I have a book where the author says that he butchers his rabbits at eight weeks. Somewhere else I saw someone say ten.

I have six bunnies closing in on twelve weeks, and they still look like, well, bunnies! I feed them corn, alfalfa cubes, and all the fresh green grass and clover they can handle. I would estimate that the kids weigh about 2 1/2 pounds right now. When should I butcher them?

Thanks,

-- chuck in md (woah@mission4me.com), May 08, 2002

Answers

Chuck, If your kits are out of meat rabbit stock they should easily be 5- 6 pounds now. I expect my bunnies to make 3-5 pounds by 10 weeks. Mine a fed a prepared rabbit feed from a local mill and supplemented with hay (to help prevent diarrhea). It is often said that the bunnies are made in the nest box...meaning if the does feed them well and they are started well they will grow. If you have a doe that doesn't milk well your growth can be slowed. Denise

-- Denise K. (Rabbitmom2@webbworks.com), May 08, 2002.

Maybe they aren't from meat rabbit stock. I don't know the difference between a meat rabbit and a veggie rabbit. :-0 Can I still eat them?

Chuck

-- chuck in md (woah@mission4me.com), May 08, 2002.

You can eat any kind of rabbit, but the meat rabbits (New Zealands & Californians mostly) produce the best ratio of meat/bone. How big is your doe? A meat rabbit doe will weigh from 8-10 pounds usually, sometimes a little bigger. If the doe and buck are in the 8-12 pound range, you've got meat rabbits! :-)

If that is the case, and your 12 week old bunnies only weigh 2 1/2 pounds, they they are not growing as fast as they should. What is the protein content of the alfalfa cubes? They should be freefeeding on at least 16% (I prefer 18%) protein.

Regardless of the weight of the bunny, if you wait past 12 weeks to butcher them, they will start getting tougher. I usually butcher mine at 9-10 weeks. Although lately, I've been selling all the bunnies my does are producing at 4 weeks - weaners! My DH is starting to grumble because he doesn't have any rabbit liver in the freezer! :-) I guess I'll have to save him a few......

-- Cheryl in KS (klingonbunny@planetkc.com), May 08, 2002.

I would bet they are just pet type bunnies .Eat away ! If you are looking for Bunnies for meat do youself a favor eat all you have now and look for some meat breeds , New Zealand or Californains.The feed to meat radio will be much better .I plan on meeting a friend sometime soon from Md .I have 1 litter born today and 3 more due

or an Amish friend has them for 5.00 .I am in Northern Ny and would be willing to meet you half way in Syracuse if you could not find any local.

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@hotmail.com), May 09, 2002.