Cow manure

[canesisters]

Vaguely remember hearing something about starving to death on rabbits... something 'missing'???
Maybe raise a few of the "Ranger" chickens along with rabbits. They're a fast growing breed but more sustainable than Cornish-X. An extra month to slaughter weight (I think) but can keep into adult age for eggs and/or replacement chicks.

You can get them at almost any hatchery - but here's a link
https://www.meyerhatchery.com/productinfo.a5w?prodID=RRBS

If I ever decide to jump in and raise a bunch of meat birds, the rangers will probably be the ones I get.

 

[flowerbug]

Vaguely remember hearing something about starving to death on rabbits... something 'missing'???
Maybe raise a few of the "Ranger" chickens along with rabbits. They're a fast growing breed but more sustainable than Cornish-X. An extra month to slaughter weight (I think) but can keep into adult age for eggs and/or replacement chicks.

You can get them at almost any hatchery - but here's a link
https://www.meyerhatchery.com/productinfo.a5w?prodID=RRBS

If I ever decide to jump in and raise a bunch of meat birds, the rangers will probably be the ones I get.

i think it is that the meat is so lean there's just not much fat calories to it...

 

[Ridgerunner]

Rabbits are missing am essential nutrient for human survival, fat. Especially in winter when you need to burn energy to stay warm you need fat. Starving to death is an exaggeration unless you go a long long time eating nothing but rabbit, I'd eat all the rabbit I could in that situation, but fat is what they are talking about that a rabbit is missing.

 

[Ridgerunner]

In a survival situation, Cornish X and Ranger chicks may be real hard to find. Post Office may not deliver them.

 

[flowerbug]

i could go for some of those ranger chicks...

 

[Nyboy]

Make up the fat with a raccoon every now and then.

 

[canesisters]

Yall are FUNNY this morning!!!!!

 

[baymule]

Or just raise some small breed pigs. I am butchering CX now, I had 16 more to go, but one keeled over dead, now have 15. They get so big they just have a heart attack or something, and die. I got to get these last ones done.....

 

[flowerbug]

Or just raise some small breed pigs. I am butchering CX now, I had 16 more to go, but one keeled over dead, now have 15. They get so big they just have a heart attack or something, and die. I got to get these last ones done.....

how big are they?

did you notice it soon enough that you could save the meat?

ground hog, groundhog, hmm... hogry, hongry, hoggie, hoagi, haggis...

 

[Jared77]

@Ridgerunner that's a very cool video thank you. I had read up on a thread on one of the backyard threads about someone trying to bring some tissue mass and faster development by using Cornish X birds. I think he was crossing them with Buckeyes.....not sure though. Maybe it was barred rocks, I honestly cant remember. I think he wanted a bigger egg too? I don't know it was some backyard pipe dream Frankenstein monster kind of concept.

Buckeyes would be another breed Id consider raising if I was looking for a sustainable flock. Nice sized birds, fairly productive, respectable growth rate, all in all not a bad choice. Honestly though I'd probably raise geese. They are pretty self sufficient, broody, good sized eggs, good amount of meat, and don't take any guff from most creatures big or small.

Having to go to specialized feeds is a pretty narrow mark to hit with them though. I'll pass.

Rabbits would be a good choice if you were going to do something sustainable. Its white meat, good rates of growth, the fur is also usable, and manure is cold so you can spread it right away. Plus their feed requirements would be much easier to hit than with chickens.

I had debated at one point doing rabbits on a very small scale. Keep a breeding trio just for fun. Champagne D'argents, or Harlequins, maybe some New Zealands just for my own purposes. Nothing serious or crazy just some nice ones to grow out. Have a catch bin set up for the manure to spread on the garden under the hutches for the breeders and all my grow out rabbits (to process) go into rabbit tractors to graze on the lawn. Then put the tractors up till next season after processing. I haven't yet but maybe at some point I will.

I still need to build my compost pile before I get livestock.

Id like to combine it with a small loft. I would use the homers to train dogs with. Dog points them, the birds get flown, and everybody benefits.