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[Her Farmstead Rabbitry]

In this past year, my herd has almost tripled in size! I added Satins as well as more New Zealands. I have already have several hundred dollars worth of sales this year. Lately I haven't been able to process any rabbits because I am selling all of them. But it is a good problem to have. I started a waiting list and it is almost full for my three upcoming litters! I recently started a facebook page and I have 45 followers!
You can find my facebook page at Her Farmstead Rabbitry! A few weeks ago I started growing fodder for my rabbits. They love it and so do I because it saves me money! With all of these rabbits I have been blowing through feed! I am so excited to see what this year will bring (hopefully some blue baby rabbits!)
My goals this year are:
1. I am going to start pedigrees on my New Zealands,
2. I am going to make my money back from this years purchases.
3. I am going to start a youtube channel.
4. I am going to have 100 followers on facebook
5. I am going to be able to process more litters.
6. I am going to feed fodder every other day.
Feel free to share your goas and accomplishments!

 

[Martlet]

To start pedigrees on New Zealands do you need to start with a pedigree duo?

 

[Her Farmstead Rabbitry]

@Martlet You can start a pedigree from scratch but the rabbit needs to be purebred. A pedigree is just a list of its ancestry. I will take one of the rabbits I have, and since I know who his parents are, I have the first generation on his pedigree. I will keep going with his babies and their babies until I have at least 3 generations

 

[eco2pia]

You can start a pedigree from scratch but the rabbit needs to be purebred.

TBH, there is nothing stopping people from pedigreeing meat mutts. A pedigree is only a list of named ancestors. You can also start with a cross breed, and in 3 generations you will have "purebred pedigreed" what ever. Of course, your rabbit ought to at least meet the breed standard...Sometimes this is legitimately done to improve an established breed, crossing in a single individual from another breed to improve a particular trait, or it can be used to create a new breed, such as Satin Angoras.

Registering rabbits is a bit different. But pedigrees are only as good as the person writing them. They are more valuable if they come from a show home, where these rabbits have been judged and possibly registered.

 

[Drip baby girl]

I agree

 

[Rabbits By DK]

In this past year, my herd has almost tripled in size! I added Satins as well as more New Zealands. I have already have several hundred dollars worth of sales this year. Lately I haven't been able to process any rabbits because I am selling all of them. But it is a good problem to have. I started a waiting list and it is almost full for my three upcoming litters! I recently started a facebook page and I have 45 followers!
You can find my facebook page at Her Farmstead Rabbitry! A few weeks ago I started growing fodder for my rabbits. They love it and so do I because it saves me money! With all of these rabbits I have been blowing through feed! I am so excited to see what this year will bring (hopefully some blue baby rabbits!)
My goals this year are:
1. I am going to start pedigrees on my New Zealands,
2. I am going to make my money back from this years purchases.
3. I am going to start a youtube channel.
4. I am going to have 100 followers on facebook
5. I am going to be able to process more litters.
6. I am going to feed fodder every other day.
Feel free to share your goas and accomplishments!

I'm also starting out growing fodder, are you using oats or something else for sprouting?

 

[Her Farmstead Rabbitry]

I'm also starting out growing fodder, are you using oats or something else for sprouting?

I was going to use barley but wheat is signifigantly cheaper so I have been using wheat.

 

[Mckatie]

In this past year, my herd has almost tripled in size! I added Satins as well as more New Zealands. I have already have several hundred dollars worth of sales this year. Lately I haven't been able to process any rabbits because I am selling all of them. But it is a good problem to have. I started a waiting list and it is almost full for my three upcoming litters! I recently started a facebook page and I have 45 followers!
You can find my facebook page at Her Farmstead Rabbitry! A few weeks ago I started growing fodder for my rabbits. They love it and so do I because it saves me money! With all of these rabbits I have been blowing through feed! I am so excited to see what this year will bring (hopefully some blue baby rabbits!)
My goals this year are:
1. I am going to start pedigrees on my New Zealands,
2. I am going to make my money back from this years purchases.
3. I am going to start a youtube channel.
4. I am going to have 100 followers on facebook
5. I am going to be able to process more litters.
6. I am going to feed fodder every other day.
Feel free to share your goas and accomplishments!

Love this list! You have inspired me to get moving (albeit slowly since I've recently been ill.)

