Rabbit Farming — From Kindling to Market (90 Days)
A beginner-friendly guide to raising rabbits from weaning to market weight. Covers hutch construction, feeding with locally available materials, disease prevention, breeding, and marketing to restaurants, supermarkets, and pet food buyers across Kenya.
MkulimaHub Advisory Team
Curated by certified agronomists, veterinarians, and agricultural engineers across Kenya
10 years experience
These programmes are developed and reviewed by the MkulimaHub editorial team in collaboration with practising agronomists, veterinarians, and agricultural engineers across Kenya. Every activity is grounded in Kenyan growing conditions, locally available inputs, and real market realities.
Sample Schedule (First 2 Weeks)
Hutch Construction & Setup
Build or clean individual wire hutches (60 cm × 60 cm × 45 cm per rabbit). Wire floor (welded mesh 1.2 cm × 1.2 cm) allows droppings to fall through. Provide a nesting box for does. Roof for protection from rain and direct sun.
Source Breeding Stock
Purchase 3–5 does and 1 buck from established rabbitry. Breeds: California White, New Zealand White, or Chinchilla for fast growth. Avoid mixed breeds for commercial production.
Quarantine & Health Check
Quarantine new rabbits for 7 days. Check for: runny nose (pasteurellosis), fur mites (dandruff in fur), sore hocks, or diarrhoea. These are the most common rabbit diseases in Kenya.
Deworming & Coccidiosis Treatment
Deworm with Piperazine citrate (1 teaspoon per litre of drinking water for 2 days). Add Amprolium to water for 5 days to prevent coccidiosis — the leading cause of rabbit diarrhoea and death in Kenya.
Feed Programme Setup
Provide: commercial pelleted feed (ad libitum) OR home-mixed ration: maize bran (40%), sunflower cake (20%), grass hay (30%), bone meal (5%), salt (2%), vitamin premix (3%). Supplement with fresh greens (not wet or wilted): kale stalks, lucerne, carrot tops.
Breeding — First Mating
Take does to the buck's hutch (not vice versa) for mating. Leave for 30 minutes. Repeat in 6 hours. Does return to own hutch immediately after mating. Record mating date: kindling in 29–31 days.
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+ 12 more activities across 90 days
Full 90-day program
- Daily activity guidance
- SMS reminders
- Expert Q&A access