Learn Modern Rabbit Farming Right Here (start small & make steady income) 🐇

In this masterpiece, I will hold your hand from beginner level all the way to professional rabbit farming. I’ll share everything I’ve learned—from choosing the right breed to feeding, breeding, disease prevention, and even how to find the right buyers.

If you’re ready, then I am too. Let’s begin this wonderful journey together. Shall we? 

📚 Introduction 

As someone who has spent a long time raising rabbits — learning from it and enjoying the successes, and watching my farm grow one litter at a time, I will make it worth your time. And teach you how to make a business out of it.

By the time you finish reading this guide, you’ll know exactly what to do to start, grow, and profit from your own rabbit farm.

💡 CHAPTER 1: MEET THE RABBIT – WHY FARM RABBITS? 

I still remember the first time I held a rabbit in my hands. Soft. Gentle. Big brown eyes looking at me like we already knew each other. I was in my mid-thirties then and the cost of living was rising like smoke from firewood. I knew I had to do something fast. Not just anything — but something that could fit well into my small compound and still bring in money.

That’s how rabbits came into my financial plans.

I started with three — two Does and one fine-looking Buck. I bought them from an old farmer who was relocating to another city. He said, “These ones will change your life if you treat them well.” My dear, he wasn’t lying. Those three have become a colony of Rabbits.

So Why Rabbits?

You see, many people underestimate the power of these animals. If you’re looking for a simple, quiet, yet profitable agribusiness, rabbits are one of the best-kept secrets. Here’s why:

🐇 1. Low Space, Low Stress 

You don’t need a big farm. A backyard space, a few wooden hutches or cages, and you’re in business. Unlike goats or cows that roam, rabbits are quiet, gentle, and don’t disturb your neighbors.

I always tell people: If you can raise chickens in your backyard, you can raise rabbits ten times easier.

🐇 2. Fast Multiplication = Fast Money 

One Doe (female rabbit) can give birth to 6 to 12 kits at once — and she can do this every 28 to 31 days. Like seriously? Yes.

Let me give you an example:

If you start with 2 Does and 1 buck, and you breed them well, in one year, you can grow your rabbit population to over 200 rabbits without stress. That’s potential income right there.

🐇 3. They Eat Less but Grow Fast 

Rabbits are not wasteful. With proper feeding — mostly grasses, vegetables, and specially mixed pellets — they grow quickly and can reach market weight in just 10 to 12 weeks.

And the best part? You don’t have to buy expensive commercial feed like you would with broilers or fish. You can grow rabbit feed in your backyard — I'll show you how in this detailed guide.

🐇 4. Their Products Sell in Many Ways 

People usually think it’s only the meat you can sell. No oh! Let's break it down:

Rabbit meat – in high demand by health-conscious people, restaurants and big local joints

Rabbit droppings – excellent manure for vegetable and crop farming

Rabbit urine – natural pesticide; many organic farmers buy it in bottles

Rabbit fur and skin – used for making gloves, hats, and even crafts

Breeding stock – sold to new farmers like yourself, sometimes even at a higher price than meat rabbits

My First Rabbit Sale: A Sweet Memory

I remember the first time I sold rabbit meat. It was to a lady who ran a local joint not far from my street. I dressed the rabbit myself, cleaned it neatly, and she paid me ₦4,000 for just one. 

Since then, I’ve sold to neighbors, restaurants, grill joints, and even other farmers. Some people buy rabbits to raise for meat, while others buy them for pets. These animals are marketable — you just need to learn the right way to raise them and where to sell.

💡 CHAPTER 2: RABBIT BREEDS YOU SHOULD KNOW 

Let me tell you something I learned the hard way… 

In my early days, I bought some rabbits from a roadside seller. Big ears, cute faces, very cheap. I thought I had found a good deal. But three months later, they were still the same size as when I brought them home. 

It turned out those rabbits were just not the right breed for meat farming. They were pet types — beautiful, but not profitable. That’s why, today, I always tell new farmers: Know your breeds before you spend a single kobo.

The kinds of rabbits you should know and which ones are best for your goals:

🐇 1. New Zealand White (The Farmer’s Favorite) 

If I were to start rabbit farming all over again, I’d still begin with the New Zealand White.

Body size: Large, meaty, fast-growing

Fur: Short white fur, easy to clean

Temperament: Calm and friendly

Uses: Excellent for meat production and commercial farming

They can grow up to 4–5 kg in a few months, and the mothers (Does) are excellent breeders and milkers. 

🐇 2. California White (The Gentle Worker) 

These ones are close cousins to the New Zealand White, but with a little style — they have black nose, ears, feet, and tail. Very cute.

Body size: Slightly smaller than New Zealand, but still good for meat

Temperament: Gentle and clean

Uses: Also good for meat, especially when crossed with New Zealand White

They make a very good breeding pair with New Zealand. The kits grow fast and strong.

