Shortys Journal

[Shorty]

1. What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like?
I am in north eastern Illinois
2. How many people are in your family? Marital status?
I am single live with my parents
3. How would you define your farm?
Just three meat rabbits and 3 dogs
4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?
Move out get more animals I have always wanted a horse
5. Have you ever built a house, barn , or other types of building? Do you want to?
No barn or house but my Dad and I built a rabbit shack I'll have to post pictures later
6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?
nope
7. Who or what inspired you to be a farmer/rancher, hobby farmer?
I heard rabbit meat was good for you and my Dad was supposed to eat healthier so I decided to raise them
8 Is it a hobby or an occupation?
Hobby
9. In what areas are you knowledgeable and in what areas would you like to learn more?
I know a lot about dogs need to learn more about rabbits but I did research a lot before I got my rabbits
10. In what types of farming will you never choose to do?
I don't think I could ever do cows or pigs
11. Are you interested in providing more of your own food supply?
Not at this time but maybe down the road
12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?
Reading I love to read
13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?
Small tractors yes semi no way
14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?
I can knit and sew I have taught people but not recently
15. Can you legally have all forms of livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?
Nope I don't think the neighbors would like it
16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?
no
17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?
I work at a garden center so I can garden I just don't have the time
18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?
yep I fish with bait
19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City farm? Country?
Maybe a 1/4 acre
20. Are you a Novice, Technician, degreed?
Novice
21. What is your farm specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?
I don't have a specialty
22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?
23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?
nope
24. Are you interested in herbal animal medicine?
not really I mean if I had more time it would be interesting
25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?
Somewhere with mountains I love Oregon and Colorado
26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?
sure do for heating the house
27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be?
Batman hands down I love Batman
28. Are your family or friends also interested in animals?
Yep I have family that wants goats and to raise more of their own food
29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?
Yep love to cook. I am currently looking into trading rabbit for eggs with a friend
30. What was your best animal experience? Worst?
Best Getting over my fear of riding bareback and only riding with out a saddle for two summers, worst couldn't say non are really that bad
31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?
Hunt ducks, geese, pheasants, doves, deer
32. What skills do you have that help you be more a self sufficient farm?
I can garden
33. Do you process your own meat? Can or preserve?
We process everything but send the deer to the butcher after we de-boned it to be made into sausage. My mom and I make jelly and a lot of spaghetti sauce and can it
34. Do you use alternative energy sources on your farm? Would you like to?
nope
35 What is on your to do list?
Even the floor in the rabbit shack, get power to the shack for a light, finish putting up plastic to keep the wind out
36. Have you ever lived completely off what you produce? Would you like to?
no I haven't but I would like to try eventually
37. In what do you trust?
38. Do you make and fix things yourself to save money?
Yes I fixed all the rabbit cages I bought they were originally used for parrots
39. Has the experience with animals changed your attitude or habits?
Not really I grew up hunting so raising rabbits was just a way to raise meat year round and it is a bonus we know where it comes from. Although most people around here would have a heart attack if I told them I was eating my rabbits so I tend to not tell people

 

[Shorty]

This is my rabbit shack it. My Dad and I built it to keep the rabbits warm this winter and it has a light in it to keep their days a good length. The first picture is before we added the sides the rest are after we added the sides and covered the inside with plastic to help keep the drafts out. I also added a light to keep their days a decent length. I'm sorry some of the pictures are sideways I am not sure how to fix that They are the right way on my computer.

 

[Shorty]

Well it is freezing here ugh. I did find that adding apple cider vinegar to the rabbits water dishes lowers the freezing point a couple degrees which is awesome. What is not awesome is my water bottles don't work anymore and my rabbits love flipping over water dishes and eating them. The good news is I still have all nine of my kits from my recent litter three still have an eye closed with a little goop in them but it isn't spreading so I am not sure what the cause is. Next week they will be weaned and I will separate those three I have been treating them with optical gel haven't gotten worse but haven't gotten better either :-/ Not sure what I am going to do with them. Also if anyone has tips for cleaning frozen trays I am all ears

 

[BrownSheep]

No clue what to do about the frozen trays.
Your shack looks great! What sort of light are you using?

 

[Shorty]

Thanks! I love the shack I have just figured out how to keep the dogs out of it, what is it with dogs and rabbit poop yuck. The light is a just a clamp light I have it on a timer so that their day is consistent.

 

[jodief100]

We use electric waterers where possible. Makes things much easier. Can you put a light bulb on them?

 

[Shorty]

Jodie what brand of electric waterers do you use?

 

[jodief100]

We use the electric buckets. Mostly the 7 gallon size but a few of the 22 gallon ones. I have several brands and they all work. Blue ones from Tractor Supply and green ones I got on clearance at Southern State for $18 three summers ago. I just put an electric dog bowl in for the turkeys. Since your rabbits are in a shed I was thinking just having a light bulb near the water may work. Depends on how cold it is.

 

[Shorty]

I might try the light bulb see if it works

 

[Shorty]

Today we butchered our second batch of rabbits. It was easier and harder then the last time, last time they were colored so I could tell them apart this time they were all REW so didn't know who was who so it was easier in that way. They were bigger this time by like 1.5-2 lbs so it was harder to dispatch them. I wasn't supposed to but I kept one. I really don't have the cage space but she is nice and beefy so I'm hoping someone will buy her as a breeder. I should have a litter in 2 weeks but they weren't overly enthusiastic to breed but Mr. Scott fell off twice so I'm hopeful.