Keeping Rabbits

Rabbits are an extremely efficient way of urban meat production but you really have to be harsh here and make the decision that they are not pets. Yes I know they are cute! Both in my family’s village in Cyprus and my grandfather in the East End of London utilised breeding rabbits for food. They are fast to breed, taste great, create ready to use fertiliser and a very good source of protein. 

The reality of keeping rabbits for urban food production is it is very hands on interms of slaughter and breeding management. More historic, traditional methods of getting a few rabbits in an enclosure and letting them get on with it will result in conflict between rabbits especially males. The problem with this method is you run the risk of inbreeding stress and disease. If you are prepared to have a few naturalistic enclosures with a management system of swapping over breeding does and separate areas for young and growing rabbits.

Historically in the UK rabbit was a common meat source but today people find it hard to except. This is why most information for raising meats can be found from North America. A common method of raising meat rabbits in the USA is the cage method. This is an efficient system where rabbits are caged and the cages stacked to allow the manure to fall down to a collection tray where it is used as fertiliser. The benefit of this system is you can keep complete control of individuals in terms of breeding and slaughter. I have to say this looks too much like a miserable life for me and slightly unnatural but that’s my opinion.

I would say raising meat rabbits is a very productive way of producing food I would suggest doing your research and realise most breeding, slaughter and butchery will be very hands on.

The book Raising Rabbits For Meat will give you all the information you need to get started with rabbit farming.