🐇 3. Chinchilla (The Beautiful One with Big Bones) 

Don’t be deceived by their pretty fur — these rabbits are not just for show.

Body size: Heavy and thick-boned

Fur: Grayish with soft texture (some sell them for fur as well)

Uses: Dual-purpose (meat and fur)

Their meat is well-textured, and they grow steadily. If you ever want to explore fur sales in the future, keep a few Chinchillas.

🐇 4. Flemish Giant (The Big Daddy of Them All) 

Now, this one is a true giant. I only keep a few because they eat like landlords 😄, but they’re great for showing off and crossing with smaller breeds.

Body size: Very large (can grow up to 6–7 kg or more)

Temperament: Calm but heavy to manage

Uses: For meat and breeding to improve body size

They are not always economical for small farms, but a good Flemish buck can really “upgrade” your kits when crossed properly.

🐇 5. Dutch Rabbit (Small but Lovely) 

This one is mostly for pets. If your goal is to sell to homes, schools, or pet stores, Dutch rabbits are playful and adorable.

Body size: Small to medium

Fur: Colored with white patterns

Uses: Pet markets, school animal clubs

I only keep Dutch rabbits in small numbers — for the pet buyers and little children who visit the farm.

🧠 Tip: Rabbits are like babies. If you get the foundation right — good stock, good breed — you’re halfway to success. Don’t just go for the cheapest. Go for the strongest and most productive. 

💡 CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP YOUR RABBITRY 

Rabbit farming is not just about feeding and breeding — it starts with proper housing. If you want your rabbits to grow well, stay healthy, and reproduce successfully, you must create a clean, dry, safe environment.

Let me show you how to set up your rabbitry — even if all you have is a little space in your backyard.

🏠 What Is a Rabbitry? 

A rabbitry is simply the place where your rabbits live — whether it’s a small wooden hutch or a modern cage setup. It should provide shelter, security, fresh air, and comfort for your rabbits.

🧹 Cleaning Routine: Clean Rabbits Are Happy Rabbits 

You don’t have to scrub like hospital, but at least you should:

• Remove leftover feed daily

• Change water daily

• Sweep droppings every 2–3 days

• Disinfect once a week with mild bleach or rabbit-safe disinfectant

• Once a month, do full wash-down (especially for breeding compartments)

Your rabbitry must be a place of peace, not punishment.

🧯 Protecting Your Rabbits from Enemies 

Dogs: Rabbits die of shock if dogs bark too close to them

Snakes: Always check your surrounding for holes or hiding spots

Rats: They steal feed and can harm baby rabbits

Heat/Cold: Keep rabbitry shaded during dry season and dry during rainy season

You are now the gatekeeper of your rabbits’ kingdom. Be watchful.

🧠 Tip: Now that your rabbitry is ready, it’s time to bring your rabbits home and take care of them like royalty. Because the way you house your rabbits affects everything: their health, their growth, even how much they’ll bless you with kits. 

💡 CHAPTER 4: RABBIT FEEDING DONE RIGHT 

You see ehn, many people think rabbit feeding is complicated, but let me clear that up now — it’s not. In fact, once you understand what your rabbits like and what they need, feeding becomes as easy as boiling rice.

Let’s talk about what to feed, what not to feed, how much to give, and how to save money without starving your rabbits.

🐇 What Do Rabbits Eat Naturally? 

Rabbits are herbivores, which means they eat plants—grasses, leaves, roots, and pellets. Their stomachs are specially made to digest high-fiber foods.

The bulk of their diet should be:

Roughage (like hay, dried grass, or rabbit-safe leaves)

Pellets (either commercial or locally mixed)

Clean drinking water (always!)

Here’s a simple formula I started with...

Rabbit Feed Mix (for 10kg total):

• 4 kg maize bran 
• 2 kg wheat offal 
• 1.5 kg groundnut cake 
• 1 kg soybean meal 
• 0.5 kg bone meal 
• 0.5 kg fishmeal 
• 0.5 kg vitamin/mineral premix

Mix thoroughly. Store in a dry container. Feed fresh daily.

💧 Clean Water Is Life 

Don’t joke with water, my dear. A rabbit can survive a day without food, but not without water.

🚫 What NOT to Feed Rabbits 

Please write this list down somewhere:

 ❌ Cassava peels (can cause death)

 ❌ Raw beans or soaked beans

 ❌ Bread, sugary snacks, biscuits

 ❌ Cabbage in large amounts (causes gas)

 ❌ Rotten or moldy feed

 ❌ Waterleaf or spinach (in excess — too watery)

📝 Note: Rabbits are sensitive. One wrong feed can upset their stomach and slow their growth — or worse.

