Recommended Rabbit Equipment for Your Homestead
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ส.ค. 2024
- As part of the rabbit series for your homestead, this video will be on some equipment we recommend that you have if you plan to raise rabbits for any reason.
We are a small homestead in south central Oregon living the best sustainable life as possible. We raise goats, rabbits, and heritage birds. Follow along as we divulge our secrets to surviving off-grid on solar power and growing our own food.
Vetericyn Hydrogel: amzn.to/2Kr9fpB
Farnam Blue Kote: amzn.to/2HCap3H
Keep up with us between uploads on Instagram: @spragueriverhomestead
th-cam.com/users/SpragueR...
Great videos! I ran across your channel seeking information on feeding rabbits.
OMG. You are informative with fact and options. And you stay on topic without rambling or DRAMA.
THANK YOU!
Now I have to go back and watch all your videos.
I appreciate your honesty about being afraid of PITA people. Just keep doing your thing
Outstanding video! Looking forward to more.
A lot of great information. Thank you.
Thank you so much for all the information you post!
Hopefully it helps you get started and keep healthy rabbits. There is a lot of information out there to sift through.
I just ran across your channel. Im learning quite a bit about Rabbits. Thanks.
Let us know if you have any questions we don't cover 😊
One of my does is very food agressive so those kind of feeder help a lot for sure
Awesome! I am just starting rabbits on my homestead and channel. I subbed!
This is so helpful
I understand that you don't want to reinvent the wheel, and why dispatching might be a touchy subject.
The thing is, because I trust you, because of what you have put on youtube so far, I would rather learn it from you.
We've heard that more and more and are considering a dispatch video. I've got a lot of reservations about it though. I've heard a fair amount of harassment over just the topic of raising rabbits for meat, and after awhile it gets pretty exhausting.
Thanks for the support and faith in what we're teaching. 🙂
i want to start rabbit farming thanks for more information.. im looking to learn.
Thank you.
Thanks for your information.
From Indonesia 🇮🇩
Our pleasure! Thanks for watching!
Another awesome video. Very informative. Comprehensive and efficient information. Can't thank you enough for sharing your love of raising rabbits to others. Been planning raising rabbits for almost two years. Lol. My wife won't let me. Only after I've finished other major projects. Lol.
How do I change my family's mind into eating rabbit.? When I bring up cooking rabbit meat they adamantly refuse to even entertain the idea... 😊
A first start to overcoming any objection os to find out why. We have a major issue in the US of rabbits being painted as pets, instead of the livestock they've been for over a thousand years. In most cases, that seems to be the hurdle, and every person os different on how to get passed that.
Once you can get thdm to agree to just try it, find a recipe your family really likes and substitute rabbit for the meat. To get them to give ot a fair shake, tell them you'll have rabbit for dinner one night that week, but they wont know when.
When I was a kid my mom made beef tongue. We had been telling her how gross that was and we wouldn't eat it. She just went ahead and made it one night, and we didn't even notice. Sometimes you must have to get people out and passed their preconceived notions.
@@SpragueRiverHomestead well said. Really insightful. Lots to plan! In future. Lol.
Lovely info my friend 🥰👍
Thank you! Cheers!
Starting a rabbitry in Ghana, West Africa.
Awesome! Good luck on the start-up.
Thanks for your information
I use to used a dremel tool for my small dog , not sure if rabbit will sit still for this , but haven’t try it yet (I had too many (2 times) cut my dog nails wrong and a little bleeding .
For the weight , maybe put them in a mesh bag with handle and use a digital luggage scale .
Rabbits definitely won't sit for a dremel. If you had a helper who could turn the rabbit over and hold them while you did the nails you might be able to make it work.
A mesh bag would be super dangerous. I have seen rabbits flail and break their backs just usually restraint wraps. I have seen people use small cages to hold the rabbit and use hanging type scales.
