New Zealand Rabbits
We raise New Zealand rabbits for market and show. We have breeding pairs of New Zealand White, New Zealand Red, Black, Broken Red, and Broken Black, Blue, and Broken Blue rabbits. The focus of our breeding program is to raise vigorous rabbits that meet the ARBA breed standard with gentle dispositions and good mothering instincts. The local demand for good breeding stock inspired us to join ARBA in order to learn more about "The Standard of Perfection" in rabbit breeding. This opened the door to competing at local rabbit shows and has led us along the journey to improving the quality of our rabbits. You will see Sleepy Creek Farm rabbits on the show table at the New Zealand Nationals in Reno, NV in 2019 as well as the ARBA Convention. We have also discovered that people crave the opportunity to have hands-on learning before venturing in to the business of raising rabbits for food. Sleepy Creek Farm occasionally offers "Rabbit 101" seminars where participants can visit the rabbitry and learn everything you never thought you needed to know about raising meat rabbits.
Breeding Stock Available
Pedigreed breeding stock are available for show or market production. Prices vary pending the age and quality of available rabbits. "Grade quality" rabbits are free of disqualifying features but will not place well on the show table, however they may produce some show winners if bred to the right opposite. "Show quality" are the pick of the litter and are likely to place well at ARBA rabbit shows. WE DO NOT SHIP RABBITS but regional transport can be arranged.
How can we eat Cute Little Bunny Rabbits?
Because rabbit meat is delicious! Of course, nobody enjoys butchering day - it is a humbling experience to be the one responsible for sending a living animal across the Rainbow Bridge. That said, rabbits were designed by God and Nature to be at the bottom of the food chain, and they can be quickly and humanely dispatched with minimal distress. Rabbit meat is lean, dense in protein, and similar in flavor and texture to turkey breast. Rabbits have an excellent feed conversion ratio (pounds of feed per pound of gain averages 4:1) and recycle their feed into biodynamic fertilizer that is rich in phosphorous, calcium and nitrogen.
The Nest Box
The joy of raising meat rabbits is in having a constant supply of baby bunnies! We have several litters of kits a month and multiple 'growout pens' where the rabbits can develop from weanlings to butcher age (10 to 12 weeks). We like to pick out the best of each litter and offer them for sale as breeding stock. Rabbits fit nicely into the suburban back yard and can be a rewarding, educational experience for the whole family. If you are interested in New Zealand rabbits, use the contact box on our home page to send a message. WE DO NOT SHIP RABBITS but regional transport can be arranged (West Coast).