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Last month, we discussed one of the

most common choices for backyard

farmers: Chickens. This month we

will highlight an option that’s

much less common, less disruptive,

and can produce much more abun-

dant food: Rabbits.

Whether you're a homesteader or

suburbanite, a backyard rabbit

project can be a great idea for

See RABBITS, 5

HOMESTEADER’S GUIDE

TO RAISING RABBITS

FLASH RIOTS:

Hardening Your Home in 2015 ( Pa r t 2 )

In the first part of our

“Flash Riots” series, we

discussed important steps

you can take to prevent

being blindsided by sud-

den riot conditions on the

streets, as well as the

stockpile items necessary

to safely shelter your fam-

ily within your home dur-

ing an extended period of

unrest.

In the second installment

of this article, we’re going

to discuss a strategy to

prevent your home, as

well as yourself, from be-

coming the target of loot- See RIOTS, 2

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 FEBRUARY, 2015

2 S IMPLE DIY

PROJECTS

Becoming self-reliant is a process that incorporates resourcefulness, educa-tion, and thriftiness to allow us a degree of free-dom from “the grid.” And, as we all know, finances often prove to be one of the most important factors in our quest to become independent.

The more productive you can be with the smallest possible monetary invest-ment, the faster you can expand the size and scope of your self-reliance pro-jects. In a word, the key is resourcefulness.

See DIY, 12

2 PATRIOT CALLER FEBRUARY, 2015

ers or criminal opportun-

ists in bad times or good.

This strategy is funda-

mental to your security in

a wide array of crisis sce-

narios, and can elevate

your security profile on

many levels. In fact, this

strategy is a guiding prin-

ciple followed by virtually

all intelligence agencies

and covert forces around

the world. It can basically

be summed up in one

word: Camouflage.

No, we’re not suggesting

you walk around in head-

to-toe camo, or get a bid

on a desert camo siding

from your local contractor.

Instead, we’re proposing

that you adopt a mindset

of concealment and priva-

cy. This concept is incredi-

bly simple and effective,

yet the vast majority of

Americans do all they can

to avoid it.

The Other Type of

Deterrence

When most people think of

deterrence, they immedi-

ately turn to the popular

legal concept. This is basi-

cally the idea that harsh

penalties decrease crime

rates and that harsh pun-

ishments deter others

from committing similar

offenses.

But that’s a pretty narrow

definition. The Merriam

Webster definition of de-

terrence is as follows:

“The act of making some-

one decide not to do some-

thing : the act of prevent-

from RIOTS page 1

ing a particular act or be-

havior from happening”

Notice that there’s no

mention of using force

and/or threats to prevent

the undesired act or be-

havior. In fact, there is no

mention of a mechanism

at all.

That’s important here be-

cause it allows us to ex-

plore deterrence from a

completely different per-

spective. In our broader

definition, deterrence

comes in many forms.

Let’s put it this way: If a

burglar decides not to tar-

get your house because it

would require too much

effort, or because you have

a loud dog barking in the

yard, or because he simply

doesn’t notice it, was he

any less deterred?

For whatever reason, this

looter/burglar decided that

your home wasn’t an ap-

pealing target. Wasn’t

that the desired result? If

you’ve succeeded in caus-

ing him to decide not to

target your home, then

you have deterred him.

It’s that simple.

Some homeowners won’t

be satisfied unless they

get to meet an intruder at

the front door with a shot-

gun. Let them risk their

own lives. Our recommen-

dations will always be cal-

culated to balance risks

with results.

Not everyone in the self-

reliance movement wants

to seek out a deadly con-

frontation with irrational

looters. Some are disabled,

others are not physically

strong enough to take on

an attacker, and the rest

… well they are just plain

smart. Be smart.

Don’t Be the Nail

That Sticks Out

We’ve all heard the prov-erb, “The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.” The meaning seems pretty simple and intuitive.

