Mr. and Mrs. Bunny welcome 6

We recently purchased a breeding trio of Californian rabbits that we will be breeding and raising for meat. Raising rabbits for meat has been mentioned over and over again as a great way to build up a small homestead for the following reasons.

"Food production is the most important skill in survival. Without sufficient food you’re sunk. You won’t have the energy to protect yourself or your supplies, you won’t be able to get firewood to keep warm, or water to stay hydrated. So yes, you can live for weeks without food, but only if other people are there to take care of you and they have enough food! And meat is one of the best energy foods. Unfortunately most meat production is a high feed/time endeavor. It takes a lot of feed and time to get that cow to butcher size. Two years from birth to butcher if you’re looking at optimum growth. Plus a cow standing out in a field is going to draw attention, even if you live in the boonies. That’s why rabbits are such a good survival idea. They are very low profile, quiet, easy to raise, healthy, easy to feed, reproduce quickly, and reach butcher size in 10 to 12 weeks. No other livestock animal has a better feed to weight ratio. Meaning it takes less feed to get your rabbits to butcher size than any other meat animal."--credit to James Wesley, Rawles

Mrs. Bunny gave birth to 6 little kits on this chilly Fall morning. It was so exciting to be able to watch her clean them and get them all nestled into their furry, homemade burrow. We now wait to see if our other breeding doe, Hagar, was bred successfully and will add to our stock.

I just requested the book "Storey's Guide to Raising Rabbits" which has been highly recommended. I am anxiously awaiting a call from the library to let me know that it has arrived.

For the middle girls

We have found ourselves overrun by chickens. Chickens of all shapes and sizes. Rich set about converting our old goat shelter into a medium sized brooder/coop for all 12 middle school girls. The girls will be nice and cozy in there for a few more weeks and then will be pecked in with the older, neaner high school girls. Oh, the thought sends shivers down my spine. I suppose it will be quicker and less painful than my 4 long years in high school.
I am loving watching my former city slicker husband embrace this life to the fullest. He is a gem when it comes to taking the necessary time to get these projects done right. The girls just love him. Oh, enough. Enough. I am talking about the hens, y'all :O)

Better People

Wouldn't we all be better people if we grew up around chickens? I know I would.

There's a what in your shed?

Yup, all from one little shed.
The snakes? 2 black rat snakes
The bird? Mama Carolina Finch and her littles

Growing so fast

I am not sure exactly how old the chicks are now. I am sure they were more than a day old when we got them almost 3 weeks ago. I would guess closer to a month old. Obviously old enough to leap on out of the brooder everytime the door is open. It is so fun to watch them work up enough jump to actually get out. We just moved them out onto the screened in porch. They were getting way smelly and taking up to much room in the already overcrowded laundry room. I am able to keep it at a nice warm temp even outside and they are safe, so I am very thankful for the porch.

Newest feathers

Some pictures of our most recent feathered friends. These are some of the 12 newest future laying hens. We do love our chickens and are excited to add some new varieties to the flock. As you can see, Kierra was non too happy that daddy wouldn't let her handle the chicks the way that *she* wanted to handle them. "I can do it MYSELF, daddy!," says Kiki.

Homemade Chicken Brooders

We decided to expand the chicken flock to include 12 hens. The breeds are a mix of Rhode Island Reds, Red Sexlinks, and Production Reds.Poppy and Dante have built 2 super great chicken brooders that are currently in the laundry room. The chicks are about 3 weeks old now and doing great. They will move outside as soon as it gets a bit warmer and they get all of their feathers. We are still debating on the best way to integrate these littler ones in with the old mamas. Will be interesting if nothing else.