My husband and I are trying to find a low cost way to feed our rabbits while still making sure they get all the nutrition they need. Right now we are trying to just add cracked corn and/or oats to their regular pellets, but we\'d like to get away from pellets alltogether as they are pretty expensive in our area and we go through them fast! Does anyone have any ideas or has done this in the past? If we provide them with good hay and a mineral block, will a grain mixture from a feed mill work fine?
Are your rabbits pets or are you raising them for meat?
Homemade rations can be devised, but the success depends largely on what you expect the end results to be. In other words, if you breed your does to produce at least 4 litters/year and want to raise fryers that are ready to butcher in 8 to 10 weeks, then I really wouldn\'t recommend it. In order for rabbits to meet the above production demands, they need a 16% protein ration. The labor involved in trying to compile a ration like that really isn\'t worth the effort in my opinion.
In third world countries or rural areas in Europe and Asia where families keep a few rabbits to supplement their food supply, lower nutritional levels are not as important since rapid growth rates or production levels are not real issues.
So, while you
can come up with a diet that is not based on commercial pellets, you need to look at your goals and purposes and weigh them against the extra labor and the availability of different food stuffs that would comprise your rabbits\' diet.
Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com
Our rabbits are mainly pets right now, but we would like to get into meat raising on a small scale, just for our own use. Thanks for the info
If your goal was to produce fryers, you could feed the following rations (realizing it just isn\'t as balanced as a commercial diet):
Nursing Does/Growing Kits
- Free choice alfalfa hay (fed in a hay feeder - not thrown on the cage floor)
- A grain mixture of 5 parts rolled barley/corn to 1 part soybean meal
- mineralized salt spool (available at all times)
Bucks and Dry Does
- Free choice alfalfa hay
- A grain mixture of 4 parts rolled oats to 1 part soybean meal
- mineralized salt spool
Developing Stock (3 mo to breeding)
- Free choice alfalfa hay
- A grain mixture of 2 parts red wheat, 2 parts oats to 1 part soybean meal
- mineralized salt spool
I just think this is a whole lot of trouble (and not much cheaper) when pellets will do a better job. Also keep in mind that a diet designed to optimize reproduction and fast growth, is not necessary for pet rabbits.
Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com