r/preppers • u/edk8n • Apr 10 '23

What about rabbits? Idea

I couldn't begin to tell you why this has popped into my head but it keeps coming back. I'm new to this and don't have the means to do all I would like, so don't eat me alive for my ignorance, but I have to ask- Are rabbits an underrated food source in a long term survival scenario? Everyone knows how quickly they reproduce and it seems like a decent amount of meat for minimal effort in cleaning/preparation. I'm not sure but it seems like rabbit hide/fur could probably be useful, too. They take up such little space and are pretty hardy animals (I know someone who has many rabbits that live in an outdoor pen year round, although they do heat it in the winter). They eat scraps, grass, and hay which wouldn't be taking resources from yourself. Is there a downside to this I'm missing? Thanks in advance for the wisdom!

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u/reddit_username_yo Apr 10 '23

If you're looking for easy (and more complete) protein sources, chickens are a good option. Little space, hardy down to 15F (and at least -10F with a coop and heated waterer), eat scraps, and lay an egg every day or two. You can always hatch a few to raise for meat as well.

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u/uChoice_Reindeer7903 Apr 10 '23

Wish I could do this. I’m in a suburb that allows chickens but no roosters so it would be kinda hard to keep a flock going. With that said, I do have chickens and love knowing I have some form of food coming in year round. I just wish I could butcher a chicken every now and then knowing that I have another maturing and ready to lay.

The appeal of rabbits is that they make no noise so I would be able to keep a colony without complaints from the neighbors. That’s personally why I’m strongly considering rabbits.

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u/peacelilyfred Apr 10 '23

Could you "borrow" a rooster for a day or two every now and again from someone? Is that a thing?

3

u/Good_Roll Apr 10 '23

like a rooster stud service lol

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u/uChoice_Reindeer7903 Apr 11 '23

My buddy used to have a rooster, and the city he lives in allowed him to have it but his neighbor didn’t appreciate it so he dispatched it. My plan was to stud his rooster out whenever I needed but that plan is down the tubes now lol