1) I have a clover patch started that I'm adding to, along with sunflowers, sprouting oats and oats..
2) I am going get my rabbits to the self supporting stage!
3) I started my facebook page - Cheek Buns Rabbitry -https://www.facebook.com/Cheeky.Buns2/
4) I am going to post a couple times or more every week
5) I am going to continue to have fun.
6) I am going to breed my rex does ..then I will decide to keep or sell trio.
7) I am going to decide if I buy a satin buck.
8) I am going to add a table for my rabbits at the Farmer's market.
9) I am going to add 4 more gardens this year.
10) I am going to build my new rabbit setup.

 

[Her Farmstead Rabbitry]

Wow, you have some good goals. I thin k I am

Love this list! You have inspired me to get moving (albeit slowly since I've recently been ill.)

1) I have a clover patch started that I'm adding to, along with sunflowers, sprouting oats and oats..
2) I am going get my rabbits to the self supporting stage!
3) I started my facebook page - Cheek Buns Rabbitry -https://www.facebook.com/Cheeky.Buns2/
4) I am going to post a couple times or more every week
5) I am going to continue to have fun.
6) I am going to breed my rex does ..then I will decide to keep or sell trio.
7) I am going to decide if I buy a satin buck.
8) I am going to add a table for my rabbits at the Farmer's market.
9) I am going to add 4 more gardens this year.
10) I am going to build my new rabbit setup.

Wow, you have some good goals. I think I am also going to get a table at the farmers market! What is your new rabbit set up going to look like?

 

[Mckatie]

Wow, you have some good goals. I thin k I am

Wow, you have some good goals. I think I am also going to get a table at the farmers market! What is your new rabbit set up going to look like?

Thank you!
I will post photos when I'm done. I haven't drafted the final set up out yet. Because I used rewired dog crates I will have the XL (condos I call them) for the mommas, the L for others. Two grow out pens. I will remeasure the area and order the supplies next month after the snow melts. Something like a 10' X 20' area. I was going to buy wire cages or build them, however, I like the structure of these. So my current picture in my head is building them Bobby or Teal style. Or... build a pavilion ? where I can hang all the cages. I want them high off the ground. Then if I want to enclose them I can still add solar power later.

I sell plants, jewelry and art at the farmer's market. So, I will add the rabbit table to my setup. I called George (head of the Farmer's Market) and made sure it was ok. Fortunately ,rabbits are still allowed. However, be prepared for a lot of people (kids) wanting to pet the rabbits. Bring another person if you are able to as well as a gallon of water for the bunnies. I need to buy a new canopy also. Tiffany sells hers at a different setup as well as eggs, goats milk, soap, honey. She says she often stays after because the kids want to visit.

I am waiting for warmer weather and then I will fence in 2 more gardens. I am going to bring new garden soil in a few weeks. One garden is ready. One I have to frame in still. Plus I have all of my previous gardens. So much fun!

 

[Her Farmstead Rabbitry]

@Mckatie Sounds like a lot of fun. I am in the process of making a pole barn to hang 14 cages. Here is what it looks like now. the cages will hang along the sides and there will be a walkway in the middle. I hope this can give you a little inspiration.

 

[Martlet]

@Mckatie Sounds like a lot of fun. I am in the process of making a pole barn to hang 14 cages. Here is what it looks like now. the cages will hang along the sides and there will be a walkway in the middle. I hope this can give you a little inspiration.

View attachment 40601

I'd love to see either plans or progress as it moves forward. I've been flip flopping between this, a carport (which I've likely decided against due to cost, size, and wind), or a combination of several plans I've seen online.

Right now I'm leaning towards building my own hutch to hang cages in, but I'm torn between single or double stack. If I go single stack I'm torn between trays or no trays.

 

[Her Farmstead Rabbitry]

I'd love to see either plans or progress as it moves forward. I've been flip flopping between this, a carport (which I've likely decided against due to cost, size, and wind), or a combination of several plans I've seen online.

Right now I'm leaning towards building my own hutch to hang cages in, but I'm torn between single or double stack. If I go single stack I'm torn between trays or no trays.

I will definitely post updates. As for trays, I would recommend no trays. I would only use trays unless I had to. They seem like too much maintenance and can affect the rabbits' respiratory system. I am only planning to do a single row but who knows what may happen, I might need to double my herd!

 

[Martlet]

I will definitely post updates. As for trays, I would recommend no trays. I would only use trays unless I had to. They seem like too much maintenance and can affect the rabbits' respiratory system. I am only planning to do a single row but who knows what may happen, I might need to double my herd!

