We raised purebred pedigreed Californian show rabbits. We raised rabbits for 4H, FFA, pets, meat, fur or the backyard hobbyist looking to expand their breeding stock.
The Californian rabbit is a true American original. Developed in the United States in the early 1920's, rabbit breeders in the United States crossed New Zealand Whites, Himalayans and Chinchillas to finally produce the Californian rabbit. The purpose of this breed was to have a good meat breed that also had good fur. The breed did not become popular for at least 15 years after development. Today, the Californian is the second most popular meat-producing breed in the world. The good fur quality allows this rabbit to also be classified as a fancy breed.
The Californian rabbit has erect ears and is moderate in size, weighing around 8 to 12 pounds. The original coloration of this breed was very similar to the Himalayan. With a predominantly white body and black on the feet, nose, ears and tail, this color pattern is called normal today. The Californian rabbit is now available in black, chocolate, blue and lilac.
The Californian rabbit is a true American original. Developed in the United States in the early 1920's, rabbit breeders in the United States crossed New Zealand Whites, Himalayans and Chinchillas to finally produce the Californian rabbit. The purpose of this breed was to have a good meat breed that also had good fur. The breed did not become popular for at least 15 years after development. Today, the Californian is the second most popular meat-producing breed in the world. The good fur quality allows this rabbit to also be classified as a fancy breed.
The Californian rabbit has erect ears and is moderate in size, weighing around 8 to 12 pounds. The original coloration of this breed was very similar to the Himalayan. With a predominantly white body and black on the feet, nose, ears and tail, this color pattern is called normal today. The Californian rabbit is now available in black, chocolate, blue and lilac.
We are no longer raising Californian Rabbits, while wonderful for the small farm or city dweller looking for a good source of meat, we found that with all the other meat animals we have available, it just wasn't necessary for us to raise rabbits as food.