# Look what happened last night



## Kassaundra (Jul 2, 2014)

A few weeks ago I traded a cockrel and a capon for a boy and girl rabbit, this morning I have 12ish new bunnies.


----------



## goatgurl (Jul 2, 2014)

have the awww factor going on.  I'm thinking you made a good trade.  are you new to rabbits or an old hat?  I'm thinking about bunnys as a meat source but I'm not sure yet.  congrats on the litter!


----------



## Kassaundra (Jul 2, 2014)

goatgurl said:


> have the awww factor going on.  I'm thinking you made a good trade.  are you new to rabbits or an old hat?  I'm thinking about bunnys as a meat source but I'm not sure yet.  congrats on the litter!


Brand spanking new.   These are our first ever rabbits, we weren't even actually ready.  I had been researching and planning for some time, but we didn't have housing set up.  It was spontaneous.  The lady was wanting my two chickens, but she had unexpectedly come into these two rabbits, so the trade was unexpected.  I worried that they may not even be fertile, she had no clue about them at all.  So I am thinking the trade was so worth it.



Oh and meat is what I have in mind too.


----------



## goatgurl (Jul 2, 2014)

my biggie problem with getting bunnies is not the breeding or raising part or the cleaning and processing part.  I'm just not sure i can bonk them on the head.  I'm such a nudge when it comes to that.  and i don't want to end up with 4,000 bunnies


----------



## Kassaundra (Jul 2, 2014)

goatgurl said:


> my biggie problem with getting bunnies is not the breeding or raising part or the cleaning and processing part.  I'm just not sure i can bonk them on the head.  I'm such a nudge when it comes to that.  and i don't want to end up with 4,000 bunnies


I've been doing my chickens for a while now, so decided to try the rabbits.  I use the pellet gun on the chickens, was figuring on using it on the rabbits too.  I live in town so couldn't get a real gun, I got the 100 dollar rifle style .22 and .17 (two different sized barrels came w/ the one gun) seems to do the job.


----------



## goatgurl (Jul 2, 2014)

hummm, the hardest part is putting on my big girl panties and just doing it.  I've got the cages and supplies, a gift from a sister.  all i need are the rabbits and the guts to do it.  have been raising a calf and pigs and goats to butcher for years and years but they all go to the place down the road and then come home all wrapped up neatly.  with the bunnies i would be the one to do the deed.  and my chickens just usually stay here till they die of old age.  usually just order pullets so no worrys about to many roosters until this year when i started hatching my own eggs.  that is my next step in self sufficiency.    just noticed you are from the henryetta area.  i live a little south of Poteau,  we're almost neighbors


----------



## Kassaundra (Jul 2, 2014)

Cool, I went to High School in Stigler.  The gun made a big difference to me, in being able to do the chickens.  Before them I had never killed anything.  Still not my favorite thing to do, I tend to put it off a few times before actually putting my big girl panties on and doing it, but it is doable at least w/ the gun.


----------



## goatgurl (Jul 2, 2014)

so I'm going to think harder about the rabbits, thanks


----------



## SillyChicken (Jul 2, 2014)

Check with local processors,  one of the larger chicken processors in our area does rabbits now, so we took ours there.   Huge time saver for us.   When we did ourselves, we would put in a small cage and shoot w/ .22 in the back of the head.


----------



## Kassaundra (Jul 3, 2014)

She was seen this morning taking care of them.  Wheeeew, that is a load off.  I really don't know anything about her past how many litters she has had or how good a mother, and I have read all kinds of horror stories online about moms eating babies, and not feeding them and .......   I know people mostly post just when things go bad, but still had me on pins and needles.


----------



## goatgurl (Jul 3, 2014)

good deal!  hope she is a great mom and has hundreds of babies for you.   well i bit the bullet last evening and spoke for a nz buck and doe.  going to Muldrow and picking them up this evening, Lord what have i done???  will keep you posted.    can you believe it is 59 degrees at my house this morning.... july 3rd.  amazing!   going to go sit outside and drink coffee


----------



## kinder (Jul 3, 2014)

Congrats to you and yours.


----------



## Kassaundra (Jul 3, 2014)

goatgurl said:


> good deal!  hope she is a great mom and has hundreds of babies for you.   well i bit the bullet last evening and spoke for a nz buck and doe.  going to Muldrow and picking them up this evening, Lord what have i done???  will keep you posted.    can you believe it is 59 degrees at my house this morning.... july 3rd.  amazing!   going to go sit outside and drink coffee


I know craziest thing almost ever, OK in July so cool.  I hope yours do as well as mine are, post pics when you can.


----------



## Kassaundra (Jul 3, 2014)

kinder said:


> Congrats to you and yours.


Thanks.


----------



## Sumi (Jul 3, 2014)

Oh my goodness, cute stuff!  I made the mistake of showing my nearly 8yo DS your pics. He just said to me "I had a good idea! I'm going to decide how many bunnies we want!" Uh oh...