However, the loudest voic-es in our society tell us that it’s good to stick out, to have the nicest car on the block and to park it where your neighbors can envy it… to wear the most stylish clothes and jewel-ry… to “flaunt it if you’ve got it.”

Now we’re not trying to put consumer culture on trial here, but if you were a carjacker and two cars pulled up at a stoplight, one a Honda and the other a Jaguar, which would you be more likely to drive off in?

You can’t know the per-son’s net worth or what they have in their wallet in advance, so you would have to make a split sec-ond decision based entire-ly on superficial appear-ances. Right?

Continued next page

PATRIOT CALLER 3 FEBRUARY, 2015

It doesn’t require much

specialized training or

planning to camouflage

yourself in plain sight. As

far as superficial appear-

ances, you simply follow

the path of least re-

sistance. Your goal is to

blend in with your sur-

roundings so well that you

become less noticeable,

and thus less likely to be-

come a target.

When it comes to clothing

and personal appearance,

the subtleties vary from

neighborhood to neighbor-

hood and are too numer-

ous to mention. Obviously,

you just want to avoid

conspicuous signs of

wealth. When it comes to

your home, however, there

are some very effective

ways to make your home

psychologically unappeal-

ing to any would-be loot-

ers.

NOTE: Once again, the

idea here is NOT to make

your home into a fortress

(that would most likely

attract extra attention to

you, instead of diffusing

it). The idea is to become a

less appealing target than

By now, you can clearly

see where we’re going

with this. The more con-

spicuous consumption you

incorporate into your life,

the greater liability it be-

comes in a volatile situa-

tion. Even though you

may not be part of the

“one percent,” you might

be deemed one of its mas-

cots or representatives in

a riot.

To put it another way, if

we were in a gang of loot-

ers and your home resem-

bles the one featured in

this Cadillac commercial,

with a brand new $65K

car parked out front…

we’re hitting your house

first. It’s a no brainer.

Hide in Plain Sight

The good news is that hid-

ing in plain sight is easy,

much easier than sticking

out, in fact. The reason

that so many intelligence

agencies and undercover

units adopt the “hide in

plain sight” mindset is

precisely because it’s so

hard to screw it up.

your neighbors. The more

obnoxious and gaudy your

neighbors are, the easier

this is to accomplish.

Take advantage of these 7 tips to minimize your risk of dealing with a home invasion.

1. Perimeter Bushes and Shrubbery

A line of thorny shrubs and bushes around your property line (but not around doors and win-dows) will make your house a less appealing target for looters and bur-glars on a psychological level. On the one hand, vegetation quite literally makes a house less visible from the street. A criminal has to notice your home in order to target it.

In addition, the presence of a physical barrier makes it seem psychologi-cally more difficult to enter/exit easily and with-out detection. A physical barrier represents more effort. Shrubbery also cuts down on a criminal's abil-ity to determine how well-maintained your home is,

or to assess any threats

they may encounter on

your property.

Thieves want to be able to

know in a glance what

they are up against. Are

you home? Do you have a

security light waiting for

them? Or a giant Dober-

man Pinscher? Plus,

shrubs (especially thorny

ones) are a physical obsta-

cle that most of your

neighbors won't have

working for them.

2. Get a Dog

Any dog can help alert you

to the presence of an in-

truder on your property.

For example, even a Shih

Tzu can provide you with

the benefit early detec-

tion.

Watch dogs such as Chi-

huahuas and German

Shepherds have a strong

bark that will let a tres-

passer know that he's lost

the element of surprise.

Typically, that’s enough to

make a trespasser recon-

sider.

A guard dog, like a Chow

Continued next page

RIOTS (cont inued)


Chow or a Doberman on

the other hand, can liter-

ally turn a would-burglar

in his tracks. How’s that

for a deterrent?

3. Use Neutral Colors

Every neighborhood has

that one house that is

painted a bold color and

stands out like a sore

thumb. Homes that stand

out as stylish or heavily

customized will be target-

ed because of the per-

ceived value of what's in-

side. As mentioned earli-

er, looters and burglars

often base their decisions

on the most superficial

information available.