@@SpragueRiverHomestead I was watching a woman who breeds angoras and shows them, she spends fifteen minutes plus with each animal every day and the rabbits were so used to it they were just laying there and taking it. I m betting similar could be done if you spent five minutes with each animal every other day (half each day), thus with 12 animals spending five minutes with half the animals every day you’d be spending a half an hour a day holding the animals…. Still a lot of time, but not so much that it becomes impossible, each animal gets brushed several times a week and nails are kept short; and a great chore for the children… cause why have kids if they aren’t taking care of the homestead for you? 😉 😉 😉
What do you think is the best video on dispatching, and where did you purchase the ringer that you use for dispatching. The other product I've heard mentioned a lot is a hopper popper, but I've never used one. Historically, we've used the broomstick method, but I'm looking for options.
Bagdad Railroad Rabbitry - we have a Rabbit Wringer. Search TH-cam as they have a couple of dispatch videos available. We really like the quality construction of ours, and sitting outside for the last 4 years it's still in like new shape (we've done over 200 rabbits with it). Last I looked his pricing has gone up a bit though, and he's changed designs a couple of times. You might check around with local rabbit groups or online (like CraigsList). Sometimes you'll see a used one for sale or a local welder that makes them for much less.
Thanks for the fast response. I love this video.
Love the info thank you!! Haha, and "Peta" people don't own guns so don't worry. If you dispatch one way with your food you may dispatch your enemies with a different method lol. It's simply self-defense.
No, but they are very good at getting laws changed, stealing animals, destroying property and sending law enforcement to harass you. They also aren't as stupid as they appear and tend to watch people for the best time to go in and take animals. We live pretty far out, are almost always home, and live in a county where the sheriff's department doesn't care about animal issues - but I've still had my fair share of harassment.
@@SpragueRiverHomestead I live on the outskirts of Battle Creek, Michigan. I was disappointed at the reaction I got from the employees at my local feed store when I told them I was raising rabbits for meat. Apparently it's okay to raise chickens, pigs, cows, and sheep for meat, but raise rabbits for meat and everybody freaks out.
@@willdwyer6782 pet culture is everywhere. It's sad and a lot of days, disheartening.
Hello, what size Siftomatic feeder do you recommend for adult New Zealand rabbits? I'm putting together a purchase from KW and I'm considering all options in hopes to get this right on my first try.
I came across your page and have found the content immensely informative and you have given me the tools to feel confident to take on raising rabbits. Thank you!
It's going to depend on how you are mounting them and how big your cages are. Our Base cages will allow for a 7.5" feeder with room for a water bottle. We cut the cages to install the feeders and feed from the outside of the cage. If you are mounting them inside, go as big as you can. My dedicated buck cages usually don't have more than a 3.5 or 5.5, because they really don't need much, but the 5.5 gives me room to feed for a couple of days if we need to go somewhere (provided the buck isn't a feed digger). If you can make a 9.5" fit for doe cages, I would definitely upgrade to that. A doe with kits eat a lot.
Thanks for watching!
Sprague River Homestead; thank you for the reply! I was planning on following your 1 Buck/2 doe breeding cycle advice and running the 30x36 (4000 series) stackable KW cages. I can stack these cages 3 high and I feel it will be a nice compact way to start. I plan on purchasing the external feeders and water bottles as well as the castors to make shifting the cages easier. I’m trying to plan for ease of maintenance and cleaning to ensure healthy animals and great husbandry.
Again, thank you very much for the advice. Your videos are very thorough and are a great source of information. I appreciate the time and effort it takes to do these videos so thank you!
Lastly, I do have one final question although it isn’t specific. I’ve watched about 90% of your videos but I haven’t seen one where you address seasons/temperatures and best summer/winter practices. You mentioned living in Mississippi as well as Oregon so your advice (generally speaking) when it comes to weather considerations would be very informative. My ranch is in Virginia so we have mild-ish winters but we do get snow and cold temps. Our summers are hot and humid as well. I keep horses and I was planning on keeping the rabbits in the barn and out of the weather. I was planning on using fans as needed in the summer and possibly heat if needed in the winter. This may not be needed since my 4 horses keep the barn above freezing even on the coldest winter nights.
