This week brought us a much needed warm up in weather. It looks like the winter weather is finally over.
Neil has been busy raking and burning leaves in preparation for our Chicken Palace delivery in a few weeks. We have now planned out the run, equipped with various food stations, roosts and other fine chicken entertainment. Let’s just say these chickens are some lucky ladies. I can’t wait to show you the finished product. I will keep you updated along the way.
We are also going to move Raffi and Rosie, our resident homestead rabbits, down near the chickens so we can move them off of our porch. We just need to build them an over head shelter to cover their two story hutch (yes we may spoil our homestead critters a bit). We also want to extend their hutch so they can have more room to stretch their furry legs.
We have also figured out our garden plans which involve building two raised bed planters. I am hoping we can get this done this weekend as long as the rain moves along.
Since the weather has been so nice, Neil and I have enjoyed taking Peanut, Lilly and Oliver on walks around our little homestead. Oliver has been absolutely beside himself with how fun the walks are. Check it out HERE (make sure your sound is on!).
It is hilarious to watch him race around the yard, kicking up his piggy feet in delight. With the gaggle of people’s dogs that roam around our homestead, he has yet to meet an enemy. The dogs just seem to count him in as a little funny looking, but a friend all the same.
Oliver has enjoyed his walks so much he has learned how to unscrew the tension baby gate we have on his porch. Since we have yet to install a permanent gate, we have had to nail a board at the bottom of the baby gait to keep him from unscrewing the tension rods with his mouth. Sometimes he is a little too smart for his own good!
Neil and I have also been talking about raising other forms of meat in the coming year. We spend so much money on produce (why we are planting a garden) and meat. We have talked about meat rabbits, but I have never tasted it before. Anyone have any experience on raising these? Any advice to share?
Until next time…
Homestead Redhead 
Rabbit meat is delicious and very easy and rewarding to raise. I just made a very tasty rabbit curry!
Thank you for the insight, we are seriously considering raising them!
I know nothing about raising anything but in the late 70s and early 80s rabbit was sold at Safeway in Pollock Pines, CA. We all (hubby and 2 sons) enjoyed it and have been disappointed to be unable to find it available anywhere. Hope you do well.
Thank you for the input Judy! I am looking around to see if there is any store that sells it locally so I can taste it. I hope I like it!
If you can get past how cute they are they are easy to raise and care for. You just have to keep a log of which female and male produced which kits so you don’t have inbreeding which can lead to birth defects that can cause death of the mother or babies or a bunch of deformed baby bunnies that either die early or are forced to live deformed. We have 3 males right now that will be in the freezer soon. Also have 2 breeding females and 2 breeding males. It neat to watch them raise the babies. Let me know if you end up wanting to purchase breeding stock. I’m in Eastern NC
Hey there! Thank you so much for the tips. I would definitely be interested in keeping in touch and maybe taking a trip down to come visit and purchase some breeding stock. Can you send me you contact info/website? homesteadredhead@gmail.com Thanks!
Check into cost of butchering them unless you plan to do it yourself. I know sometimes it easier to grow fewer big things than lots of smaller, but cost is more cost effective on a bigger animal. Wow lol on that note think about meat goats. You can sell them to people(Hispanics like this) on the hoof.
We have a very large Hispanic population in this area, so I probably could get some business. I don’t think I could ever eat goats, it doesn’t appeal to me! We would butcher them ourselves, so that would save some money. When I was researching meat rabbits, it definitely said don’t expect to get rich doing it! Thanks for the tip 🙂
Lol I don’t know if I could butcher our chickens so I made sure I could find someone to do it that wasn’t an arm and a leg. If you’re doing it for quality it pays off no matter what!
Totally agree 😉
I grew up with rabbits and I thought they were pets I had no idea, everyday after school I would play with them and feed them. but one day I came home and they were gone, that night we had chicken or so I thought until I asked what happened to the rabbits and Dad said what do you think your eating?! I sat there with tears in my eyes as I continued to eat because i was still hungry.
Awww! The reality of homesteading as seen through the eyes of a child!