind of vegetable parings and tops they'll eat. You can feed them lawn trimmings and weeds.
How do you feed meat rabbits naturally?
6:148:27Feeding rabbits naturally without using pellets | Raising meat rabbitsYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou can drag them around and they will prefer to eat the grass. And they will over the pellets. SoMoreYou can drag them around and they will prefer to eat the grass. And they will over the pellets. So this can cut your feed bill in half just the simple move of putting your rabbits out into a tractor.
How do you put weight on a meat pen rabbit?
Rolled Oats Mix a teaspoon of rolled oats with a bit of water and you'll have a paste that your rabbits love to eat – and will help your rabbits gain weight, too.
Is raising rabbits for meat worth it?
In about 12 weeks you'll have a large quantity of healthy, lean meat to feed yourself and your family. A trio of rabbits can produce upwards of 600 pounds of meat in a year which is more than a dressed one year old steer. That's pretty impressive.
What should you not feed meat rabbits?
5:2814:40Raising Rabbits - What You Can And Can't Feed A Rabbit - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWhether it's a pet rabbit or a meat rabbit. Cannot eat and what foods we recommend that they do eatMoreWhether it's a pet rabbit or a meat rabbit. Cannot eat and what foods we recommend that they do eat foods that I recommend you never feed your rabbit is going to be cereal or corn based foods.
How do you feed meat rabbits for free?
9:3612:24How we Feed our Meat Rabbits for FREE on the Homestead - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd I just what I do is I give them a big mix. I don't just pop down one thing in their cage. Ever IMoreAnd I just what I do is I give them a big mix. I don't just pop down one thing in their cage. Ever I give them a huge mix of things to choose from because I want to see what they prefer.
How much pellets should I feed my meat rabbit?
An adult rabbit will need 1/4 to 1/2 cup of pellets per 6 pounds of body weight per day. Always consider the need of each individual rabbit's metabolism and its stage of production. Fryers or growing rabbits and breeding does will consume more pellets and generally can be fed all they want.
Which food make rabbit grow fast?
They will also need free access to a quality grass hay, some alfalfa (lucerne) hay and some grains – barley, oats and wheat are all good options. What is this? You can raise rabbits very well on barley fodder. With free-choice hay always available to them.
Are oats safe for rabbits?
Oatmeal. Although feeding rabbits oatmeal won't cause them major harm, it's not an ideal meal. Rabbits need large amounts of Timothy hay, hearty greens, and fresh water—oatmeal does nothing to boost their nutritious diet.
At what age do you butcher rabbits?
Although companion rabbits are capable of living 10 to 15 years, the vast majority of “meat” rabbits are killed at three months of age. Referred to as “fryers,” these baby rabbits weigh only 1.5 – 3.5 pounds. A small percentage are slaughtered at 8 months old or 4 pounds; they are known in the industry as “roasters.”
Do meat rabbits need shots?
Although pet rabbits in the United States do not require any vaccinations, veterinarians in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe routinely inoculate for two fatal viruses common to the continent's wild rabbits: Myxomatosis and Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (VHD).
How much does it cost to feed a meat rabbit per month?
Once your start up supplies are taken care of, the cost of rabbits boils down to feeding them. In other words, for less than $40 a month and probably much cheaper if you really wanted to, you are able to feed meat rabbits.
How do you make homemade rabbit feed?
My Homemade Natural Grain Based Rabbit Food Recipe:6 cups rolled oats.3 cups golden wheat berries.3 cups pearled barley.3 cups hard red wheat berries.3 cups split peas.3 cups black oil sunflower seed.
How do you feed meat rabbits without pellets?
One basic alternative feed is based on feeding alfalfa hay and rolled oats. My rabbits loved alfalfa hay even more than their grass hay, but it's pretty high in protein and in calcium. If you feed alfalfa, you'll need to pair it with rolled oats to get that increased phosphorus to balance out the calcium.
What is a rabbits natural diet?
Rabbits should have a daily diet of mostly hay, a smaller amount of fresh vegetables, and a limited number of pellets. Hay is the most important part of a rabbit's daily intake. Unlimited, high-quality grass hay, such as Timothy, orchard or brome, should make up the bulk of a rabbit's diet.
Can rabbit survive without pellets?
Rabbits can get by without pellets as long as hay and fresh green vegetables are given every day. Avoid cereal/grain mixes (such as rabbit mix muesli) as these can encourage selective feeding, nutritional imbalance and obesity [1, 4]. Providing other objects to chew on is also a good idea.