Rabbit raisers will keep their rabbitries hopping and happy with the advice found in Rabbits, a Hobby Farm book. Rabbit breeder and exhibitor Chris McLaughlin offers years of experience and guidance on the many aspects of raising rabbits on a hobby farm, a livestock choice she considers perfect due to the limited space rabbits need to thrive. Whether the reader is raising rabbits for pets, fiber, or meat, there is much solid information and useful advice to be found in the pages of Rabbits. From the natural and cultural history of rabbits to selecting and purchasing of the right rabbits for a small farm, this book is both practical and enlightening. Individual chapters focusing on housing and feeding, behavior and handling, health care, and breeding and raising young make this an indispensable choice for all rabbit keepers. Handsomely designed with color photographs throughout, Rabbits also offers sidebars of helpful tips, fun anecdotes, and quotes from hobby farmers that prove entertaining and edifying. The final chapter of the book, "Making Money with Rabbits" discusses how to turn the rabbit-raising business profitable through producing show and pet rabbits, wool/fiber rabbits, rabbit manure, and rabbit meat. Resources include a glossary of terms and a catalog of associations, books, periodicals, and websites. Fully indexed.

· Extensive sections devoted to the seven major farm animals, including profiles of the most popular breeds and varieties · Detailed how-to chapters on the care, handling, feeding, health, and safety of each animal · Special chapters devoted to the breeding and raising of young animals · Recommendations for ways of capitalizing on your livestock's output, from selling eggs, milk, fiber, and so forth · Tips for troubleshooting potential problems and warding off diseases, parasites, and predators · New edition vetted and updated by Dr. Mark McConnon DVM, hobby farm professionals and veterinarians for the most up-to-date information available on the market for shelter, care, health, medicine, nutrition, behavior, marketing, and profit

An accessible, practical resource for pasture-based rabbit production-complete with rabbit husbandry basics, enterprise budgets, and guidelines for growing, processing and selling rabbits commercially. In recent years, there has been talk in the food world that rabbits make more sense than chicken. In a country with a $41 billion broiler chicken industry, this might seem like a pretty bold statement, but it’s hardly unsubstantiated. And yet while media has been abuzz about the supposed super protein, very few farmers are stepping up to meet the rapidly increasing interest in sustainably raised rabbit meat. This is partly due to the lack of available resources in the field of rabbit husbandry. Raising Pastured Rabbits for Meat is the first book to address the growing trend of ecological rabbit husbandry for the beginning to market-scale farmer. Inspired by Daniel Salatin, who has long been considered the pioneer in integrated rabbit farming, Nichki Carangelo proves that a viable pasture-based rabbitry is not only possible and user-friendly, it’s also profitable. In Carangelo’s approach, happy, healthy rabbits are seasonally raised outside on pasture, using a pasture and wire hybrid system that promotes natural behaviors and a diverse diet, while effectively managing the associated risks. Raising Pastured Rabbits for Meat offers valuable information on how farmers can build their own rabbit enterprise from scratch and includes tips on breed selection, breeding techniques, nutrition guidelines, record keeping tools, slaughtering and butchering instructions, marketing advice, and enterprise guides to help farmers plan for profitability. This is an essential guide for anyone interested in integrating rabbits onto a diversified farm or homestead.

How to raise rabbits for a steady source of meat and income Rabbits are one of the most sustainable, nutritious, and economic meat sources available. They can easily be raised in a variety of locations and climates, and require less space and infrastructure than many other species of livestock. Raising Rabbits for Meat is the how-to guide to help you succeed in starting and running a home rabbitry for a steady source of meat or income. Coverage includes: The history of the domestic rabbit Information on breeding, housing, and harvesting Tools to help you succeed with your program An emphasis on heritage breeds. Raising Rabbits for Meat provides a solid foundation for success in raising rabbits and is ideal for anyone interested in starting a small rabbitry for home use or to market rabbit meat as a business opportunity.

With more and more city dwellers and suburbanites embracing the notion of getting back to basics and living simpler, more rustic lives, it's no surprise that the popularity of backyard chicken keeping has skyrocketed in recent years. Whether for enjoyment as pets or for the convenience of farm-fresh eggs right outside your door, chicken keeping can be an easy and fun step on the road to more sustainable, ecologically friendly living.Written by Kristina Mercedes Urquhart, The Suburban Chicken shares the author's knowledge on general chicken husbandry, profiles of 20 suitable breeds for suburban living, how to provide your birds with optimal accommodations, and the healthcare needs of chickens, among other important topics about which prospective chicken owners should be familiar.INSIDE SUBURBAN CHICKEN:•The benefits and enjoyment of keeping chickens as pets.•Considerations for would-be chicken keepers, including local ordinances, space requirements, initial and ongoing expenses, and preparing the home and family.•Favorite standard-size, bantam, and egg-laying breeds for metropolitan and family living.•Hatching eggs and raising chicks.•Coop styles and descriptions of all equipment that a budding chicken keeper needs, as well as a chapter dedicated to keeping chickens safe from predators. •Preventive care and optimal diets for healthy, hardy birds. •Raising chickens for eggs: the science behind egg production, how to properly handle and store fresh eggs, and the differences between store-bought and homegrown eggs, as well as some exciting recipes for your bounty.