----------



## OneFineAcre (Jul 3, 2014)

Kassaundra said:


> A few weeks ago I traded a cockrel and a capon for a boy and girl rabbit, this morning I have 12ish new bunnies.
> 
> View attachment 4095
> View attachment 4096



The most interesting part of this thread to me is that you traded a capon.  Not too many people do that anymore.  
I'm almost 50 years old and the last person I knew who could caponize a rooster was my grandmother.


----------



## Kassaundra (Jul 3, 2014)

OneFineAcre said:


> The most interesting part of this thread to me is that you traded a capon.  Not too many people do that anymore.


True it is almost a lost art, I learned about a year or two ago.  I started a pretty active thread on byc about it w/ lots of pics.  Here in OK we have a growing little group thanks to my mentor who is teaching others interested in knowing how.


----------



## Kassaundra (Jul 3, 2014)

Sumi said:


> Oh my goodness, cute stuff!  I made the mistake of showing my nearly 8yo DS your pics. He just said to me "I had a good idea! I'm going to decide how many bunnies we want!" Uh oh...


Bunny math seems to me to be more deadly then chicken math!!!!!


----------



## OneFineAcre (Jul 3, 2014)

Kassaundra said:


> True it is almost a lost art, I learned about a year or two ago.  I started a pretty active thread on byc about it w/ lots of pics.  Here in OK we have a growing little group thanks to my mentor who is teaching others interested in knowing how.





Such a lost art the majority on here will have to google to find out what we are talking about.


----------



## Kassaundra (Jul 3, 2014)

OneFineAcre said:


> Such a lost art the majority on here will have to google to find out what we are talking about.


And then be horrified at what they learn! lol  Most capon threads I saw before starting mine disentigrated into a red hot mess, but I have been surprised and pleased we have kept ours relatively drama free.


----------



## Kassaundra (Jul 4, 2014)

@goatgurl  how did it go, did you get them?  Any pics??????


----------



## that's*satyrical (Jul 4, 2014)

Cool, do you have am chins?   That's what we have and your kits look similar.


----------



## Kassaundra (Jul 4, 2014)

that's*satyrical said:


> Cool, do you have am chins?   That's what we have and your kits look similar.


I have been told the female is either chinchilla or part












Here they are the day we brought them home, the female is the grey one.


----------



## Kassaundra (Jul 4, 2014)

This was unplanned getting them now so I really didn't know much about them at all and the lady I got them from had less of a clue then me.


----------



## Baymule (Jul 4, 2014)

Cute bunnies @Kassaundra !! A long time ago I raised rabbits for show and meat. I got real good at butchering fryer rabbits! I got even better at cooking with rabbit.

Could you post a link to your capon thread?


----------



## Kassaundra (Jul 4, 2014)

@Baymule   a familiar "face"     Sure here it is, the first set of pics is the way we started, but there are new and improved techniques further in the thread.

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/675898/graphic-pics-of-my-day-learning-to-caponize


----------



## Baymule (Jul 4, 2014)

Thanks @Kassaundra I will save it to my favorites. I have 2 young roos that will go to freezer camp anyway, so might use them for learning. I have to go read that......


----------



## Kassaundra (Jul 4, 2014)

Baymule said:


> Thanks @Kassaundra I will save it to my favorites. I have 2 young roos that will go to freezer camp anyway, so might use them for learning. I have to go read that......


There is a learning curve for sure, but it is completely doable.


----------



## Kassaundra (Jul 7, 2014)

I have lost 3, I expected to w/ such a large litter.  I counted 10 today, so not sure if today's count was a miss count or if the original count was off.


----------



## Baymule (Jul 7, 2014)

That's still a large litter. Wish you luck with the bunnies!


----------



## Kassaundra (Jul 7, 2014)

Baymule said:


> That's still a large litter. Wish you luck with the bunnies!


I am totally pleased w/ it.  I was tickled pink they were both fertile and she is a good mom.


----------



## Kassaundra (Jul 8, 2014)

Finally took real pics of the litter


----------



## Baymule (Jul 9, 2014)

They are so darn cute!! Almost cute enough to make me want some....I said almost.  I remember  finding cold kits out on the wire and tucking them in my bra while I went about my rabbit duties. Get one side warm, turn over and warm the other side. The kit would start squirming and uttering their tiny cries and I would return to momma. One cold night a doe had the whole litter on the wire, I just scooped them up in my pajama shirt and went back to bed. I put them on my belly, when the alarm went off for the next bunny check, they were warm and toasty. I used to breed 20-30 does within a few days of each other so I would only have a few sleepless nights. Oh....I _AM _talking myself out of wanting bunnies....


----------



## Kassaundra (Jul 9, 2014)

20 - 30 preggers females, not counting growouts and males, no wonder you are leary about getting anymore!


