Canadian fanciers?

[NorWester]

Any other Canadians frequenting the forum?

I am quite pleased to find this board which appears to represent a common sense, no nonsense aproach to breeding, raising and consuming rabbits.
Just new to the rabbit scene and have found plenty of useful info here to apply to the daily routine.

[MaggieJ]

Welcome to the forum, Norwester!

Lots of Canadians here... and lots of us are from Ontario. Most of us have our locations listed. I'm way down south in Prince Edward County... that bit of land sticking out into Lake Ontario, south of Trenton and Belleville. I raise meat mutts just for home use. I feed a non-pellet diet to my buns: hay, greens (mainly weeds) and grains. I mention this because it flavours my posts... and I want you to know where I'm coming from.

[fordson major]

we are down the Ottawa valley, in rural Ottawa! we had bunny's for years and have just gotten back in (Californians and new Zealands, may add chinchilla come the fall!) welcome!

[hollylequesne]

I'm from Canada too, Memramcook to be exact! about 25 minutes outside of Moncton New Brunswick. I raise English Angoras and getting ready to get some meat rabbits

[ladysown]

ontario stock born and raised! doing Holland lops, mini rex, and harlequins. Feeding pellets, greens and hay. and other stuff as I have it.

[pookshollow]

Lots of us here! I'm in SW Ontario, near Brantford. I raise Harlequins (show and meat) and Lionheads (show and pet). (and goats, and ducks, and chickens, and geese - horses too, but I don't breed them)

Used to be up in the Ottawa Valley - g'day, g'day!

[jil101ca]

I'm in the Near North and raise Mutts for meat. I feed pellets and hay and recently ventured into meat goats. Welcome!

[rileyjo]

No rabbits at present but I showed Satins and Lops as a youngster. I'm getting back into rabbits shortly to make them into dogfood. Just waiting on a neighbours litter of NZ's to be ready.

I live on a big flat rock in the north bit of Lake Huron. Welcome!

[MaggieJ]

Welcome to the rabbit forum, Rileyjo. I used to spend holidays on Manitoulin about 30 years ago, at Lake Mindemoya. Loved it.

Nice to see you over here too, Ford Major. That's right, get into rabbits and end up as addicted as the rest of us!

[NorWester]

Thanks gang, nice to see the Canadian contingency well represented

We're raising some New Zealand Giants, a couple of young Mini-Rex and a couple of mixed breed. Hoping to aquire some Flemish Giants as well.

MaggieJ, we're feeding some pellets but mostly hay and whatever the rabbits eat outside in their pen/enclosure.
Interesting that where I got my giants they were "free range", if you can believe that. They weren't fed pellets at all but existed on barley and whatever follage was around the barnyard area.
Kind of a rabbit utopia

[MaggieJ]

Free range? It sounds good, but I'd think most places the predators would wipe them out. And what do you do when you want them for dinner, just go out and shoot one?

[menollyrj]

When I first saw the title of this post, I thought you were talking about Canadians as a breed of rabbits. You know, like a Rex fancier or a Harlequin fancier. I opened the post to see what a Canadian rabbit was because I'd never heard of one. Turns out, they are rabbits in Canada. Duh...

-Joy

[NorWester]

The older fellow we got them from is retired so he is always around the home. That was the first question out of my mouth though, "how do you guys keep the predators from getting them all?"
Apparently they've shot a lot of dogs, trapped & snared a boat load of wolves and foxes and are always vigilent.

Those big lazy rabbits were just lounging around in the shade of the small pines in their front yard or by the sheds and barns.
They did have some in hutches but were catching the loose ones with an oversized butterfly net each evening if needed when the barley was put out, at least that's how I understood it.

[Kyah]

Hi NorWester,
Good luck with the Flemish giants.
I had 2 Flemish does a few years ago, just pets though. I really enjoyed having them too - they were so mild mannered and friendly.

I now raise standard rex. The color genetics are a bit challenging to learn, but they're such a beautiful and easy going breed to work with. I'm hooked on them, lol.

Kyah

[fordson major]

Originally Posted by MaggieJ

Nice to see you over here too, Ford Major. That's right, get into rabbits and end up as addicted as the rest of us!

we had to get back into rabbits maggie, the low too the ground hounds needed some pets! had rabbits off and on over last 20 years, had a source of rabbit but he has been having troubles! your natural feeding has captured jens interest! next on the list is dexter cows next friday!

[MaggieJ]

Originally Posted by ford major

your natural feeding has captured jens interest!

Tons of information on natural feeding in the sticky threads at the top of the page! The rabbits grow out more slowly but they cost less to raise to butchering size and I like the flavour of the meat. Less fat on the carcass too. But on days like this - pouring rain here - gathering five gallons or more of greens is not so much fun.

[fordson major]

what rain!? oh sorry, thats "whats sun"? there was a pause in the rain this aft (shoulda been baling the neighbors hay but don't have water wings and a snorkle kit! yet!!) and gathered up some greens for the kids. yep, jen has a plan for grains after perusing the stickies! more flavor is what we are after! will be selling at the farmers market along with lamb vegies, pies and felt, now hope we can get our farm grown chickens there!

[Truckinguy]

I'm up around the Alliston area and raising New Zealands, feeding pellets and the odd greens in season. Seems to be quite a few Canadians on here and a lot from Ontario.

Great people here with tons of information!

[D Lynn]

Hello Norwester and WELCOME!

I don't raise rabbits but I hail from the Bay (Thunder Bay that is)! Going back up in 3 weeks for vacation and counting the days .

I look forward to seeing you around the forum!

[NorWester]

Hey D Lynn, imagine that, who'da thunk eh?
Get yourself a couple of rabbits and then there'll be two fanciers from the Lakehead here