Our fryer rabbits are already 12 weeks old and ready to be processed. We are still new to this part of farming and find it emotionally challenging though it is something that must be dealt with in order to provide ethically raised healthy food for ourselves.
These two litters have grown very well, they are all just over 5lbs each with translates to about 2.5lbs dressed. Rabbit is a high protein, very low fat meat with a delicious mild flavor. It can be cooked as in most chicken recipes. I will post some recipes here as I discover them.
Our friend Tom is an apprenticed meatcutter. We are very fortunate to have his help on these days. If fact we have a few great friends who are willing to come out and help. The day goes by so much smoother with so many hands. Thank you.
Some of our chicks are now reaching fryer size as well, I think we may do the cockrels today along with a couple of old hens that are no longer laying. I just have to try to catch them!
A day to celebrate and cross fingers! For the first time Hershey was bred...to TATER! It is also the first time he has done his manly duties since getting him in June. I think he is a newbie at the whole business, but hopefully has things figured out now. Fingers crossed for new buns on or about February 24!
And wow what a score today! A wonderful lady answered my wanted ad for rabbit cages and offered me a great deal. Four sectioned cages with 2-3 compartments each for a total of ten large cages complete with nest boxes, feeders, and waterers- all for $100!! I am now truely set up with all the cages and supplies I'll ever need.
What a great bunny day!
Checked in on the little bunnies today to find that one had died since yesterday. I am not surprised, it just was not thriving. It wasn't the runt, I am not sure why it didn't make it but I think all the rest will be ok. There are two great big kits and three various sized smaller ones. I will try to take a picture tomorrow - their eyes should be opening soon!
And yes indeed it snowed for the first time today! I think we are fairly prepared for winter now. Just have to remember how to drive in the snow and how to dress warm.
I spent a day last week turning my horse trailer into a rabbit barn / chicken coop. Here is a photo from the back door. It is usually closed and we use the escape door as the main entrance. The rabbits are out of the wind and snow, and I have a light inside so I can see during night feeding. Everybody seems rather cozy!
As I posted earlier I had decided to enter the rabbits into the Creston Fall Fair. Last night my friend Lorna and I packed up the bunnies and drove to town. Thankfully I thought to put a tarp under their boxes on the back seat - all three of them peed on the trip. Oh we only took three as Tater and Chester would have been in the same age/breed catagory. Poor (or is it lucky?) Chester got to stay home.
I am happy to report that Hershey placed first in Junior Doe, Gina placed first in Senior Doe, and Tater also placed first in Senior Buck! Now that was much more fun that my fruit mishaps!
Well I don't quite have the blogging thing down yet... just remembered that I needed to put a few minutes aside and write something! To bring things up to date:
August 28: I bought two more Rex rabbits from a family in Idaho. A nice looking senior broken black buck that should cross well with Gina if she will ever accept! Nope, no luck yet. 'Chester' is a pretty active and handsome fellow though, I am sure Gina will take to him one of these days. I hope.
The other bunny is Hershey - a chocolate otter junior doe. It will be a couple more months before she can be bred but I plan to breed her to Tater when she is ready. Hershey is very sweet - the kids who bred and raised her did a great job!
August 31: My mom Rose came to visit and stay with us for a few days. She didn't really get much time to relax - instead she taught me how to can fruit and jam! We spent hours canning tomatoes, nectarines and peaches, and making various jam concoctions such as strawberry, strawberry rhubarb, strawberry banana, and raspberry rhubarb. We also viewed a property for sale nearby with the hopes of convincing her to move to Creston and buy an acreage that we can live on as well :)
September 1: Last day to enter items into the Creston Fall Fair. I decided to enter Gina, Tater, and Hershey, as well as a jar of nectarines, peaches, rhubarb strawberry jam and peach jam. Why not? First time entering into the fair and first time with rabbits and canning! Gotta start sometime.
Yes it does sound simple...the term "reproduce like rabbits" must be born from truth...right?
I have tried unsuccessfully to breed Gina to Tater. They were first put together July 19, without much excitement. Tater really tried to do his job but Gina just wasn't interested. Being somewhat impatient I left them together overnight and assumed they must have figured things out. Wrong. Now it is over a month later and there are no little bunnies! I know better now than to leave them together unattended - seems that I wasted a month of waiting because I didn't' witness any action. That is ok.. I am always prepared to learn a lesson even if it is done the hard way. But it is SO DARN FRUSTRATING!
So now I have been trying once again to breed them, and again without success. Through research and some wonderful help on various homesteading forums I have learned that perhaps I've been feeding Gina too much - she is rather chubby now. I've also received tips such as taking her for a car ride for a change of scenery, putting them in the sun to 'warm up' (but it has been raining here so haven't tried that yet) , and to separate their cages out of sight to try for the 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' idea.
Tomorrow Gina gets to relocate and go on a diet. Maybe even go for a car ride though the pugs Karma and Shambhala will be mighty jealous.
I am new to many things, and blogging is the most recent! Thank you for dropping in for a visit - I hope in some way I can offer you some tips, hints, advice, inspiration, knowlege, or just plain entertainment. All of which are good for the soul. In turn I welcome your own input and appreciate any contribution.
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