In order to make your

house hide in plain sight,

you must rely on neutral

colors and/or highly preva-

lent color choices in your

area. Choosing neutral

options for your paint,

shutters, gutters and eve-

rything else will allow

your home to blend in and

become less of a target.

4. Strategic Warning

Signs

Although many alarm

monitoring signs can at-

tract the wrong kind of

attention, a very strategi-

cally placed sign is likely

to make a looter (or an

experienced burglar for

that matter) think twice

about what they're risk-

ing.

Alarm stickers placed on

ground level windows can

actually be highly effec-

tive against break-in art-

ists, even if they’re a total

bluff. Any other signs that

a security minded individ-

ual lives inside can also be

effective.

Here’s something else to

consider: Most criminals

are looking for the easiest

possible target. If they

have any reason to think

that your home is guarded

by aggressive dogs, gun-

toting owners, or another

intimidating security sys-

tem, they will probably

move on to another target

instead.

5. Avoid Looking

Affluent

Just as expensive clothing

and jewelry can make you

the target of angry rioters

on the street, the same

goes for expensive cars

and other items that may

be unintentionally an-

nouncing your financial

status out on the front

lawn.

Remember that quick, at-

a-glance perception is the

force driving looters.

Fountains, sculptures,

and well-lit “water fea-

tures” in the front lawn

are likely to draw atten-

tion. So are luxury cars

(even if they are 10+ years

old). Thus, the back yard

and garage are the best

place to store these items

respectively.

6. Minimize “Window

Shopping”

Windows are great for let-

ting natural light into

your home, but that's not

all they can let in. Win-

dows are the most com-

monly targeted entry

point during the warmer

months, because any ca-

reer burglar worth his salt

knows that they are the

entry point most frequent-

ly left unlocked.

Also, as we've seen in Fer-

guson, windows are often

seen as an invitation to

throw rocks and even Mol-

otov cocktails by looters.

Simply put, windows are

the most vulnerable part

of your home’s exterior

and they’re easily visible

from long distances at

night.

Window bars are unat-

tractive and costly, yet

effective. Blackout cur-

tains are a less intrusive

option that obscures your

windows at night. In the

event that looting is tak-

ing place in your neigh-

borhood, plywood is a very

effective option.

7. Motion Sensor Lights

We've all

had that

moment

when we're

walking in

the dark

and a bright

security

light unex-

pectedly

hits you. It basically

makes you feel like a tres-

passer, even if you’re

walking by on a public

sidewalk… heck, even if

you’re standing on your

own driveway.

These lights are designed

to make you feel as if

you’ve been caught in a

prison guard’s searchlight.

Then, once the light hits

your pupils, they contract,

temporarily disabling your

night vision and leaving

you to wonder if anyone is

watching you.

Like the security signs

mentioned above, security

lights should be placed in

strategic locations, not

front and center. A good

security light should be

surprising and intimidat-

ing to burglars, both be-

cause of its brightness and

its placement.

As a homeowner, you

want to be able to see the

light from inside your

home when it is activated.

You also want to know

exactly where the motion

occurred. That’s why it’s

so important to spend

some time focusing the

motion detector on an ar-

ea that you can easily

monitor and, if need be,

defend.

BEST (cont inued)


Pros:

Rabbits are well-suited for

both country and subur-

ban areas. Since they are

not considered livestock

by many governmental

agencies, they are permit-

ted where other animals

would not. It is still a good

idea to check with local

zoning authorities to de-

termine if rabbits are al-

lowed before making too

many plans.

Rabbits make very little

noise, making them better

for suburbia than goats,

chickens, squabs, turkeys,

geese, or ducks. In fact, if

someone interested in pro-

ducing their own healthy,

drug-free meat. Besides

providing your family with

quality meat/protein un-

matched by what you'd

find at the grocery store,

you can involve all your

family members. Even

children can help with

chores from feeding to the

dinner table.

