Breeding rabbits at home
Rabbit breeding is a popular and profitable activity. Many newly minted farmers are attracted by the opportunity to earn money from breeding pussies at home. This is because, at first glance, these animals are a gold mine for a novice businessman.
Breeding rabbits at home
Breeding rabbits at home is a good idea. With the right technique, this brings good earnings: animals are quickly bred, their meat and fur are expensive, so such a business will cover all expenses in excess in a year. But such an outcome is possible only with the correct keeping and breeding of pets.
In order for income to become a reality at home, it is necessary to learn as much as possible about them before buying the eared ones. Without knowing how and what breed to choose, how to care for pets, how to feed them, where to keep and how to properly breed rabbits at home, you will not earn much money. Failure to follow these basic rules, there is a risk of encountering diseases of pets.
Where to buy
You need to buy animals from farmers who have been breeding for a long time: this gives a wide selection of quality individuals. Also, these sellers are able to give a lot of advice on the care of rabbits and their breeding. Separately, they are able to dwell on the problem of correct breeding of rabbits for their development accordingly. You can ask responsible breeders for any information regarding animals.
For faster breeding, you need to pay attention to the adults, not the rabbits. For adult rabbits, you can more accurately see what breed they belong to and whether they meet all the necessary requirements.
For breeding and raising rabbits, it is recommended to buy more females: one male is enough for 10 rabbits.
Types of rocks
Before buying, you need to decide on the purpose of breeding rabbits as a means of obtaining meat, fur, or both, and on this basis, choose a breed.
Meat breeds
Those aimed at selling meat need meat breeds, which include:
- Russian ermine rabbit;
- New Zealand white;
- Gray Giant.
Breed selection
Breeds for obtaining fur
Those who are aiming to sell rabbit fur should pay attention to the White Down Rabbit. Angora rabbits also have good fur. The fur of the Silver and Vienna Blue breeds is quickly sold.
Breeds for obtaining meat and fur
There are breeds that, when breeding, give both fur and meat, these include:
- Flandre;
- Butterfly;
- Chinchilla.
Pet selection
When buying, you need to pay attention to the health of the animal. The rabbit should have a mobile large body, shiny hair without bald patches. The ears should stick up (not in Fold breeds) and should be pink on the inside. The nose of a healthy individual is mobile, the teeth protrude forward.
The belly should be soft, and the back should be flat, the genitals should be pink.
Cell content of rabbits
Breeding of meat decorative rabbits is mainly carried out in cages.
This method is the most common, since such a dwelling can be installed in any convenient place, while the rabbits will be protected from cold and rain.
Keeping rabbits in cages
Pros of keeping rabbits in cages:
- It's easier to keep an eye on the health of your rabbits. This helps prevent large numbers of individuals from dying from infection.
- It is easier to feed and clean the animals.
- It is easier to reproduce individuals.
- The only acceptable breeding option for obtaining fur: when kept in a single cage, wool does not deteriorate due to possible fights and dirt.
Cage rules
The cages must be protected from rain, snow and wind, otherwise the immunity of the pets is weakened.
The floor is made of mesh: this will help when cleaning. The structure itself should be somewhere 73 × 62 × 45 cm for one animal. The walls of the dwelling are made of wood 1.5 cm wide. Bowls for food and drinkers should be installed in the cages so that the animal can easily reach them without contaminating them.
Keeping cells outside is best only during the warm season. For the winter, it is advisable to transfer the animals to a warm barn.
Content in the pits
The pit method is the closest to the natural conditions of keeping rabbits, and therefore pets in similar ones develop better, reproduce and have a more developed and strong immunity.
To breed about 20 rabbits, you need a deepening of 1 m, the width of which is 2 × 2 m. You don't need to dig holes for pets, the rabbits themselves will do it, but you need to prepare their dwelling: strengthen 3 walls of the hole with wooden boards, leaving only one for the holes.
It is better to keep rabbits in a pit in a basement or cellar. Indoors, it is advisable to make light and place several feeders against the wall. Even in winter, pets will be warm there.
