Finally I have started to extend our rabbitry. Today we rearranged all the current occupants and pegged out the boundary for extending the concrete base (once the weather improves) and started working on some new cages the design we have copied after purchasing one from a contact out here. We currently run with four permanent resident does and two males but are increasing the number of permanent resident does to six. So we need both new internal and external cages for them plus the extra grow out cages. The external runs will be completed and put in place next year after we have planted an area to grow lucerne.
We have been practicing tanning the fur of the fryers we dispatch but the hide is rather thin to do much with so we aim to grow some on to hopefully get some better pelts to experiment with next year.
But what are the other benefits of keeping rabbits? There is absolutely no waste from a dispatched rabbit, they could be classed as ultimate preppers animal to keep. They cost nothing in upkeep (after the initial cage building), are quiet and take up minimal space. Below is a list of how and what we use them for after we have butchered them for meat:
Head - Give to the dog, crush and feed to the chickens, make into a stew/stock
Brain - Use for tanning the pelt, use as dog food, make into a stew/stock
Ears/Feet - Bake and use as dog treats
Tail - Dog treat or use as a pollinating brush
Liver/Kidneys/Heart/Lungs - Eat, use for animal feed
Stomach/Pancreas - Feed raw to dogs, chickens, ducks (our muscovies love them)
Intestines - Grind for sausages, use for dog food
Fat - Render it, add to animal feed
Bones - Makes lovely stock for our use and adding to dog/cat food or dehydrate and crush for bone meal
Blood - Use as a fertilizer (we mix ours with sawdust from chain sawing the logs) or add to animal feed
Pelt - Tan or cut and dehydrate for dog treats
Manure - Collect and use directly on the garden, it classed as a "hot" manure so does not need composting. We dry our rabbit manure and sell it.
All the above can also be put in a "maggot bucket" and hung above your chicken run which will act as a boredom breaker whilst supplying a fresh supply of food to the birds underneath.
Anyone else use utilize them for something different I would be interested to know.