You really only need a

basic understanding of

raising rabbits to get

started. After that, you'll

discover what works best

for your particular circum-

stances. The information

presented here is not

meant to imply that this is

the only way to raise rab-

bits. This is just one way

that works.

Why Raise Rabbits?

Anyone considering rais-

ing rabbits isn’t trying to

win a popularity contest

or become part of the cool

club (chickens are for

those looking to join a

thriving community). Usu-

ally, rabbit farmers want

to raise their own meat

and become more self-

sufficient. The benefits to

the homesteader are:

Knowing the history of

the meat

How the animal was

treated

Whether drugs were

used

How it was slaugh-

tered, handled, and

stored.

odor and flies are kept to a

minimum, and the cages

are well hidden by vegeta-

tion (a good idea anyway

to protect them from the

elements), it is possible

that neighbors might not

even know rabbits are in

the yard.

Rabbits are fairly easy to

raise. The does (female

rabbits) take care of the

young themselves, so no

hand-raising or special

equipment, such as an

incubator or brooder, is

needed. There is rarely a

need for intensive on-the-

spot care.

Butchering is fairly simple

and straight-forward. A

skilled person can take a

rabbit from the cage to

oven/freezer in 15 minutes

or less. No plucking is

needed.

Since rabbits are consid-

ered as pets by some peo-

ple, pet sitters may take

care of them if the owner

desires to take a vacation,

or must be away for busi-

ness or family emergency.

Keep in mind, this proba-

bly would only apply to

relatively small opera-

tions, though.

Space is often not a prob-

lem because cages can be

stacked. Rabbits are much

more efficient space users

especially when compared

to larger meat animals

such as goats or pigs.

They can be fed kitchen

scraps and forage food.

There are many stories of

rabbits raised during the

Depression or in third

world countries. They ate

what people would nor-

mally discard or foraged

easily gathered vegetation

from the surrounding ar-

ea. Some food such as elm

or apple branches or some

weeds such as dandelions

may already be easily

available.

The average supermarket

does not normally carry

rabbit on the meat coun-

ter. If they do, then you

will find it to be much

more expensive than other

meat cuts that are regu-

larly available. Purchas-

ing rabbit meat commer-

cially is usually expensive

because it’s not as readily

obtainable as most other

commercial meats in the

US.

For today’s health-conscious consumer, rab-bit meat is far and away healthier than the alter-natives. For example, rabbit meat has an excep-tionally high percentage of

Continued next page

from RABBITS page 1


digestible protein at about 20%; it’s very lean with only about 10% fat com-pared to the average chicken meat at 11%. The calorie value in rabbit is approximately 795 calo-ries where chicken has about 810 calories. To top it all off, rabbit is all white meat and extremely low in cholesterol to boot, lower in fat than any other meat typically found in the gro-cery store. Plus, its mild flavor can be enhanced to suit almost any palate.

How much time and

money will it cost?

Let's assume 20 rabbits at a time at a cost of $2.00 per each purchased rabbit.

a free service. This can work for friends or rela-tives, but not for any com-mercial endeavor.

Processors in the US are few and far between. There also might not be a "bunny runner" available to take the fryers to a pro-cessor. Even if a processor is nearby, there is no guarantee it will accept shipment from a new source.

Rabbits do not thrive in hot weather. Therefore, they are much better suit-ed for temperate or cooler climes.

Raising rabbits for meat can present several prob-lems for the homesteader. It can be difficult to find good quality breeding stock. Additionally, very few veterinarians are very knowledgeable about rab-bits. So, if a problem aris-es, getting valuable infor-mation can be trouble-some.

Also, most likely any rab-bit breeders in the area are probably "show" breeders. Show rabbit folks might not be com-fortable with the idea of using rabbits for meat.

