Raising rabbits for meat doesn't imply neglectful conditions. Large-breed rabbits can be more prone to sore hocks (even on solid flooring) and hormonal spraying isn't uncommon in unaltered males. The living conditions may or may not have been cause for their condition.
As far as bathing goes, my experience varies from the norm. Many house rabbit websites say not to bathe rabbits under any circumstances. But as I mentioned, it's not uncommon for a rabbit to get sprayed by a neighbor...or spray their own living quarters and roll around in it. I have some basic "safe guards" in place to try and prevent these mishaps, but they ARE animals so it happens. Likewise, young Holland Lops (the breed I raise) are prone to slight digestive issues as weanlings. So let's just say baths aren't unheard of around these parts.
I fill a sink or the bathtub with just a half inch or an inch of water. I sit the rabbit inside, on top of a washcloth so they're not slipping. You can use a throw-away plastic cup to pour water over affected areas. I use a mild hand soap to quickly rub in and rinse out. Use very little soap, too much will be very difficult to rinse thoroughly.
After the soap is rinsed out, I take the rabbit out and towel dry them for 10-15 minutes. Their fur is very thick with many layers, so it's important to do the best you can to get excess moisture out of the coat. Keep the rabbit at room temperature until they are fully dry (if they don't already live inside). Keep them away from heat extremes while they dry.
The danger of bathing rabbits is that they can have trouble regulating their temperature when they're wet, which is why keeping them at a comfortable room temperature until they're dry is so important. Obviously it's also important to make sure they're not submerged and inhaling water. Rabbits aren't aquatic animals and they generally have little interest in jumping right into it. I don't recommend bathing rabbits just for the sake of cleaning them. But you
can bathe rabbits safely when needed. If you have rabbits long enough, you're sure to need it sometime.
If a rabbit seems particularly stressed out by the event, I remove them from the bath immediately and spot-clean with a warm washcloth instead. But very few of my rabbits have been any more concerned than they are during regular grooming, nail-clipping, etc.