Question 🙋♂️ Scenario. In the world we live in now, anything can happen. So what would you feed them if you couldn’t get feed for them? What would you feed them? What would you grow? Do they eat a lot
We have a video on what you can grow in the garden to feed the rabbits. We supplement them from ours beyond commercial pellets.
Hello. Can you add a list or video of medications (preferably natural) and over the counter to treat common issues with meat stock rabbits? I saw the video about ear mites, but what are some other things you normally have on hand? Thanks
We did a video a couple months ago about a livestock medical emergency kit. In that video is a section specifically to rabbits.
Do you have links to the resting boards and the other equipment you mention in the video? You mention rabbit supplies but I do not know the names of any rabbit supply companies
The two I order from the most are Bass Equipment www.bassequipment.com/ and Bunny Rabbit www.bunnyrabbit.com/brcom.html. I used to buy from KW Cages and will if they are at a show, but their shipping is horribly slow and communication is non existent. Depending on where you are, you may also want to look at Pointer Hill, Great Northern Cage Company or Woody's Wabbits.
What happens when you go on vacation? I feel I can't start a rabbitry because of the feeding schedule. I have chickens and they can survive in winter for almost a week. Heated waterer and enough feed. Is this possible for rabbits?
What comb do you reccomend for helping with shedding? Just to keep the mess down....
Rabbits are self grooming, so unless they are in a molt I wouldn't brush them at all as it can damage the coat structure. If it's a most, a cat shedding blade works wonderfully and can be found at most any pet shop, online, or at most farm supply stores. I use one in the video about helping your rabbits through a molt.
Otherwise, if you are just pulling the occasional loose fur, place the rabbit on a table, wet your hands and rub them through the fur. Your hands will pick up any loose hairs.
Can you do a video on how to clean the cages? I am just learning about raising rabbits, and am really considering this for our family. I understand the manure can go straight into the garden which is awesome. But is it separated from the urine? Also we are buying a home in north eastern California we do get some snow in the winter and there is no barn do the rabbits need to be indoors? I am thinking Californians may be best for us.
Rabbits don't need to be inside. They do need a dry place out of the wind, but can handle temps down to zero pretty easily.
I can do a video on cage cleaning. I'm behind on filming other requests though, so it may be a couple of months before I can get to it.
The urine question is a bit complicated, and will be of a video I am working on now (out in a fee weeks). There's a number of factors to consider, including how they are housed, what you are feeding and how you are using it in the garden. It's a bit more than I can type out here, but I promise, an answer is coming soon!
Thanks for watching, and congrats on the new place!
Perfect! I can’t wait to see the videos. The property does have a 3 sided horse shelter, which I was thinking about using to house the rabbits. We would need to fully enclose the three sides and make sure the opening isn’t facing to typical wind stream. I still need to think about predators too though.
My biggest worry is watering them in winter when we go away. It's hard to ask neighbors to come over and water them rabbits twice a day... what do you recommend? Renta coop started selling these 2 litter heated waterer. Thoughts? Thanks!
A farm sitter or neighbor is your safest bet. You can sometimes find 4H kids that do sitter work. Check with your local extension service or 4H office.
I don't like electric bottles, bases or deicers for any livestock. The fire risks are too high. They also tend to lull folks into a false sense of security, so they don't check on the critters often enough. Breakers trip, power outages happen, and things sometimes get unplugged accidentally.
When buying a pedigreed rabbit, do you get a paper or something identifying the rabbit?
Yes, the breeder will issue you a paper pedigree showing three or more generations, complete with information on each rabbit (color, weights, tattoo number, registrations, grand championship legs, etc). The pedigree will also have the name of the breeder, along with contact info like phone or email. Information about the rabbit will also be on the pedigree, including date of birth, color, breed, name, tattoo number and any registrations or grand championship legs.