For no particularly good reason, rabbits are not commonly considered a meat animal. Consequent-ly, you may need to be se-lective about discussing your project. Many still only think of rabbits as pets. Pets are beloved members of a family, and most people would never consider eating their dog or cat. Rabbits are cute

Scenario 1: Breed your own rabbits:

All commercial feed = $1.00/lb

50/50 Home grown and commercial feed = 50¢/lb

All home grown feed = Free (except occasional medication and cleaning supplies)

Scenario 2: Buy new rabbits every time:

All commercial feed = $2.00/lb

50/50 Home grown and commercial feed = $1.25/lb

All home grown feed = 75¢/lb

You can assume an up-front cost of about $100-$200 on the cages, water dispensers etc. How many working hours does it takes to raise each three-pound fryer: about one hour flat. You'll spend 14 hours actual chore time (as a rank begin-ner) raising 14 meat-meals for the family. With experience, you can cut that in half, if you refrain from puttering around them.

Cons:

Rabbits might not be the best choice if you want to make money selling the meat. It can be fairly diffi-cult to find a market for rabbit meat (there is no rabbit meat lobby in Washington, D.C.). Indi-viduals are permitted to process their own meat for their own use. Check your local regulations concern-ing processing for anyone else. Some folks can get around this problem by selling the fryer live and butchering the animal as

RABBITS (cont inued)

Continued next page


and furry, so many people are repulsed at the thought of killing and eat-ing them. This is called the "Easter Bunny Syn-drome."

Of course, when you can

put rabbits or chicken or

anything else in a freezer

and leave them there for a

few weeks or months,

you'll find that you think

of them as "meat," not

"cute animals."

Choosing the Right

Breed and

Purchasing Tips

Californian and New Zea-

land White rabbits are the

most popular breed for a

meat operation. American

Chinchilla, New Zealand

Red, Silver Fox, Cham-

pagne D'Argents, Blanc

d'Hotot, and Satin rabbits

are other options. Using

crossbreds is generally

With caution, try other

online sources such as

Craigslist, BestFarm-

Buys, Hoobly, or other

online breeder lists or

classified services.

One option to obtaining

breeding stock from a dis-

tance is the use of a rabbit

railroad. A "railroad" con-

sists of volunteers who are

willing to help transport

animals so they can more

easily get from seller to

buyer. Though fairly suc-

cessful with dogs, "rabbit

railroads" have had diffi-

culties getting started and

flourishing. One possible

"railroad" is the “Rabbit

Relay and Transportation”

group on Facebook.

How Many Rabbits to

Start and How Old

Should They Be?

For beginners, a common

mistake is to get too many

rabbits. A reasonable

starting point might be

one buck and three does.

It is recommended that

these rabbits be pur-

chased while they are still

young. This way they will

have a chance to become

acclimated to their new

surroundings prior to

breeding.

Also, beware of breed-

ers selling older ani-

mals. Keep in mind, it

costs money to feed ani-

mals and it is not cost ef-

fective for a meat breeder

to keep it past the time it

reaches slaughter weight.

acceptable for a backyard

hobby if you want to ex-

periment. Only the breeds

listed should be crossed.

Crossing Flemish Giant

with the listed breeds is

also acceptable.

Beware of rabbit breeders

who want to sell Flemish

Giants or other large for

use in a backyard meat

operation. These breeds do

produce larger fryers fast-

er, but their meat-to-bone

ratio is not as favorable

since the large breeds

have bigger bones.

It is always best for a pro-

spective buyer to tour the

breeder's operation. This

way you can see the condi-

tions under which the rab-

bits are raised. Are the

cages clean? Does the

stock appear healthy? Do

the rabbits have sufficient

food and water? Is there

much of an odor? Are flies

under control?

Keep in mind though, a

breeder that bars access to

visitors doesn't necessarily

have something to hide.

Some breeders do not al-

low outsiders out of con-

cern over disease. This is

becoming more common in

North America since there

have been several out-

breaks of Rabbit Hemor-

rhagic Disease. Another

problem breeders increas-

ingly face is that of an ani-

mal rights activist posing

as a prospective buyer.

