Larsen Poultry Ranch - homesteading journey

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

Yesterday it was quite windy and rainy and I was working from home. Just before 10am I hear a creak...crash! The oak tree just fell over, probably because it was a triple trunk. I'm glad we already took down the trees by the house. Since this is in the backyard field zone it will probably be a while before we process the tree. Pic is from the computer room window.

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

Maple kits

 

[Baymule]

Firewood in the backyard. At least you don’t have to haul it very far. LOL
Congratulations on the baby bunnies! They are always so tiny and sweet. Tip on warming up a cold kit, tuck it into your bra. I’ve picked up little ice cubes before, tucked them in my bra, when they starter mewing and wiggling, I turned them over and warmed the other side, then gave them back to momma. Sometimes when feeding the babies, the doe jumps out of the nest box and one will not let go and get dragged out.

 

[SageHill]

Yesterday it was quite windy and rainy and I was working from home. Just before 10am I hear a creak...crash! The oak tree just fell over, probably because it was a triple trunk. I'm glad we already took down the trees by the house. Since this is in the backyard field zone it will probably be a while before we process the tree. Pic is from the computer room window.

Ah I know that sound well! We had a few eucalyptus trees and a cottonwood that did that.
Yay on the kits! You all with the buns make me ~think about trying them. But I don't think I could
handle the "end game".

 

[Ridgetop]

Lot of hype about rabbits eating their y9ung but they really only eat the ones that are already dead to try to dean the nest. Occasionally a young and enthusiastic doe ei bite off bits ike ears or toes trying to clean their kits. She will get better with future litters and since you don't eat the ears or toes anyway you will have a couple for the freezer. Any dead ones can be fed to the chickens. Seriously maimed kits are easily and humanely put down by putting them in a paper bag and putting them in the freezer. They die quickly.

 

[Baymule]

Ah I know that sound well! We had a few eucalyptus trees and a cottonwood that did that.
Yay on the kits! You all with the buns make me ~think about trying them. But I don't think I could
handle the "end game".

They don’t taste very good with the fur on. And believe it or not, if you bite them, they are liable to bite you back!

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

Juniper getting her nest ready this morning. She keeps moving the box around, I finally shoved it into the spot she was trying to nest in. She's a first timer too. Only Sage has kindled before, I'm glad she was first. I really feel like the first timers do well if they are near an experienced doe or watch another doe.

I was worried about rain getting into the shelter between the tarp and top, so I grabbed a couple of big cardboard boxes and put them directly on the top of the cages. Instant rain guard. Guess I should order more bigger things from Amazon, all I have left are smaller boxes.

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

Thankfully I haven't had many cold kits so far.

It is easier to butcher with others, especially if you can get a designated dispatcher who isn't attached to the bunnies. It also helps if they bite or scratch the h*11 out of your arms when you are making the decision to cull. They seem less adorable then.

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

@Ridgetop what do you think of a nest box like this? Not my picture but a screenshot. Has inner chamber for the kits, outer chamber so mom can still be inside the box, and she can also sit on top to get away from the kits before they learn to jump up.

 

[Baymule]

JMO, but I think the outer chamber is unnecessary. The top is a good idea.

I had hanging wire cages. I finally went to open top nest boxes with hardware cloth bottoms. With the open top and wire cage top, in cold weather I placed those aluminum clamp on automotive lights with a 100 watt bull over the nest. The wire was ran through the rafters. Kept new kits warm. The hardware cloth on the nest box bottom was for allowing the pee to go through. Does would sometimes pee on their babies. With a solid bottom, it was wet and ammonia fumes built up quickly. Kits could die overnight. That’s what worked for me. Everyone has different set ups, just thought I’d toss that out there.