🐇 Raising Rabbits

Why Rabbits?

Rabbit meat is lean, high in protein, and has one of the best feed-to-meat conversion ratios of any livestock animal. A single doe (female rabbit) can produce up to 42 kits (babies) per year, and a small colony requires minimal space and can be housed in a backyard, garage, or shed.

⚖️ Legal Considerations

Backyard rabbit regulations vary by city and county. Always check your local ordinances before beginning. As an example, in Centerville, Utah:

• Keeping rabbits requires submitting an application to the city.
• Maximum of 6 rabbits at any one time.
• Rabbits exceeding the limit must be removed by 5 months of age. This is not a problem in practice, as kits raised for meat are processed at just 11–12 weeks (about 3 months).

Research your own local requirements at your city or county website before you begin.

Recommended Breeds

For meat production, two breeds consistently stand out:

• New Zealand White — The standard commercial meat rabbit. Fast-growing, excellent feed conversion, calm temperament.
• Californian Cross — A cross between Californian and New Zealand. Good muscle development and efficient growth.

Both breeds are widely available from local breeders, 4-H clubs, and small farm supply auctions. Avoid decorative or dwarf breeds — they have poor meat yield.

Breeding

Age to Begin Breeding

• Does (females): Begin breeding at 4 months of age.
• Bucks (males): Begin breeding at 6 months of age.

Breeding Ratio

One buck can service up to 30 does. For a small home operation (2–5 does), one buck is sufficient. Always bring the doe to the buck's cage — never the reverse, as does are territorial and may injure the buck.

Breeding Schedule

• Re-breed does when kits are 2–3 weeks old (while still nursing).
• Gestation period: 28–32 days (average 31 days).
• Retire breeding does at 1–2 years of age; retire bucks at that age as well.
• At a standard 6-week breeding cycle, each doe produces approximately 7–8 litters per year of 6 kits each = 42–48 kits/doe/year.

Nesting and Kindling (Birth)

The Nesting Box

• Use a metal nesting box with a pegboard bottom for airflow and sanitation.
• Add clean straw or hay for bedding; the doe will pull fur to line the nest.
• Place the nesting box in the doe's cage on day 25 of gestation.
• Remove the nesting box by day 35 if no birth has occurred — she may not be pregnant.

After Birth

• Check kits within 24 hours of birth. Remove any stillborn kits immediately.
• Handle kits daily, even from the first day — early handling tames them, making them easier to manage throughout their lives.
• Normal litter size: 4–8 kits. Litters of 10+ can exceed the doe's nursing capacity.

Processing for Meat

Process kits at 11–12 weeks of age when they reach approximately 5 lbs live weight, yielding approximately 2.5 lbs of dressed meat — a full meal for a family of four.

• Fryer-age kits (8–11 weeks) have the most tender meat and are ideal for most recipes. Older rabbits produce tougher but still flavorful meat suited to slow-cooking.
• Rabbit can be used in any recipe calling for chicken — stews, roasts, pies, and slow-cooker dishes work particularly well.

Production Planning: How Many Does Do You Need?

Use this table to plan your colony size based on how many meals per week you want to produce. Each doe is estimated at 7 litters per year of 6 kits each. Each fully grown kit provides approximately one family meal (family of ~4).

Feeding

• Provide commercial rabbit pellets (16–18% protein) as the staple diet — they are nutritionally complete and support consistent growth.
• Supplement with fresh hay (timothy or orchard grass) for digestive health and enrichment.
• Fresh leafy greens (kale, parsley, dandelion) can be offered as treats; avoid iceberg lettuce (no nutritional value) and sweet foods.
• Always provide fresh, clean water — does with kits need substantially more.