Such a visit is often fol-

lowed by demonstrations

and legal red tape.

Since rabbits endure cold

better than heat, those in

warmer climates need to

purchase stock already

accustomed to such

weather. A rabbit from

Minnesota is not likely to

thrive in southern Texas.

A question often asked by

the novice is, "Where do I

find rabbit breeders in

my area?" Unfortunately,

it can be difficult to find

true meat rabbits. Never-

theless, you might want

try any or all of the follow-

ing:

Check the classified ads

in local newspapers. Do

not neglect "freebie" pa-

pers.

Call or visit feed stores

and ask if they know of

any rabbit breeders, spe-

cifically of meat breeds.

Call your local agricul-

tural extension office

and ask for a (4-H) rab-

bit contact.


Continued next page


Older rabbits might be

culls which do not perform

well. On the other hand,

culls from a show breeder

for meat-type breeding

goals may be satisfactory.

As you get accustomed to

raising rabbits, then, and

only then, is the time to

consider increasing the

number, slowly. A com-

mon error is to grow too

big too fast.

Housing

There are different ap-

proaches to housing rab-

bits. Individual cages for

each breeding rabbit and

separate grow-out cages is

a common method. Wire

cages of at least six square

feet in area are preferable

for breeding does and

weaned litters. Bucks' cag-

es should have at least

five square feet of floor

space. Cage height should

be about 18 inches to al-

low animals to stretch up-

wards. All cages should be

cleaned on a regular basis,

and those kept outside

should be well protected

from the weather.

weather protection of a

hutch with the easy-to-

clean characteristics of a

wire cage.

Many cage kits found at

various pet and feed

stores, though rated for

outdoor use, do not hold

up well to severe weather

(finish and back ply-

wood). The floor is often

subject to bowing despite

the center support. For

ease of use, they should be

placed on cinder

blocks. These cages are

more appropriate for in-

door pet use, but could be

used in a pinch for outdoor

meat production with the

understanding that modi-

fications need to be made.

Each rabbit hutch should

have a hayrack. The rab-

bit experts recommend

Alfalfa, but a good, leafy

clover hay is all right. The

rabbits can manage the

hay better if it is cut up

in three or four inch

lengths. (Take a handful,

squeeze it into a bundle

and saw it off into a box

with an ordinary hand

saw.)

You can also feed vetch,

cow peas, and other rich

hays. You can give your

rabbits dried scraps of

bread and crusts; along

with any kind of vegetable

parings and tops they'll

eat. You can even feed

them lawn trimmings and

weeds.

Whatever you feed your

rabbits, don't leave uneat-

en leftovers in the pen.

Take it out every day, and

The use of older style all-

wood hutches is discour-

aged because of the diffi-

culty in thoroughly clean-

ing and disinfecting them.

A benefit of older hutches

with wood floors is that

they are easier on rabbits'

feet, especially that of

pregnant does. To allevi-

ate this problem with wire

cages, a small hard plastic

mat may be placed on the

cage floor.

Rabbits are very hardy

animals, easy to raise and

extremely clean. They can

stand a lot of cold weath-

er, but they don't like wet

weather, and hot weather

gets them down. Remem-

ber, they wear fur coats

all year.

As long as they are well

protected from drafts

and have a constant sup-

ply of (liquid) water, rab-

bits (even newborn kits in

a well-made nest) can

withstand temperatures

to -20° F without addition-

al heat. On the other

hand, temperatures above

90° F, or 85° in high hu-

midity can cause death. It

is vital that rabbits be

cooled on hot days.

They need a cool, shady

summer place with lots of

ventilation, some occa-

sional sunshine and a

good roof. One solution is

to keep your metal hutch

in the barn, garage, or

other outbuilding. For wa-

tering, in winter, water

the rabbits night and

morning, removing the

water before it freezes. In

summer, they drink a lot

so keep the water trays

full.

