Get started with a good foundation stock. Beware of fly-by-night sellers and find a reputable breeder to get your rabbits. A good foundation can make a huge difference in your production. And always be skeptical of the seller. Physically inspect the parents as they are an indication of what the offspring will become.
A good way to start small is by getting 1 buck and 2 does. This will allow you to start your breeding on a small scale and learn the basics. Later you may want to add another buck from a different line and a couple other does. You will then be able to keep the best quality young and breed them with non-related rabbits in order to maintain optimal results. Having 2 bucks also protects your breeding program if one of your bucks dies, giving you time to raise another while still using your remaining buck for breeding.
Just be sure that if you are just starting out, start small. Making mistakes on a small scale is much better than making them on a large scale. As you learn the ropes, grow your rabbitry. And no matter how much you study on the subject, you will always be making improvements.
Also, make sure you are getting your information from qualified producers. Everyone is willing to give free information, whether accurate or not. And especially with the Internet, anyone can claim to be an expert while sitting behind the keyboard. Unfortunately even many veterinarians are lacking correct information on raising rabbits and may give inaccurate advice to their clients. When finding a vet, make sure they know and understand rabbits. And ask people who have the same goals as you. Raising a rabbit for show is completely different than raising a rabbit for meat production. And even those raising rabbits for meat production vary dramatically from the casual breeder who is more interested in the hobby of raising rabbits to the serious breeder who is trying to maximize their results and get the most meat out of every dollar spent, while maintaining good, healthy lives for their rabbits. Find those who have been raising rabbits and learned through experience and association with others in the business. Getting correct information at the beginning of your endeavor will save money, headaches and time. It can make all the difference between a very rewarding experience and a less-than-optimal experience.
What Breed?
When deciding what breed to raise, make a list of the qualities you are wanting. If you are wanting to raise rabbits for meat production, get a list of the best rabbits for that purpose. Remember, just because a rabbit is bigger doesn't mean it's better. Some of the larger breeds of rabbits are terrible for meat production because they are not efficiently converting food into meat. Some have very large bones and therefore a larger portion of your money (cost of feed) is not going toward meat, but non-edible parts of the rabbit (bones). It is true that some of these rabbits were used in the creation of today's meat rabbits, but they were crossed with other breeds and these non desirable traits (such as large bones) were bred out of them over multiple generations.
Also, just because your neighbor is raising this and that type of rabbit for meat doesn't mean it's the most efficient thing to do. Listen to the experts. Find out what experts are recommending. Find out the pro's and con's of the different breeds, then make an educated decision.
At the same time, if optimal meat production isn't your top priority and you'd rather have a diversity of different breeds, colors, fur textures and sizes, then go for it! Understand that all domestic rabbits are edible. Enjoy the experience of raising rabbits and if diversity is more important then maximizing feed to meat ratios, then find the breeds you'd enjoy.
Unfortunately, you can't always trust people about where their rabbits come from. It might be a good idea to get pedigreed rabbits so you know they are pure and not a mixed breed. You don't necessarily have to have the pedigree paperwork, but ask if you can look over the breeder's records and/or pedigree paperwork so you can see their lineage. Pedigree papers aren't always necessary, but seeing their pedigrees is highly recommended.
Also make sure that the foundation stock you are getting aren't closely related. You don't want to start your rabbitry with brothers and sisters. This often results in decreased or inferior results generations down the road. And bad qualities in the genes can be amplified by inbreeding. Sometimes line breeding (breeding a daughter to her father or a son to their mother) is acceptable, but shouldn't be a common practice. This method is how new breeds of rabbits were started. So pay attention to their relationships to each other.
Last of all, don't be afraid to start over. If you feel like you've gone in the wrong direction, start fresh and do it right. There's no time like the present to take action. Remember, the best time to plant a tree was yesterday, but the second best time is today. Just get started!
