So I'm happy today as I completed my tiny rabbit cages and farm. I want to get into farming rabbits; a friend told me it's lucrative, and I thought of trying that out.
I've been into poultry farming before and, honestly, I didn't really love it as there came a sudden surge in the prices of feeds, which led to serious capital losses. Just wanted to try this out.
If you've ever raised chickens, you know exactly what I mean. One day you are making a decent profit, and the next, the price of feed skyrockets, completely wiping out your hard-earned money. After counting my losses from that headache, I knew I needed a livestock hustle that is way more budget-friendly and flexible.
Thatās where rabbits come in. Iām actually really optimistic about this new journey because, luckily, rabbits are herbivores. Unlike chickens that rely completely on expensive feed, I can easily feed these guys with grasses, weeds, and kitchen scraps alongside some pellets.
Another plus is that they don't need a massive space, which is why my tiny setup fits perfectly in a small backyard corner. On top of that, they multiply like crazy and carry their pregnancy for only about 31 days. My plan is just to start small, learn the ropes, keep feed costs at the bare minimum, and grow the business organically.
Building the cages myself was a lot of work and a whole lot of sweat, but I finally got it done. I had to make sure they are well ventilated, easy to clean, and completely safe from predators. Now that the cages are set up and ready, the next step is stocking. Iām currently scouting for my very first breeders most likely one healthy buck and two does to kickstart the whole thing.
This is a fresh start for me, and Iām keeping my fingers crossed. Iāll be updating you guys on my progress, the challenges, the real costs, and hopefully the first batch of babies right here on my blog as things unfold.
For the experienced rabbit farmers here please drop some advice for me! Whatās the one major thing you wish you knew when you first started out? Let me know in the comments, I'd really appreciate the tips!
Well, let me tell you: a few years ago, when I was dating the woman who is now my wife, we decided to raise rabbits to save money for our wedding and the start of our married life. I invested some money in buying cages from a friend, along with a few female rabbits and one male.
It was a lovely experience; rabbits are adorable, but they do require significant care. If the cages are made of metal, their paws can get injured, so if possible, make the bottom out of wood or soft plasticāthough not too soft, or they might chew through it, make a hole, and escape.
Even though they are herbivores, keep in mind that they eat literally all day longāand I mean a lot, especially at night. If I recall correctly, itās recommended to have about 20 to 50 square meters of land planted with feed crops per rabbit; naturally, you can also give them commercial pellets and special feed. Here in Cuba, we used to give them something called "miel de pulga" (flea molasses)āa dark sugarcane molasses that they really love; you could even mix it into their water.
Speaking of water, itās important to keep it available all day, so itās best to have a dedicated water tank for them, connected to those drip-bottle dispensers in their cages.
The females are calmer, but the males can be aggressive; putting two males in the same cage is literally asking for troubleāat least in my experience. Itās funny to watch them jump and kick each other with their hind legs.
A ratio of one male for every ten females works well; any extra males can be used for meat or sold off. They really do reproduce very quickly; you need to observe which females are attentive and which aren't. Some females aren't good at raising their youngāget rid of them after the first litter; don't wait for a second one.
If they are kept in a rural area, mice are your biggest enemies, so be sure to manage that by placing traps and poison near the cages. If the cages are on legs, wrap the legs in sheet metal so the mice can't climb up them.
Is the idea that rabbits are willing to eat a wider variety of foods? Or else won't they be susceptible to the same problem of occasional feed spikes?
Curious to hear how you do with this new venture.
Good luck! Is there a market for rabbit meat in your part of the world? Where I'm from it is more a specialty thing. Most people want beef or chicken.