Awhi farm : Permaculture course project : Rabbits

As part of the Permaculture coarse, I was too prepare a document detailing the potentual introduction of rabbits to Awhi farm.

Keeping animal healthy

Rabbits are sensitive to heat, but not cold.

Rabbits are terrotoral and don't need to be penned up, but I would advise a pen system to ease management of animals.

The rabbits love the shade and a hiding place.

Doe's need a nest box when pregnant.

As sweet as a rabbit can be they can also rip your arm up with claws that are incredibly sharp. Keep nails trimmed and wear long sleeves.

Rabbits predominantly graze on grass but you certainly can supplement with comfrey and other prernial herbs.

supplement a bit of feed with a commercially available rabbit "muesli" which is essentially a mix of grains and lucerne but we also throw them any edible weeds from the veggie beds and any carrots and apples.

What prep is needed before introduction to eco sys

Easily be incorporated into zone 1. They can be utilised to mow small spaces between your veggie beds and around the fruit trees. What's better though is that they poo in the same spot.

Place a handful of hay down each week in their chosen location and at the end of the week you have a fabulously enriched pad of mulch that can go directly around a fruit tree or into a worm farm.

Permaculture Zone 1

Vegetable Garden and close plantings to the house or dwelling.

The characteristics of Zone 1 are:

Close to the house (dwelling) for quick and easy access to food

includes herbs , compost bins, worm farms, water tank (or water harvesting system) that feeds into the vegie patch, any small animals that assist with breaking down your vegetable scraps (eg. rabbits, guinea pigs, sometimes chickens, etc.) or assist with keeping weeds under control

Housing

Knowing that all rabbits will dig is key to building your pens. Rock the corners and edges. Then only set your shelter in the centre of the pen. That is exactly where they will dig.

Pens
I would suggest building their permanent home in the area next to the compost heaps. A high stone content directly under soil is useful to restrict digging.

Rabbits are highly territorial!You don't have to house them in for keeping sake but for safety sake. Once this is understood, you can broaden your mind as to how you wish to house them.

Rabbits can be released into enviroments where human food stuffs are beyond the rabbits reach such as orchards.

Where will it fit in?

Possible to layer with chickens.

An owner raises her baby chicks under the rabbit hutch.

The chickens keep the rabbit manure cleaned up so I don't have to and I don't have bugs worms and all that other stuff that farmers love building up giving me more work to do.

Prolific breedersA breeding pair of Rabbits unlike a rooster and hen will not make a peep so they are great for urban, or noise sensitive areas.

What choice of breeds?

NZ White

Easy to spot in the overgrown environment
What services can it provide?
Good eating

Rabbit, chicken, and turkey all have similar protein percentages by weight, with beef, lamb, and pork being from 49% less. Rabbit meat has nearly one gram more protein per ounce than chicken, and nearly one gram less fat. It has 15 calories less per pound, and here's the important one for lots of people: the cholesterol is much lower, even than chicken white meat. AH other meats range from 220-259 mg/lOOg, while rabbit has 164 mg/lOOg. Also noteworthy, rabbit is the richest source of zinc except for oysters.

Aspects of explotation

Good pelt
Sell rabbits live as pets
Cute and can be cuddled by visitors as good promotion of Awhi farm
Fertiliser. Rabbits produce manure that is arguably the BEST for the gardeners' purposes.
Rabbit tractor. Can be used much like chickens as ground clearance and adding manure.

How many - for what purpose?

Start with six does and a buck.
Have plans in place for expansion and exploitation as they are epic breeders and 

Would I recommend this animal for Awhi farm?

Yes.

This animal can provide services such as consuming waste, adding nutrients to soil, weed clearance.

There are multiple income generating streams available beyond eating and pelt.