Breed meat rabbits
Meat rabbits give the most meat for the space of any common small animal. A breeding schedule keeps output steady.
How
- Start medium breeds (4 to 5.4 kg, 9 to 12 lb) at 6 to 7 months old. Bucks mature about a month after does (Penn State).
- Keep about one buck per 10 does. Use a buck no more than two or three times a week (Penn State).
- Take the doe to the buck's cage, never the reverse, and return her after mating.
- Gestation is about 31 to 32 days. Put a nest box in 28 days after mating (Penn State).
- Count kits 48 hours after birth and remove any dead ones. Litters are commonly 8 to 10.
- Wean at about 30 days. Expect about five litters a year per doe.
- Fryers reach about 2.3 kg (5 lb) at around 10 weeks (Penn State). Five litters of 8 kits at that weight is roughly 90 kg of live rabbit per doe a year, before losses.
- Give pregnant and nursing does all the pellets they eat in a day. Bucks and resting does get about 170 to 230 g (6 to 8 oz) a day, plus hay (Penn State, Merck).
- Plan slaughter and disposal legally before the first litter (animals-23).
Safety: Rabbits handle heat poorly. Breed and kindle in the cooler months in hot climates, and keep shade and water ready.
Do these first
Sources
- Rabbit production. Penn State Extension, accessed 2026-11
- Diet for rabbits. Merck Veterinary Manual, accessed 2026-11