EVERY LIFE MATTERS
Now that we were all settled in with having chickens it was time to move on to preparing for the rabbits. Our main reasoning for rabbits (for now), is a novelty for the grandchildren. We wanted to give them an experience each time they came to visit, either visiting the animals or helping with “farm” chores. I did not want to become a grandmother that entertained them with the world, but with real-life education.
Other reasons we have also found to have rabbits are for meat, their manure, and breeding for some income.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
The first thing we did was locate two rabbit cages ($25 each) and fix them up with new hinges, doors, and a good clean-out. We wanted our rabbits to not spend their life in a cage, but due to predators, we have provided one for protection after experiencing cats and foxes entering the yard.
Next, we decided to paint the hutches to match our little red shed, adding to the “farm” feel. We brought the grandchildren around for this project of course!
Next, we decided to paint the hutches to match our little red shed, adding to the “farm” feel. We brought the grandchildren around for this project of course!
We then fenced off a large run for them during the day out of cattle panels. Does that have a liter will have to be caged until their babies are weaned and old enough to defend themselves a bit more.
Last, we added a few obstacles, and places to hide for shade. An old crate, a few pieces of logs to jump on, and an old tire.
LESSONS LEARNED
We have spent the last year learning about life inside and outside the hutch with our rabbits. We have learned:
You can have a dozen babies really quick. Blink and before you know it, you could have 6-10 bunnies from one mother. She then can become pregnant again within a day after giving birth. They truly multiply!
How some rabbits are wonderful mothers and some are neglectful, or when threatened they will kill their kits. What makes a good mother is a mystery to me, but when you find one, they are the best thing to watch as they care for their babies oh so sweetly. We had, however, one mother rabbit feel so threatened for some reason that she ended up killing her 3-week babies, leaving us one that we rescued. We were devastated.
We have learned about different predators that will attack. We learned that cats love baby rabbits and will take off with them at night if left careless, but they will not touch a full-grown rabbit. We had a fox as an intruder come once too, that killed a few grown rabbits. If your rabbits are to be outdoors and you want to avoid this, they will need a roof of some sort for their open run.
One life lesson we learned was about a deadly rabbit disease that came and wiped out 27 from our rabbit colony of 30. This was a very hard lesson. The feeling of death overhung the farm for weeks. Every day we had rabbits dying and felt helpless. This was dramatic because my grandchildren had selected bunnies and were attached to these little friends. To tell them their bunnies died was not easy, and probably scarred me for life. However, we learned how to use the herbs in our yard for healing which then saved 3 of them. Sickness, injury, and death will come at unexpected times. No matter how hard we work to keep our animals safe and healthy, sometimes things happen that are beyond our control.
ALL PART OF HIS KINGDOM
While raising rabbits can be harder than I thought and requires a lot of sacrifices, I’m so grateful for all of the lessons I have learned and that are teaching my family and grandchildren.
These virtues like work, stewardship, respect, humility, patience, responsibility, fidelity, diligence, and fortitude are all required in order to have a successful operation and are peacefully forged by the beautiful fires of homestead life.
Most importantly, as a family, I think we’ve realized that raising rabbits requires faith in God in order to thrive. The work might be raw and unglamorous, filled with death and hard work, but like any other work: if it is done as a sacrifice in His name, it is all beautiful. Raising rabbits like other animals is all part of the plan to learn how His Kingdom operates and how every life matters.
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