Tag: rabbit

Storey’s Guide to Raising Rabbits

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Storey’s Guide to Raising Rabbits is as essential to the owner of pet rabbits as it is to the farmer raising rabbits for meat or fur. Breed selection, year-round care and feeding, safe housing, humane handling, and disease prevention and treatment are all addressed.

This is the classic, comprehensive, essential reference for all rabbit raisers.

I am a huge believer in rabbits as a sustainable livestock for small homesteads. They have a good feed/meat conversion ratio, breed prolifically, can be kept in small spaces, are quiet, and their manure is wonderful fertilizer.

However, my own experience with rabbits suggests that they are not as easy to raise as some would have you believe. I have had sickness, cannibalism, lots of dead babies, and other problems that it takes time (or great resources like this book) to solve.

If you are serious about raising your own meat source, then you should consider rabbits. My Grandfather raised them commercially in large batches, and I have had some success raising rabbits in a subdivision. Once you get the basics mastered, you can scale up or down depending on your needs.

I think that if you are going to raise rabbits, then you need to own this book.

May 24, 2018
PRN Episode #17 Raising Rabbits

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Tonight’s show s about raising rabbits for meat rather than as pets or as show animals.

I have raised meat rabbits for the past 3 or 4 years, but it runs in my family. My late Paternal Grandfather made his living raising and processing rabbits and quail near Baton Rouge Louisiana.

As prepper livestock, rabbits are hard to beat. They have a high feed to meat ratio, are quite, prolific breeders, and since they are small there is less waste when refrigeration is non-existent.

Right now I am experimenting with rabbit tractors. In the tractor the rabbits are free to graze and breed naturally. We talk about the pros and cons of this. As well as many other issues with the keeping of small livestock in suburban environments.

I find it does take some work. Rabbits take management. The work is worth it. I have a bunch of rabbit articles on this site. Pound for pound its one of the best prepper projects you can do.

The show is scheduled for Monday at 10pm central time at this link.

I have a couple good articles on this topic throughout my site and I believe rabbits are a great prepper protein option.

If you cannot listen on Monday, you can always download the podcast for listening at your own leisure.

May 12, 2013
Recipe: Fried Rabbit Liver

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Growing up I never was a fan of liver, and to tell the truth, I am still not a fan of most liver, but I have started acquiring a taste for fried rabbit liver. I blame my bride for that.

Normally she is helpful, but not exactly excited with my experiments and attempts to videotape our work at learning how to prep and become more self-reliant. However, when I started butchering our animals she became more that helpful. She became quite insistent that whenever I butcher a rabbit I have to fry the liver for her. If that’s all whe asks for, then I am happy to oblige.

Rabbit livers are larger than chicken livers, but the taste and cooking methods are identical. However, when you are handling a rabbit liver you need to be aware of two things. The first is not to burst the green gall bladder that is attached or you will ruin your liver. The second is that since the liver functions to filter toxins from the blood, it is important to only use healthy looking livers. If your rabbit has a liver with white spots don’t eat it.

Pan frying them is pretty easy too. I just rinse the liver off, dredge it in flour mixed with a little salt and pepper, and throw it in a skillet filled with hot oil. I fry for a couple minutes on one side, then flip to finish cooking.

I am sure there are lots of other ways to cook rabbit liver, but this is easy, and the liver is gone before anything else is done, since my lovely bride thinks this is a treat…

December 12, 2011