We need to install drainage and moisture control in the basement under out barn. Which got me thinking of what we could do with the extra ~600 square feet we'd be creating.
So, the current plan is to raise rabbits (for meat, primarily).
Further, since there will be a capital cost involved in setting up a rabbitry, we're looking to sell shares. Obviously, there are a lot of details to work out in terms of how that all works, so I'm posting this to see how much interest there is, so those who are interested can start deciding the direction of this project.
Rabbit is a pretty high-grade meat, and sells for similar prices to the better cuts of beef (eg, $12-18 per pound). Rabbits grow to size quickly and, well, breed like rabbits, so they offer a very high meat / cost ratio. We have room for about 50-60 cages, and we should be able to easily get eight harvests per year (since we'll be doing it indoors, where the extremes of weather in the winter and summer won't influence production).
Rabbits are also not subject to NH or USDA inspection, so the profit margin is much higher (selling to a processor grosses a few dollars per rabbit, versus $25 retail for a dressed carcass). Rabbits are rather delicate animals, so it's extremely easy to dispatch them humanely, which was an important factor, as well. They also dress out well, so processing them ourselves will be relatively easy, yielding both meat as well as pelts.
In addition to the co-owners being able to get rabbits for their own table, we already have interest in occasional purchase from several others, and we haven't even advertised, yet. We'll be contacting local restaurants, as well, as a potential market.
We're actually looking to start with a few rabbits, this winter, even though the rabbitry won't be finished-off until next spring/summer (the initial few will live in our enclosed sun porch). So we're hoping to find out who may be interested, in order to hammer out the agreements between the co-owners, before we get started purchasing rabbits and supplies.
Joe
Sounds cool. Hope your business is hopping soon. :icon_albino:
Yes, please let Joe or I know if you have any questions... he's doing the calculations as to what it will cost to outfit the barn basement, and I'm doing searches on CL and FreeCycle for rabbits/bunnies, all-wire cages, and equipment, to help us handle the first few bunnies before we invest in the breed(s) we'll raise for the co-op. If someone was interested in being an investor, being paid back in rabbit meat/pelts/manure until their investment was repaid, that would be welcome as well. Let us know your thoughts... :-) I'm also gathering a collection of rabbit recipes towards an eventual cookbook.
'Silence of the Bunnies'!
According to a book here at the man cave, it's good to raise the rabbits so their droppings can fall into worm bins below. The worms love it, and worms are another potentially profitable source.
Yup, rabbit manure is excellent fertilizer, and worms love it.
However, we're planning on something a bit large to have it directly fall into worm bins - the manure will fall onto trays on the floor, from where it can be transferred to worm bins, or bagged and sold as fertilizer. Based upon the estimates we've seen, we should have about 50 pounds per week, give or take.
Joe
(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh68/FreeRevolutionist/bunnies.jpg)
Well, it's official... just had the first birth (two kits). And at least one more of the does is pregnant (maybe a second, but we're not certain).
So, this is happening. Slower since we don't have any partners, yet, but it's definitely happening.
Joe
Bender is interested in doing this, but I don't think he's on any forums.
My parents had rabbits for a brief time when I was little, but they hated killing them so didn't do any more. I will have to ask my Mom if there were any other problems.
Quote from: brycen on June 20, 2010, 07:40 PM NHFT
My parents had rabbits for a brief time when I was little, but they hated killing them so didn't do any more. I will have to ask my Mom if there were any other problems.
Yes if you kill and gut a bunch of them in a closed garage
you come out smelling pretty bad.
Quote from: Kat Kanning on June 20, 2010, 04:08 PM NHFTBender is interested in doing this, but I don't think he's on any forums.
Thanks.
I have his phone number, but I'll probably see if I run into him at PorcFest, first.
Joe
Where there's food...there's Bender. LOL. :D
The suggestion I've heard with regards to rabbits is to get the ones with red eyes, it's easier (psychologically) to kill them than any of the other ones. But I guess that depends on the person. Some people would find even a rabbit with red eyes too cute to kill.
Lex-
We have a mix of rabbits at the moment (a 1 y.o. white buck with red eyes, a 5 m.o. white doe with pink eyes, a 5 m.o. white doe with blue eyes, and the brown doe with dark eyes seen in the pics). We'll be looking to move to a purebred type that is on the large end of the medium breeds, but with finer bone for easier meat (the primary one we are considering has beautiful coloring, so would also be readily sold as pets in addition to being sold for meat), once we have things up and running / cash flow to switch over our herd. I don't think we'll have any emotional consequence with the operation, as rabbits are rather tasty. :-)
-D
FYI, we should be picking up a number of rabbits this week from a rabbitry that's closing.
We'll have more than we can properly house, so some will be ready for almost immediate sale.
Joe
Do you plan to sell dressed, or just live? Either now, or in the future.
I like rabbit, but if I brought one home that wasn't wrapped in butcher paper, it would have a name and bows on its ears while I was still sharpening the knife.
Quote from: KBCraig on July 11, 2010, 09:30 PM NHFTDo you plan to sell dressed, or just live? Either now, or in the future.
I like rabbit, but if I brought one home that wasn't wrapped in butcher paper, it would have a name and bows on its ears while I was still sharpening the knife.
We'll do live (some of the neighborhood kids have already asked if they can buy them as pets), dressed carcasses, as well as just meat. Probably also some products, like sausage and the like. Obviously, the price varies, depending upon the labor investment.
