Livestock for the Garden Home 259 



on their age and condition, and also on the kind and 

 quantity of other feed they receive. Some rabbits re- 

 quire more grain than others. Only by noticing the 

 condition of each animal day by day can its feed be 

 properly regulated. They never should be allowed to 

 become heavy with fat unless wanted for the table. 

 Eighteen or twenty young rabbits from three to five 

 months old having a pint of crushed oats or barley a 

 day, in addition to plenty of dry alfalfa and greens, 

 will grow very nicely. 



Fattening rabbits for meat may begin at any time 

 after they are 10 weeks old, and should continue 3 weeks, 

 the animals being confined in small quarters to prevent 

 their getting too much exercise. Reduce the propor- 

 tion of their green feed, increasing that of their grain. 

 By gradually replacing half the usual grain ration with 

 corn meal the rate of fattening can be increased. 



Most breeders feed rabbits twice daily, giving greens 

 in the morning and dry and warm mashes in the evening, 

 but keep a supply of dry hay constantly before them. 

 Rabbits that are fed two or three times a day should 

 not be supplied with a larger grain ration than they can 

 clean up in a short time. Water should be given every 

 morning, but in freezing weather it should be removed 

 \vhen the rabbit has finished drinking. Salt should be 

 supplied with the oats two or three times a week; or a 

 small piece of rock salt may be kept inside the feeding 

 pan. 



Hay, oats, or other coarse, dry feed should not be 

 fed to young rabbits before they are weaned, and only 

 limited quantities should be allowed them for a week 

 afterward, as such feed eaten in excess causes indigeg- 



