Friday, June 10, 2011

The New Girl

Meet our new addition! I've been wanting to get started raising meat rabbits for a while now, and yesterday I officially started! I got a year old Silver Fox/American Chinchilla doe from a fellow homesteader that I've been friends with for about a year now. We are bartering, so she gave me this doe and I will give her goods from our place, like a certain substance used in goat milk soap (that happens to be illegal to sell, but don't get me started on that).


The doe's name is Perthra, but I may change it simply because I can't seem to remember it correctly. I keep wanting to say Petra. I told Devin we were getting a rabbit and he wanted to name her Drama Queen. I'm not sure we'll go with that, but I think Queenie would be kind of cute. I have a history of being very indecisive as far as naming things goes!!




I'm excited about raising rabbits, and I think it's great that both breeds she's crossed with are on the critical list on the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. Well, it's not great that they're on there, but it's great that more people are raising them and trying to preserve the breeds. And it just so happens that my turkeys (Jersey Buffs) are also on the critical list.




Perthra is hopefully bred, so hopefully in a little over 4 weeks we'll have kits!




Can I make a confession? I'm a little intimidated by that little rabbit. She's really got a lot of personality. I thought she'd be pretty shy and not let me pet her. She's very outgoing and not afraid to come right up to the door of the hutch. This morning I think she got sick of me petting her and she pushed me away....which kinda freaked me out. I know it's silly because she's "just a rabbit", but I can't read her yet and I don't want her to bite me (not that she will, I'm just a little paranoid). I am comfortable with horses and cattle, but a rabbit intimidates me. How's that for silly?

9 comments:

Deb Johnson, Quiltbeeme said...

I love your Queenie!! She's really pretty! I think it's cute you are a little afraid of her after you've dealt with 1200 pound cows! You're cute! I love the cage- did you build it? Nice job! Good luck and I hope you have fun with the kits. Way to go Katie! Love you, Momma

Deb Johnson, Quiltbeeme said...

I forgot to say thank you for participating in animal bio diversity! The huge problem with Agro Business is the lack of plant and animal diversity and it wouldn't take much for us to have our own "irish potato famine". Love you, Momma

Anonymous said...

Rabbit bites can have quite the annpying sting to them! And some kicker rabbits are VERY intimidating. Her hormones may be playing a role in her persoality at this point too.

I could not name an animal I was going to use for meat, but if she is the producer and not the end result I guess that is different.
Best of luck to you.

katiegirl said...

Thanks Mom! No, I didn't build the hutch. Someone gave it to me after I posted an ad looking for one! :-)

dogsmom-This girl won't be eaten. She's goign to be the producer. :)

Jen said...

Good Luck with your new adventure. I've never ate rabbit.

Becky said...

She's so cute! I'll cross my fingers that she's bred and that you'll have a hutch full of kits soon! :)
Rabbits can be hard to read, can't they? She sounds like she has quite the personality. :)

Unknown said...

LOL, I totally relate. I can deal with 1200# horses but am scared of a chicken ;)

Dad said...

Good for you Katie getting your first meat rabbit! You're on your way. Hey, it' not weird at all to be afraid of a little, tennee, tiny rabbit. LOL Really though they can do some damage. Watch out for their back legs!! They'll scratch the hell out of you. When you grab it, be firm so it knows who's boss. Love you.

Dad said...

Oh yeah, one other thing. I can give you advice on how to ...um....put it down when it's that time. Hint: don't use a tire iron. :-(

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