New Meat Rabbit Owner

So a week ago I set up my hutch and built three cages for new bunnies.  My wife was able to find a local source for rex-breed rabbits.  The original owner breeds show rabbits primarily.  Initially, I wanted to purchase from him a "proven" buck and doe combination and a younger buck and doe.  Unfortunately, he wasn't able to provide any proven breeders.  I ended up with one buck 12-14 weeks old a doe 12-14 weeks old and another 8-week old pair.   All of the rabbits look good and healthy.  We are pleased with our purchase.

I have a few questions.  I read in Storey's guide that you are better off raising rabbits that have been given primarily feed on feed.  I have noticed though that the rabbits seem to eat most of what we throw at them.  Earlier this week I was thinning out my radishes and decided to see if the rabbits would like the greens.  They devoured them.  One bunny, in particular, seems to really love them.  My children have fed them grasses and dandelions.  They seem to prefer just about anything to the feed.   If you drop fresh greens or flowers of any kind in the cage they will readily devour them before touching the feed.  Is there a reason why I shouldn't provide them with a diet of fresh greens, grasses (my plot of land is my granddad's old field the wheat or whatever it is,  still grows tall if we don't mow it and it is plentiful?  I have been thinking of setting them out in a small trailer and letting them eat the lawn for a while?

Secondly, I am wondering at what age I should start trying to breed the oldest pair?  I am hoping to get a few litters before the summer sets in.

If you want them healthy, their primary feed should be hay - Timothy is usually best,  if you can get it. Orchard is next best, alfalfa should be a treat. Do take care what you feed them, as far as greens. Raisins, grapes, avocado, garlic and onion are highly toxic to them, and there are other things, as well. Most greens are good, but go very easy on fruits, carrots, and sweet potatoes, because the sugars are no better for their health than yours. Watch their poop, to determine whether you're giving them too much fresh produce. It should be all pellets, and just barely moist. If it's not shaped in small, firm pellets, they're probably getting too much produce and not enough hay. Pellets are more expensive, and don't provide enough roughage for their very delicate digestive systems.
They'll also produce tiny, oily cecotropes, that look like tiny, clumped up poop. But, they need to be able to eat those. This should help: https://www.rabbitcaretips.com/normal-and-abnormal-rabbit-poop-types/

To go along with Carla please avoid corn and queen anne's lace.  Corn gets stuck in their digestive system and they starve to death.  Queen Anns lace just seems to make them sick.  We feed as much supplement as we can and still grow in a reasonable time frame.  When one of ours gets a tummy ache we feed them some rolled oats.  We raise sun flowers, , oats, alfalfa, clover, Timothy, plantain and dandelions for them.  We make hay in feed sacks for them through the winter.  We use an all natural feed made locally in pellet form for the main diet. I don't like to breed the Californians until 6 months old and the Florida whites at 5 months.  Polyface farm has some nice rabbit tractor info.

Oh, yeh - no nuts or legumes, either

Thanks for your replies guys.  I want to make sure the rabbits are healthy and get plenty of nutrition.  

Wynne Nicholas wrote:Thanks for your replies guys.  I want to make sure the rabbits are healthy and get plenty of nutrition.  

Awesome! Just like other critters, the more varied their diet, the healthier they'll be, as long as they're still eating plenty of hay. It sounds like you're off to a great start!