💡 CHAPTER 5: BREEDING AND REPRODUCTION 

I remember the first time one of my Does kindled — that’s the word we use when a rabbit gives birth. I had gone out for a meeting that day, only to return and hear small, soft squeaks coming from the hutch. When I opened it, I saw tiny pink kits — blind, hairless, and helpless — wiggling inside the nest. It was so cute.

Breeding is at the heart of rabbit farming success. But it must be done with understanding, not guesswork. Some people rush into it and make costly mistakes — like breeding siblings, or forcing a young Doe to mate too early. 

Let me show you the proper way.

🐇 First, Know Your Rabbits’ Maturity Time 

Before you breed any rabbit, make sure they are mature enough — not too young, and not too old.

👫 How to Mate Rabbits Successfully 

Here’s where many new farmers get it wrong. They put the Buck inside the Doe’s cage — and wahala starts! Rabbits are territorial creatures. The Buck often mate in his own cage, not the other way around.

✅ Proper Mating Steps:

1. Take the Doe to the Buck’s cage. 
2. If ready, the Buck will chase and mount her. 
3. After mating, he’ll usually fall to the side or backward — that’s your sign it was successful

🧠 Tip: Repeat the mating once more after a few hours (or next day) for better results. Return the Doe to her cage immediately after mating.

🔁 How Often Can You Breed a Doe? 

Let her rest a bit between kindling and next mating. Here’s a common and effective schedule:

Mate → 30 days pregnancy

Kindle → Nurse for 4–5 weeks

Re-mate → after weaning (6 weeks)

📝 Note: That means you can breed a doe 5–6 times a year safely. That’s plenty of rabbits, my dear!

🛏️ Preparing for Kindling (Birth Time) 

Around day 28 – 30, your pregnant doe will start acting funny: 

• She’ll pluck fur from her body

• She’ll start digging or arranging the hutch

• She may eat more or less than usual

That’s your sign: it’s time to put a nesting box in her cage.

📦 What’s a Nesting Box?

A small wooden or plastic box where the doe gives birth. Fill it with:

Soft dry grass or hay

Sawdust (a little)

Shredded paper (optional)

📝 Note: Make sure it’s placed in a quiet, warm part of her cage. No loud noise or stress around her.

🍼 After Kindling – Caring for the Babies (Kits) 

Kits are born hairless and blind—but don’t worry, their fur will grow in 4–5 days.

The mother only feeds them once or twice a day — this is normal!

Don’t panic if she doesn’t sit in the nest all the time.

By day 10, their eyes will open.

By week 3, they’ll start nibbling food and water.

By week 5–6, you can wean them (remove from mother).

🧼 Weaning Tips:

Move the babies to their own cage (separated by sex if possible)

Give soft pellets and greens

Keep their cage warm, dry, and clean

🧠 Tip: Be consistent and soon, you’ll be smiling as you watch your hutches fill with strong, healthy bunnies.

💡 CHAPTER 6: HEALTHCARE AND DISEASE MANAGEMENT 

I learned one lesson the hard way. One rainy season, I lost three pregnant Does within two weeks. They had food, clean water, and good housing. But I later discovered I wasn’t watching their poop and didn’t notice the early signs of infection.

🐇 First, Learn to “Read” Your Rabbits 

Rabbits can’t talk — but if you pay attention, they’ll always show you when something isn’t right. 

Check your rabbits every morning. One small change in behavior might save their life.

🚑 Common Rabbit Ailments 

Let’s go over the most common health issues you may face — and how to handle them:

❗ 1. Coccidiosis (Stomach Infection)

Symptoms:

Diarrhea (sometimes bloody). Loss of appetite. Swollen belly. Death in severe cases.

Causes: 

Dirty cages, wet feed, unclean water

Treatment:

* Add Coccidiostat (e.g., Amprolium) in drinking water for 3–5 days

* Add electrolytes to rehydrate

* Clean cages thoroughly

Prevention:

Keep cages dry and clean. Use medicated feed occasionally. Avoid overfeeding with fresh greens.

❗ 2. Snuffles (Respiratory Infection)

Symptoms:

Sneezing, coughing. Wet nose with white discharge. Difficulty breathing

Causes: 

Poor ventilation, dust, sudden cold

Treatment:

* Antibiotics (e.g., Oxytetracycline)

* Improve ventilation

* Add garlic or ginger water as natural support

Prevention:

Don’t overcrowd cages. Secure them from heavy winds and smoke.

🦠 3. Mange (Skin Disease caused by mites)

Symptoms:

Itching, scratching. Scabby skin or hair loss around ears, nose, legs. Restlessness.

Treatment:

Apply engine oil + kerosene mix (2:1 ratio) on affected parts.

Or use Ivermectin injection once every 10–14 days (0.2 ml per kg body weight).