That's why I'm trying to think ahead. If I have to double them up I'd have to use trays.

 

[Mckatie]

@Mckatie Sounds like a lot of fun. I am in the process of making a pole barn to hang 14 cages. Here is what it looks like now. the cages will hang along the sides and there will be a walkway in the middle. I hope this can give you a little inspiration.

I like that idea. I'm in favor of something similar. I want the cages off the ground. I am also a short person. So while I have a few stacked cages, I have to milk crate it. I definitely want the cages a couple feet off the ground. I want the cleaning process to be more cohesive, more smooth. All of the cages inline in each section. I hope to see more pictures as your work progresses. Thank you for sharing.

 

[eco2pia]

That's why I'm trying to think ahead. If I have to double them up I'd have to use trays.

If you give yourself a gap between the top and bottom racks, you can actually make a slanted piece of metal or better PVC roofing material that will spill all the urine and the poop off of it... Slope it towards the back so that it doesn't drip on you when you're trying to get into the front of the cages, and expect that you will have to rinse it clean quite often.

Having done that before. I will say I wouldn't do it again. It's just so much nicer to have everything fall to the ground where the urine can drain into the dirt instead of sitting stagnant in a puddle someplace.

 

[Martlet]

If you give yourself a gap between the top and bottom racks, you can actually make a slanted piece of metal or better PVC roofing material that will spill all the urine and the poop off of it... Slope it towards the back so that it doesn't drip on you when you're trying to get into the front of the cages, and expect that you will have to rinse it clean quite often.

Having done that before. I will say I wouldn't do it again. It's just so much nicer to have everything fall to the ground where the urine can drain into the dirt instead of sitting stagnant in a puddle someplace.

I saw that and also how they use another piece of roofing on a broom handle to clean the slanted piece. I thought about that, but I really need to enclose three sides due to winter and wind. That would make it hard to get to.

I also saw a video (Teal Stone, maybe?) where she puts horse pellets in in the trays to absorb the urine and odor.

I'd much prefer it drops straight down, but if I start with five cages at 36" that's a LOOOOOONG hutch unless I do two hutches.

 

[Mckatie]

I'm going to go with one layer of cages, poop hits the ground. I don't have the time nor the desire to spray or empty trays (or the roof of the bottom cages) on a continuous basis. Just feeding, watering and cleaning a couple cages quickly can take me 30 minutes before work. I will do 2 long sides and then the end cap will be approximately 10 '. Worse case scenario , my grow out cage is located in the soon to be garden reading area off the patio(current rabbit area) Which is also enclosed for the littles to enjoy the bunnies. Ruby and a few others love to run around freely in that area . So nothing really bad about that. I'm going to do a cage count, then start designing the space. If for some reason, I need to double the smaller cages, I will do so on the front end , until I upgrade those 4 cages.

 

[Martlet]

I'm going to go with one layer of cages, poop hits the ground. I don't have the time nor the desire to spray or empty trays (or the roof of the bottom cages) on a continuous basis. Just feeding, watering and cleaning a couple cages quickly can take me 30 minutes before work. I will do 2 long sides and then the end cap will be approximately 10 '. Worse case scenario , my grow out cage is located in the soon to be garden reading area off the patio(current rabbit area) Which is also enclosed for the littles to enjoy the bunnies. Ruby and a few others love to run around freely in that area . So nothing really bad about that. I'm going to do a cage count, then start designing the space. If for some reason, I need to double the smaller cages, I will do so on the front end , until I upgrade those 4 cages.

What size will your grow outs be?

 

[Mckatie]

What size will your grow outs be?

I have decided on 2 grow outs. I was looking at the space. So minimum 46"l x30"w but I'm really liking 5' x 30" or even 6' x 30. I want the 2 grow outs to be as large as this section of space allows. I haven't re-measured the space but I believe it is 10 feet wide. I want 2 for a couple reasons. Gender division. But also , in times like these where I have 4 litters within a couple weeks apart. I have 4 rabbits growing in a 46" x 30 that are closing in at 10 weeks. But 3 other litters are at 4 weeks plus 4-6 days and the 4th litter at 3 weeks 5 days... so about 32 kits. I want them to have space. However, I'm also going to build a tractor for the shady side and that will be my 3rd during late spring/early summer/fall.

How are your plans coming?