Joe
Note: we do have the rabbits with us up here in G, if anyone is interested in live or dressed rabbits...
Quote from: PassionatePantherrr on May 07, 2011, 10:28 AM NHFT
Note: we do have the rabbits with us up here in G, if anyone is interested in live or dressed rabbits...
Sudden image of rabbits in suits and ties.
Quote from: CurtHowland on May 08, 2011, 10:08 AM NHFT
Quote from: PassionatePantherrr on May 07, 2011, 10:28 AM NHFT
Note: we do have the rabbits with us up here in G, if anyone is interested in live or dressed rabbits...
Sudden image of rabbits in suits and ties.
Bunny Brothers = for all your fine dress needs.
Quote from: Pat K on May 08, 2011, 10:29 AM NHFT
Bunny Brothers = for all your fine dress needs.
My father bought be a suit from Brooks Brothers. I wish I still fit it, because it looks goooooood. Actually, it's just that the pants are a couple of inches too small, I should look into finding a real tailor and see if there is anything they can do.
On the other hand, it makes me look like a banker. Never mind.
We could do that.
We'll have them dance a jig, if you pay enough :)
Also, we just did another round of price-comparison, and we're still middle of the pack in terms of price. But ours are higher quality, so the value is even better (most suppliers feed their rabbits soy-based feed because it is cheap; we custom-mix feed from a variety of grains and grasses to provide better nutrition for our rabbits).
Joe
cool
Beware:
http://biggovernment.com/bmccarty/2011/05/20/family-facing-4-million-in-fines-for-selling-bunnies/ (http://biggovernment.com/bmccarty/2011/05/20/family-facing-4-million-in-fines-for-selling-bunnies/)
Quote from: jerryswife on May 22, 2011, 09:44 AM NHFT
Beware:
http://biggovernment.com/bmccarty/2011/05/20/family-facing-4-million-in-fines-for-selling-bunnies/ (http://biggovernment.com/bmccarty/2011/05/20/family-facing-4-million-in-fines-for-selling-bunnies/)
QuoteIt's an understatement to describe the Dollarhites as being "beyond surprised" when, in the fall of 2009, a female inspector from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed up at the front door of the family home, wanting to do a "spot inspection" of their rabbitry. She said she had come across Dollarhite Rabbitry invoices while inspecting the petting zoo at Silver Dollar City.
"She did not tell us that we were in violation of any laws, rules, anything whatsoever," John said, explaining that the inspector said she just wanted to see what type of operation they had. Having nothing to hide or any reason to fear they were doing anything wrong, the Dollarhites allowed the inspection to proceed.
Oops. Why people who value their rights and freedom should never allow gooferment officials on their property without a warrant. Even with they have 'nothing to hide or any reason to fear they are doing anything wrong'.
From some of the rabbit raising mailing lists that I'm on, there were several things that they unknowingly did, since they didn't study the legal aspect in advance... They were selling as pets (not as livestock), selling more than $500 gross per year, they sold across state lines, and they sold to pet stores/petting zoos. We currently raise primarily for our own use, sell a few locally as livestock, and barter/swap others directly for other rabbits/etc. It's always good to know what you're getting into ahead of time to avoid problems...
http://bobmccarty.com/2011/05/24/family-refuses-to-pay-90k-fine-for-selling-rabbits/ (http://bobmccarty.com/2011/05/24/family-refuses-to-pay-90k-fine-for-selling-rabbits/)
Paying a USDA fine of $90,463 by close of business Monday would have allowed John and Judy Dollarhite on Nixa, Mo., to put their "crime" of selling too many rabbits in a single calendar year in their proverbial "rear-view mirror." Instead of paying an exorbitant fine for violating an obscure USDA regulation (not a law), the Dollarhites decided to fight back.
bureaucrats breed like rabbits by you studying their laws and paying their fines
Quote from: Russell Kanning on June 10, 2011, 03:23 PM NHFT
bureaucrats breed like rabbits by you studying their laws and paying their fines
Indeed they do, but they are sometimes scary rabbits with fangs....or maybe I've been watching too much Monty Python.
Updates:
6/13 http://bobmccarty.com/2011/06/13/rebel-rabbit-raisers-expect-usda-visitor-today/ (http://bobmccarty.com/2011/06/13/rebel-rabbit-raisers-expect-usda-visitor-today/)
6/23 http://bobmccarty.com/2011/06/23/missouri-man-not-happy-with-revised-usda-offer/ (http://bobmccarty.com/2011/06/23/missouri-man-not-happy-with-revised-usda-offer/)
6/27 http://bobmccarty.com/2011/06/27/animal-rights-activism-fuels-usda-rabbit-chase/ (http://bobmccarty.com/2011/06/27/animal-rights-activism-fuels-usda-rabbit-chase/)
7/18 http://bobmccarty.com/2011/07/18/missouri-rabbit-raiser-responds-to-usda-proposal/ (http://bobmccarty.com/2011/07/18/missouri-rabbit-raiser-responds-to-usda-proposal/)
7/19 http://bobmccarty.com/2011/07/19/roy-blunt-sides-with-usda-against-missouri-man-facing-up-to-4-million-in-fines-for-selling-bunnies/ (http://bobmccarty.com/2011/07/19/roy-blunt-sides-with-usda-against-missouri-man-facing-up-to-4-million-in-fines-for-selling-bunnies/)