Rabbitry

Being true to the farm name has been easy – we’ve been quite half-assed about updating the blog! It’s time to change that, though.

Last year around this time, we signed a contract to purchase a home. The sellers were an ordeal in themselves, but we were steadfast and we survived! We really love the new homestead, and the location is perfect. We had been admiring this place from our old house the whole time we lived there. There’s a lot of work to do, always, but we are grateful for our new home, and enjoying the space and freedoms it allows us.

The garden: It’s the largest we’ve ever had; we’re looking forward to a bountiful harvest for canning, freezing, eating, and sharing. Night before last, we had the first zucchini of the season with dinner. It was delicious!

The animals: The new house came with a beautiful India Blue peacock we call Bill, and numerous Guinea fowl. I’m in the market for a peahen lady friend for Bill, if you know of any available. We still have the New Zealand meat rabbits, hens, and honeybees. We’ve added more pullets (two of the kids are participating in Chick Chain with 4-H), current could is 19 for the kids and 7 for me, in addition to the 4 remaining hens. Abby recently took an interest in the 4-H sheep project, so last month we bought 4 lambs – 3 ewes and a ram. This past weekend we purchased 2 young calves – a red Angus and a baldy (Hereford / black Angus cross). We’re looking forward to adding more calves and possibly swine to the homestead.

So that’s it for now – we’ll try to be a little less half-assed with updates! 😀

We’ve decided to try our hand at raising rabbits from the “livestock” perspective (even though they are technically not considered livestock). I realize many may find this disturbing; however, we must be practical – there are several benefits that could be argued, but that’s for another time… For tonight, we look at the hutch.

I found a supply of 9 free 9′ pallets that fit the bill for this build. We tore them down and built a 9 space hutch:

Details:

Just over 8′ 6″ wide and about 7′ tall and cages are 30″ deep made from pallet wood and mesh, cement boards, cement blocks, tin roofing (to be installed shortly) – very heavy.

Top Row can house 1 buck and 4 does

Bottom Row has 4 larger sections for weaned offspring litters.

Between rows has Durock (tile backer board) on an angle covered with plastic for drainage

Bottom row has “pit” style collection (to be shoveled into upcoming flow through vermicomposter – stay tuned)

We are working on automatic watering valves etc. (more to come)