LGBTQ+ Poultry Keepers

[cinnamoncockatiel]

Ya'll I found the most wonderful person and we both want so many chickens. I'm in love.

Hi! Welcome to the thread. That is great to hear. What breeds are you considering?

 

[KikiDeAnime]

They were bred prolifically up until the 40s for meat and fur. When the fur trade fell off, this breed kind of did too because if being used solely for meat, a white rabbit is preferred by commercial rabbitries. Kinda like white chickens make neater looking carcasses. They are a fine meat rabbit typically reaching market weight (5lbs) between 9-10 weeks. Just a tad slower than the claimed 8 weeks of Calis and New Zealands. My plan is to add a New Zealand white doe to round out the trio. The AmChin/NZ mix litters will all be for personal meat consumption. The new zealand genes plus hybrid vigor should make for some productive litters. The pure American chinchilla litters I will eat the big ones, breed the BIGGEST ones and sell the rest as pedigreed pets. Hopefully I can pay for rabbit food this way, and in time, selectively breed my line of AmChins more toward high meat production. I am planning to breed each does 4-5 times a year.

I'm feeling optimistic about this venture. It only cost about $20 to feed three rabbits for a month, so even if I just get meat it will be worth it. I don't see why I won't be able to sell some rabbits though. Pros are it is perfectly legal and there is a lifestock auction, every week, 30 mins from my house. If I ever find myself neck deep in rabbits, I know where to go!

Good luck with that!

If you lived near us, my family would be excited to buy your future meat rabbits. There aren't a whole lot of meat breeders here, only show and pet breeders.
I can't stomach the thought of eating rabbit though. My family doesn't seem to understand why even though I've explained it many times.

 

[BeanBoy]

Hey peeps,
Idk if I've actually ever said anything in this thread (but I've been meaning to try to be somewhat involved) or even introduced myself lol. Anyway, I'm Toby. My pronouns are they/them and idk what else to say right now

 

[cinnamoncockatiel]

Hey peeps,
Idk if I've actually ever said anything in this thread (but I've been meaning to try to be somewhat involved) or even introduced myself lol. Anyway, I'm Toby. My pronouns are they/them and idk what else to say right now

Hi, Toby. I have a duck named Toby, I love that name! Welcome to the thread make yourself welcome.

 

[PhillyDelcoChix]

Found a pair of rabbits to start my meat program. They are American Chinchilla, and endangered heritage breed. They are pedigreed and just under a year old. Ready fior breeding!
Buck
View attachment 2565601
Doe
View attachment 2565602

I am stoked.They will be in suspended cages sharing a barn with my layers. Plan to make a post about them and my set up when I get them!

They’re beautiful. You’re breeding them for their meat? Interesting I’ve only had Rabbit to eat in France. Do you collect their hair too? Like Angora?

 

[PhillyDelcoChix]

Hey peeps,
Idk if I've actually ever said anything in this thread (but I've been meaning to try to be somewhat involved) or even introduced myself lol. Anyway, I'm Toby. My pronouns are they/them and idk what else to say right now

Hey Toby!
Tell us about your animals please!
Any pictures??

 

[KikiDeAnime]

I honestly want to cry. I went for a long walk earlier and decide to sit down on a bench in a neighborhood park a few streets away from my neighborhood. I ended up spotting a dump duck swimming with the wild Mallards. I've already contacted someone who can go pick her up. People are terrible!

 

[BeanBoy]

Hey Toby!
Tell us about your animals please!
Any pictures??

I have 21-ish chickens, 5 ducks, 2 goats, 6 cats, 2 dogs, and a rabbit. Haha, there’s a lot of pictures, so here’s a few of my favorites

 

[Tre3hugger]

They’re beautiful. You’re breeding them for their meat? Interesting I’ve only had Rabbit to eat in France. Do you collect their hair too? Like Angora?

I will be selective breeding these rabbits' offspring for good meat production qualities, so breeding the best (biggest, fastest growing) while eating the middle sized ones and selling the smallish ones for show and pet. I am going to also pick up a New Zealand or a Cali doe next week. They are production meat breeds.The crosses of American chinchilla and NZ or Cali should be GREAT meat rabbits with hybrid vigor for fast growth. These are all going to go in my freezer, as I would rather just sell the pure bred pedigrees. I think I will ask around $50 per rabbit.

First things first things. These rabbits are 11 months (doe) and 8 months so ready to breed. I will let them settle in for a week and attempt to breed them. First litters are often small or even stillborn so I will get that out of the way while the new doe (meatie) is settling in. Next breeding (about 2 months after first breeding, or 4 weeks after birth) I will breed both does. From then on it will be 4-5 simultaneous litters a year from the does. That's about 60 kits a year. If 3/4 are for meat that's 100lbs of meat (40 kits x 2.5lbs edible product), and 20 rabbits for sale at $50 each.

Seems great on paper!! Hopefully the adorable little buns cooperate. I will do a thread all about them tomorrow!

 

[Tre3hugger]

Good luck with that!

Thank you! I have been doing a lot of learning and planning and I think I have a good plan to fill my freezer and sell a few rabbits to pay for food. Pics tomorrow!!