Rabbit farm co-op

[MaineShark]

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

[Free libertarian]

 Sounds cool. Hope your business is hopping soon.   

[PassionatePantherrr]

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.

[Lloyd Danforth]

'Silence of the Bunnies'!

[MTPorcupine3]

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.

[MaineShark]

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

[Sovereign Curtis]

[MaineShark]

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

[Kat Kanning]

Bender is interested in doing this, but I don't think he's on any forums.

[brycen]

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.

[Pat K]

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.

[MaineShark]

Bender 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

[Scott Roth]

Where there's food...there's Bender.  LOL.

[Lex]

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.

[PassionatePantherrr]

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