Description

What a weaner is

A weaner is a young rabbit that has been separated from its mother and is eating pellets and forage on its own. At [6–8] weeks they’re past the fragile newborn stage and ready to move to a new farm and grow on.

Weaners are the cheapest way into rabbit farming. You pay less than for mature breeding stock, and the rabbits grow up on your feed, in your housing, used to your handling.

Our weaners

• Age: [6–8] weeks, fully weaned
• Breeds: [New Zealand White, Californian, Chinchilla and crosses] — subject to availability
• Sex: choose Doe, Buck, or Mixed
• Records: breed, age and parentage for every rabbit
• Health checked before collection: clear eyes, clean ears and nose, smooth coat, firm droppings

What to do with them

• Raising for meat: feed well from day one. Most reach market weight in a few months on good pellets and forage.
• Building breeding stock: buy does and a buck from unrelated litters. They’ll be ready to breed at around 5–6 months.
• Reselling: grow them on and sell as mature stock at a higher price.

Before they arrive

Have raised, roofed, well-ventilated cages ready, plus feeders, drinkers and feed in stock. Don’t crowd them. Separate the sexes before 4 months, or you’ll get unplanned litters. Keep new rabbits apart from any existing stock for two to three weeks.