[macgro7]

Give me a call when you are around Leicestershire!
Also I'm getting some professional rabbit cages from Poland - really nice stuff. Let me know if you want some.

[alang]

Give me a call when you are around Leicestershire!

Furthest south i go is Lincolnshire to visit family i'm afraid. But thanks for the kind offer

[alang]

Well still not heard back from Devon rabbits so i guess that is another dead end 

[vfr400boy]

As i mentioned earlier i am not really keen on cages. Maybe i'm just old fashioned or think that a rabbit should have more privacy and protection from the elements. I am in noway condemning people that do though. Just a choice i have made regarding my rabbits (when i get them).

On a side note though. Where do  people get their meat breeders from? I have tried all over. Sent many emails to 'commercial' website but never hear anything back. I don't want to go to 'pets at home' type places as i know they will not have the traits of meat breeders that i am obviously after.

Sorry when I say cages I meant hutch they are made out of plywood and 2x1.5 inch timber and the partitions come out so you can have 3 8x2 cages rather than 6 4x2 I think they cost me about £100 to make about 11 years ago and are still going strong ( I use them as ferret hutch’s now )

[alang]

I've actually got the wood for my hutches now. I've got hold of some weatherboard (same used on pig huts) and i'm making the female hutches D 4ft x H 2.5ft x W 8ft. It will be two levels so this should give the female and kits more than enough space to move around. They also will have access to run. The male hutch is going to be D 2ft x H 2.5ft x W 4ft and he will have access to  separate run too.

[alang]

Thanks SD 

I'll see if i can find some more local first and if not i'll try them. It's getting to be a right PITA trying to find them. I might actually just have to buy a 'normal' pet one and start the breeding from there. Not the best way i admit but given the seriously limited selection anywhere north of the border it might be my only choice.

[Gunestone]

If you can't find any of the meat types, then standard Rex make fairly good meat rabbits, and Dutch grow quite well, though pretty small. We're trying a cross of Belgian Hare and New Zealand white/Californian at the moment, which should be interesting.

[vfr400boy]

If you can't find any of the meat types, then standard Rex make fairly good meat rabbits, and Dutch grow quite well, though pretty small. We're trying a cross of Belgian Hare and New Zealand white/Californian at the s moment, which should be interesting.

Hi can I ask what benefit the Belgian hare will bring ?
My Californians and newzelands was very good eating and grow very well indeed

[cloddopper]

It's likely you'd get a bigger rabbit so more dress out weight,  however the feed conversion rate might drop considerably and not be profitable if you are using commercial feeds .

 
 You'd also likely need bigger housing  our Belgian  hare was almost  two feet tall when sat alert on his haunches . When he stood on his back legs to take a carrot out my hand he front feet were on my belt ...............… some 36 inches from the floor

[Gunestone]

Sorry I didn't reply sooner, mainly out of interest. Hoping to increase the size, though it will take longer to grow them. But we have plenty of free food and can run them on grass. 

[macgro7]

My Argente de Champagne babies are 4 weeks old atm. They spent every day of their life on grass (cage moved every day). They also have access to some commercial feed (heygates).
So far I like this breed although they are not near as fast growing or big as new Zealand white

[cloddopper]

Sorry I didn't reply sooner, mainly out of interest. Hoping to increase the size, though it will take longer to grow them. But we have plenty of free food and can run them on grass.

An enclosure that uses less wood & wire is a " Mordant rabbit cage run" that can be attached to the front of a cage / box sat on the grass. Being three sided  with a closed end the rabbits can't dig out  . It's a cheap way of getting the lawn cut and is moved every other day . Don't put it back in a place that's been used till four or five weeks have elapsed .
 I used to run 16 female guinea pigs pregnant & kits like that .