----------



## Baymule (Jul 10, 2014)

I had about 300 at a time, does, bucks and grow out pens. I raised Satins for show, meat and sold to FFA and 4-H kids. I had Siamese, Red, White, Black and Chinchilla Satins. I had chickens that ran loose in the rabbit barn. They ate the dropped feed, fly larve and whatever else they found. I got eggs and meat from them too. I had my own eco system with the rabbits and chickens. I also raised quail and pheasant. I am not that ambitious anymore and I was a lot younger. I just enjoy my hens and garden now. Besides, DH doesn't like rabbit meat.


----------



## Kassaundra (Jul 14, 2014)

Eyes open, 12 days old, first time to see grass and they started eating it.


----------



## Baymule (Jul 14, 2014)

They are so darn cute!!  but make no mistake, I am totally capable of butchering one of those cutie pies and eating it for supper.


----------



## Kassaundra (Jul 14, 2014)

Baymule said:


> They are so darn cute!!  but make no mistake, I am totally capable of butchering one of those cutie pies and eating it for supper.


I am hoping I am too.


----------



## Farmin' Girl (Jul 14, 2014)

goatgurl said:


> my biggie problem with getting bunnies is not the breeding or raising part or the cleaning and processing part.  I'm just not sure i can bonk them on the head.  I'm such a nudge when it comes to that.  and i don't want to end up with 4,000 bunnies



I understand you gostgurl, it is hard taking the life of a baby bunny, but I find that if I get attached to the parents, and consider them as pets, (pampering, treats, lots of love, etc), I will kinda ignore the babies, and it is a little easier to dispose of them. I know the babies are much cuter, but believe me when I say I can't stand it when they decide to sink their little nippers into my finger (it kinda puts them on my bad side ). The one thing I struggle with is making sure they are actually dead before starting the butchering process.


----------



## Farmin' Girl (Jul 14, 2014)

In our family, rabbit is considered to taste 10x better than chicken!


----------



## Farmin' Girl (Jul 14, 2014)

BTW, overload of adorable on the baby bunnies!!! Congratulations!


----------



## Kassaundra (Jul 14, 2014)

Thanks.


----------



## goatgurl (Jul 20, 2014)

Kassaundra said:


> @goatgurl  how did it go, did you get them?  Any pics??????


so sorry to not answer you, my mom went into the hospital and after a few days we brought her home on hospice.  its been a crazy couple of weeks.  we laid her to rest yesterday.  needless to say i ended up not getting the bunnies.  there will be others on down the road.  how are yours doing?  i saw the pics and they are so cute.


----------



## Kassaundra (Jul 20, 2014)

goatgurl said:


> so sorry to not answer you, my mom went into the hospital and after a few days we brought her home on hospice.  its been a crazy couple of weeks.  we laid her to rest yesterday.  needless to say i ended up not getting the bunnies.  there will be others on down the road.  how are yours doing?  i saw the pics and they are so cute.


I am so sorry about your mother Glad she was able to spend her last days home w/ family, even if she wasn't obviously awake, she still knew! 


Mine are growing like weeds, 9 made it till now, they appear healthy and feisty.  I believe mom is preggers again.  They like staying together so we haven't separated them.  We did at first for her comfort, but she kept getting in his area and he kept getting in her area, and they would snuggle and cuddle, seamed to genuinely enjoy each others company, so we decided to let them stay together.  I'm assuming rebreeding happened w/I days of birth.

Been working on their enclosure, we have a ways to go, but it is coming together.  It is different then anything I've seen, a combo of how cultures in the tropics do it and Okie engineering.  I'll post pics and an explanation when it is far enough along to actually make sense.

Yes there will always be more bunnies.


----------



## goatgurl (Jul 20, 2014)

thanks Kassaundra, mom had her 92nd birthday and then passed the next day.  she was alert and oriented up until the last 36 hours of her life.  she had a long active life and i am trying to celebrate that.  I'm going to hold off on the rabbits, thin out a few goats, feed out the pigs, raise the current hatch of chickens and take a break.  she has been with me for the past 10 years and i just need a breather.  then i'll start over again.  right now i just want to chill.


----------



## Baymule (Jul 20, 2014)

@goatgurl  10 years is a long time, then for her to be gone. Yes you do need some chill time. You have the right idea, take a break for awhile.


----------



## Farmin' Girl (Jul 22, 2014)

Praying everything will straighten out for you soon goatgurl. It is rough, I know, I just lost 2 of my great-grandpas (of which one I was really close to) within 3 months of each other. It isn't always easy to handle.


----------



## goatgurl (Jul 24, 2014)

thanks Baymule and Farmin' girl.  i do ok  and then something stupid like the guy down the road called and wanted to know if i wanted fresh green beans.  now green beans are ok but not my favorite but mom loved them so i go get a few and cry.  silly memories pop up all the time.  i know it is going to take a while but i'll be ok


----------

