Rabbits: breeds and planning

In short

• One breeding doe gives roughly 20 kg of meat a year (3–4 litters). For a family of four that usually means 2–3 does and one buck.
• Allow 4 m² per doe (hutch, buck, growers, walkway), 180 kg of feed per doe (greens included; growers and buck separately) and half an hour of work a week.
• For meat the best choice is medium breeds (New Zealand White, Californian, Vienna/Beveren types) and their crosses.
• Heat above ~30 °C (86 °F) is more dangerous than cold. Plan shade and airflow before the hutches.
• Vaccination against myxomatosis and RHD (where a vaccine is licensed) and at least 30 days of quarantine are a core part of the plan, not an extra.
• Buck and doe live in separate hutches; the doe is taken to the buck only for mating.

What's inside

Chapters

1. Why rabbits on a homestead
2. What you want from your rabbits
3. Breeds
4. How many does
5. The buck: your own or borrowed
6. How you will keep them
7. Buying: who from and what kind of rabbits
8. What must be ready before the first rabbit
9. Site, climate and neighbours
10. Paperwork and duties
11. Cost and work
12. The first-year plan
13. Common mistakes
14. Printable checklist

Worksheets

• Rabbitry calculator
• Start-up cost
• Comparing breeds and sellers
• Rabbit register
• First-year plan