Thanks for watching!
could you leave links to betterson and bluecoat thanks
Both links are in the description of the video now. The Blue Kote is also available in a bottle with a swab. Some rabbits don't like the hiss of the aerosol (they jump), so you may want it instead. We have both on the farm.
Do you think rabbits require salt licks. I have heard both sides. Thoughts?
Alllison Beard - it depends on how you are feeding them. If they are on a commercially made feed the answer is no, as feed companies use a balanced salt/mineral mix when they make their feed. If you are pasturing, feed heavy greens or a heavy natural/all-natural diet then yes, for optimal performance they'll need the mineral/salt spools. Your rabbits will tell you what they need. Deficient rabbits often don't breed well, have small litters, have rough coats and just overall don't look or feel as good. Thanks for watching!
What weight do you put on the pedigree? Is it the weight at point of sale?
Usually I don't update them at sale. I never record weights on animals that aren't Senior age, so if they are Juniors (or Intermediates depending on the breed) their pedigrees have no weight listed for them, but will have all weights for their ancestors. That's pretty standard.
We register most of our rabbits so at the bare minimum there will be a weight from the time of registration. I take weights a couple times a year on everyone and most of the time I actually write them down and update our computer records.
@@SpragueRiverHomestead thank you for the reply! Have been binge watching your rabbit videos!
Im a home brewer looking in to getting into meat rabbits. Would i be able to use StarSan instead of bleach for sanitizing?
In all honesty, I'm not familiar enough with it to say. I would email the manufacturer or distributor and see if its safe for veterinary applications.
Just double checked on manufacturer website anybody who is thinking of using StarSan don't it's not safe for pets
Glove recommendation?
We don't normally use gloves when handling the rabbits. Sleeves yes, gloves no.
Cool video but what about chewing
Not sure what you mean? Strictly speaking, rabbits don't *need* chew items if they are on commercial pellets, as the pellets keep the teeth worn down. We do offer ours pine cones to give them something to play with and chew on, but not all of the rabbits will. Some just ignore them.
Ok cool wasn’t sure about teeth growth and keeping it down
@@jadefire8711 feed should do it. If it doesn't you can offer Willow branch or pine cones, but a rabbit with correct teeth shouldn't need them. Teeth that grow funny are usually due to malocclusion.
Do you vaccinate?
No. There really are not any vaccines for rabbits in the US. The few that are have not been proven safe for meat animals. I'm not a big fan of vaccinations on the whole. We don't treat our other animals either, with the exception of our LGDs who get their rabies vaccinations as required.
I even know vegans who are scared of peta people. They're kooky dooks 😂
A hanging scale lets you "bag" the rabbit, hang it under the scale, wait until they settle down, then read the weight.
It's a sad day when someone scares you enough with their opinion that you have to not do something, even if it's reasonable and acceptable.
Meat rabbits will die at some point in their lives.
Reusable (cloth) shopping bag, hanging fish scale, easy peasy.
If you're going to be on utube then you might want to invest in some audio equipment. The sound sucks. You might also find another place to do your demo other than your garage. What a mess! It's a reflection of who you are.
We have thought about adding audio equipment in the future, but it's not a priority for us. Most of our regular viewers don't care either way. It was snowy and windy outside when we filmed, so the garage was fine for this video. It's a working garage (our other channel on TH-cam), and there was a car in the middle of a complete build. We're not a studio. We actually do real work. It should look like it. If you're watching other channels on TH-cam that look clean and tidy, I'd question their authenticity. Real homesteading isn't glamorous. It's about putting in the work, not showcasing the result. Thanks for watching!
Well Johnny, you are quite a gem. This person is taking her time to share her knowledge that she gained through experience. The least you could do is be polite when giving criticism. That way it comes accross as constructive as opposed to judgmental, which is a reflection of who you are.