Cross Breeds

What animals is it practical to raise for food in a suburban garden?

Chickens could present a problem with neighbors. I was thinking of rabbits, guinea pigs or rats. I can try rabbit from a butcher first to see if I like it. Guinea pig and rat is eaten in some parts of the world. The advantage of these animals is they breed fast and can be fed on kitchen waste.. If rat is tasty then lots of free range ones are around due to fortnightly refuse collections. How do I prepare and cook these animals?

Public Comments

1. Look up El Cuy in a peruvian cook book.
2. Are you kidding? I think your neighbors would object to rats a lot more than chickens. Also wild rat has not been raised for food and can be contaminated because of what they eat. You said it yourself they eat garbage. Stick with supermarket bought chicken.
3. well guinea pig is a very common food in the andes. take up less space than livestock,breed fast,easy to feed. neighbors might report you to the SPCA for animal cruelty. i read it tastes like rabbit or dark chicken meat look up guinea pig on wikipedia
4. I know you weren't really serious but here are a few recipes: ENJOY!! Grilled Rats Bordeaux Style (Entrecote à la bordelaise) Alcoholic rats inhabiting wine cellars are skinned and eviscerated, brushed with a thick sauce of olive oil and crushed shallots, and grilled over a fire of broken wine barrels. Stewed Cane Rat Skin and eviscerate the rat and split it lengthwise. Fry until brown in a mixture of butter and peanut oil. Cover with water, add tomatoes or tomato purée, hot red peppers, and salt. Simmer the rat until tender and serve with rice. Stuffed Dormice / Ancient Rome Prepare a stuffing of dormouse meat or pork, pepper, pine nuts, broth, asafoetida, and some garum (substitute anchovy paste.) Stuff the mice and sew them up. Bake them in an oven on a tile.
5. I Think Rabbits would be the only way to go . Guinea pigs and ot rats Are not to be eaten by humans. Unless you are of a culture where they do things like that. But for mr Rabbits the only way to go
6. Are you serious? I know the economy sucks right now, but you are thinking of getting your meat from Petco? lmao Seriously if you are stuck eating guinea pigs and rats, apply for food stamps!
7. Hogs, and tell your neighbors to toss their trash in your yard for the hogs then they'll reduce the amount of trash they set out for pick up...LOL
8. You could try ducks. The pekin ducks are the most popular variety of duck sold and are meat ducks. Their food is very inexpensive and you can raise two at a time in a fairly small enclosure. There is some cleaning required or they will stink, but I raised two as pets and I live in a suburban area with neighbors on both sides.