Prevention:

Keep hutches dry and regularly disinfected.

Avoid contact between sick and healthy rabbits.

💨 4. Bloating (Gas buildup)

Symptoms:

Swollen belly. Inactivity. Refusing food

Causes: 

Sudden change in feed, too many wet vegetables

Treatment:

* Massage the belly gently.

* Give warm water + a drop of olive oil or ginger water.

Reduce greens and increase fiber.

💥 5. Heatstroke (especially during dry season)

Symptoms:

Panting, lying on side. Refusing food. Red ears or body heat.

Treatment:

* Move to a shaded, cool area

* Dab ears with cool (not cold) water

* Add glucose or vitamin C to water

Prevention:

Provide shade, good ventilation.

Never place cages in direct sunlight.

Hang wet sacks or bottles of frozen water near cages in extreme heat.

🧼 Simple Routine for Healthy Rabbits 

Daily:

Change water. Remove leftover feed. Check for strange behavior.

Every 2–3 Days:

Clean trays and sweep droppings.

Weekly:

Wash drinkers/feeders.

Disinfect cages with mild bleach solution or rabbit-safe disinfectant.

Monthly:

Deworm rabbits (especially breeding stock)

 Use Ivermectin or Albendazole — follow vet’s dosage

📦 Rabbit First Aid Box 

Keep these at hand:

1. Amprolium (for coccidiosis) 
2. Oxytetracycline or Pen-Strep (antibiotics) 
3. Ivermectin (for mange and internal parasites) 
4. Multivitamins/electrolytes 
5. Cotton wool, iodine, spirit 
6. Garlic, ginger, glucose 
7. Syringe (for liquid medicine)

You don’t need to buy everything at once — start with the basics.

🚨 When to Quarantine or Isolate 

If a rabbit shows signs of sickness:

Separate immediately. Use gloves when touching. Clean its cage last, after others. Don’t return it until fully recovered.

📝Note: You don’t need to be a vet to raise healthy rabbits — you just need to pay attention. And if you ever feel unsure, don’t guess — ask someone who knows. 

💡 CHAPTER 7: HARVESTING AND PROCESSING RABBITS 

“When it’s time to harvest, don’t waste what you worked so hard to grow.”

🕒 When Should You Harvest a Rabbit?

Most rabbits raised for meat are ready for market or slaughter at 10–12 weeks (2.5–3 months), depending on breed and feeding.

At this age, they usually weigh between 1.8kg and 2.5kg and their meat is still tender.

Don’t delay too long — feeding beyond this point increases cost and reduces profit.

🔪 How to Slaughter Rabbits Humanely

This part must be done calmly and respectfully. Rabbits are gentle creatures.

Basic Steps:

• Starve the rabbit for 6 – 12 hours (only water) to empty the gut.

• Hold it gently — calm the rabbit to reduce stress.

Apply a sharp, humane kill method:

• The most common is neck dislocation or blunt force behind the head using a rod.

Ensure it's quick and painless.

🧼 Processing and Butchering 

After the rabbit is confirmed dead:

1. Hang it upside down by the hind legs. 
2. Make a cut around the hock joints and remove the feet. 
3. Make a small cut around the anus, pull the skin downwards gently. 
4. Peel the skin like a jacket — it comes off easily. 
5. Open the belly with a small incision and remove the intestines carefully. 
6. Wash thoroughly with clean, cold water.

📝Note: Use stainless steel knives, clean boards, and wear gloves. Hygiene is key.

🧊 Storing Rabbit Meat 

Refrigerate (0–4°C): Lasts 4–6 days.

Freeze (-18°C): Lasts 4–6 months.

Package well: Use clean bags or vacuum seal to prevent freezer burn.

You can also smoke, dry, or spice rabbit meat for added value.

💰 Selling Your Rabbit Meat

Sell whole or portioned. Common buyers of rabbit meat include:

Households (especially healthy-conscious homes). Restaurants and hotels. Local joints. Online orders via WhatsApp and Instagram.

Add value by:

Cleaning and packaging professionally. Offering delivery. Creating a small label with your brand name

You’ve done all the hard work — raised healthy rabbits, fed them right, kept their records, and now you’ve harvested clean, quality meat. 

It’s time to cash out. Let’s focus on what puts money in your pocket: marketing and selling your rabbits.

🐇 What Can You Sell From Your Rabbit Farm? 

Live rabbits (breeders or meat-ready)

Processed rabbit meat (fresh or frozen)

Rabbit manure (excellent organic fertilizer)

Rabbit urine (organic pesticide)

Rabbit skin (used in crafts/leather)

One rabbit, multiple income streams.

Final Words

Now you have all it takes. So it's up to you to give it a shot and do the needful, if making steady income from farming rabbits is something that you'd love to venture into. Good luck!

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