Pros and cons of pit content
Among the advantages of the pit content, it is noted that rabbits feel more comfortable and reproduce faster than in cages. Cleaning here needs to be done much less frequently.
The disadvantages include the following factors:
- Unsuitability if the goal is to obtain fur: in such an environment, the wool deteriorates, becomes dirty and rough.
- Animals mate without human supervision, which is why there is a high risk of bonds between close relatives, which leads to a decrease in the breed.
- Difficult process of cleaning and feeding.
- Rapid spread of infection.
The pit method of keeping is not suitable for places where groundwater flows: moisture accumulates in the pits, as a result of which the rabbits get sick.
Breeding
For successful breeding of rabbits, you need to carefully prepare for mating. First, it is advisable to decide on its type: group or steam room.
The selection of a pair is made taking into account the age of the eared. A male 5 months to 3 years old and a female 9 to 10 months old are best suited. Both partners must be ideal representatives of their breed, meet the standards.
Basic rules for mating
It is easy to understand that the rabbit is ready for mating by her behavior: she becomes overly active, does not eat. The female genitals become very visible and pink. It is advisable to admit to the female only a moderately active, well-fed male, who previously had no more than one mating.
It is the female who needs to be planted, and not vice versa. Before mating, it is important to thoroughly rinse the entire cage, it is advisable to remove all unnecessary from it. After that, a male and a rabbit are put there.
Upon completion of mating, the male falls on its side and emits a squeak or rumbling.
The process is repeated after 5 days, but with a different male. If, during the second mating, the female shows aggression towards the male, she most likely already carries rabbits, and therefore it makes no sense to insist on mating.
Food during mating
Before mating, rabbits should be fed 3 times a day, but not overfeed. Also, a little salt, fish oil and about 2 g of chalk should be added to the feeder. The diet should include barley grains, carrots, potatoes, silage, oats, bran, hay. In summer, it is important to add fresh herbs to the menu.
Pregnancy
Pregnant females have an increased appetite and do not allow males to come near them. Already these signs give a signal to the farmer about the upcoming addition to the farm.
Another way to determine the pregnancy of a rabbit looks like this: you need to take the female in your hands and touch the lower abdomen. If bulges are felt somewhere around 3 cm, the female is pregnant. A similar test is carried out 15 days after mating.
Before giving birth, the rabbit builds a nest and lays bedding out of her down.
Caring for a pregnant rabbit
Nutrition during pregnancy and during feeding should also be varied. Females who are lactating or pregnant should be fed 3 to 5 times a day.
How to feed your pets during such a crucial period? The food should be more fortified than that of other individuals. The diet should include root vegetables, grain feed and vitamin supplements. It will also be beneficial for rabbits to feed dandelion, sorrel, cereals and chalk. You should not give freshly picked grass: the rabbits develop diarrhea. 5-7 days before the birth of the offspring, silage and hay should be excluded from the female's diet.
Fresh water should always be present in eared drinkers.
Content rules
If the pet has no appetite, its coat has lost its luster, and the temperature is above 39 ° C, it is sick with an infectious disease. The first safety measure is to put the infected animal away from everyone else in a separate cage in order to protect the rest of the pets. The next step is to invite a veterinarian to examine the animal.
Rodents often carry common diseases, so when keeping eared ones in the basement, do not leave the food open. It is necessary to close tightly all holes through which mice penetrate.
It is recommended to disinfect the premises at least once a week using special means. Many farmers treat the premises with lime against mold on the walls, but before that you need to consult a veterinarian whether it is safe for pets or not.
From birth, it is necessary to carry out preventive examinations and show pets to a specialist at least once every 6 months. Many diseases are easier to cure at an early stage.
Mistakes of inexperienced farmers
Many novice rabbit breeders make the simplest mistakes in breeding rabbits: they forget to change the water in the drinkers, do not clean the cages at all and do not change the bedding there, do not go to veterinarians for vaccination against diseases, do not know how to handle a pregnant or lactating female, feed the eared ones incorrectly, place cages in places where it is constantly hot or constant draft.
If you do not follow the basic rules for keeping rabbits, then the livestock will soon fall ill and die out. The profitability of the entire enterprise will be very, very doubtful.