For outside housing, a

good compromise is the

use of an all wire cage slid

into a hutch-like

frame. This provides the Continued next page



culled. Ideally, fryers should reach "market weight" of 4.5 to 5 lbs. by eight weeks of age, cer-tainly by 11 weeks. If the fryers will be sold to a meat processor, it should be noted that some facili-ties will not accept fryers over 11 weeks old. Meat processors also generally prefer white over colored rabbits. For this purpose the Californian, though having dark brown "points", is considered white.

Usually, two does and a buck produce 40 or 50 rab-bits a year to eat. At three pounds or more, that is all your family needs.

You breed about every 90

days. Gestation only takes

30 to 32 days. The young

nurse for five or six weeks,

learning to eat as they go

along. At six or seven

weeks, you put the young

fryers in another hutch or

two and eat them during

the next ten or twelve

weeks. Or you process the

whole group at eight

or nine weeks and quick-

freeze all except the one

you want for dinner.

You can eat them as fry-

ers until they're old-full

grown (7-8 months). But

by that time, they've eaten

a great deal of fairly high

priced food, and therefore

aren't so much of a bar-

gain, cost-wise. You can

kill off old rabbits at the

end of a couple or even

three years and make a

stew out of them. The skin

from a mature rabbit is

worth considerably more

than from "fryers."

Determining the sex of a rabbit is easy. Get the breeder you buy your rab-bits from to show you. Separate the young bucks from the does at three months.

You can "inbreed" with no harm. Just keep a young doe or two out of a litter and breed her to your buck when she's about seven to nine months' old. You can stag-ger your breeding times, having one fresh litter coming in every six weeks from one doe or the other. But if you adopt this sys-tem, you can't exchange the young between the does. Every three or four years, buy or trade for a new buck.

While we're on the subject of buying, try to get good, healthy and strong ani-mals. You don't need a show rabbit, but do get good blood.

They may even cost you from $10 to $25 a trio, but you aren't likely to save money by starting out with $3 worth of scrubs. Good genetics are key, but don’t worry about blue ribbon winners.

Common Diseases

and Prevention

The novice rabbit raiser sometimes becomes alarmed by one or more rabbits with red urine. This is perfectly normal and is not indicative of disease. Breeders in areas with mosquitoes should also watch for myxomato-

pretty soon you'll find

what they like best and

how much to feed. Rabbits

relish carrots and other

root vegetables. Feed

green foods sparingly at

first if your rabbits aren't

used to them. Sometimes

they eat too much and

bloat or get diarrhea.

You can also feed them one of the prepared rabbit pellet foods or whole grain. Rabbits rarely like finely ground grains and cereals. It’s never a bad idea to ask an expert, or the person you purchased your rabbits from, about the best feed and methods.

Using commercially made feeders with either perfo-rated, slotted, or screen bottoms are recommended (screen bottomed ones tend to not hold up as well in higher humidity areas). Rabbits will not eat feed with a lot of "fines." Perfo-rated, slotted, or screened feeders allow the fines to fall through.

Water bottles may be used when temperatures are

above freezing. Metal pans or crocks are better suited for cold tempera-tures. Automatic water dispensers may simplify day-to-day watering, but they have drawbacks as well. They require careful cleaning and mainte-nance.

Because of time and cost considerations, automated watering devices might not be best for smaller homesteads. Their use can also make it difficult to notice whether a rabbit is not drinking due to illness or a clogged water line.

They Reproduce

Like… Rabbits

In order for the cost of the meat produced by a back-yard operation to be equal to or possibly better than what would be spent at the supermarket, each doe should successfully raise 36 fryers per year (six lit-ters of six fryers each).

Any doe that does not per-form properly should be

Continued next page



sold. Those that sell rab-

bits, especially for pets,

might consider having a

"take back" policy.

"Taking back" any rabbit

sold no-questions-

asked. This can help pre-

vent the practice of aban-

doning unwanted animals.

Adopting the idea of wast-

ing nothing whenever pos-

sible, we found that a local

raptor (hawks, eagles, fal-

cons, and owls) organiza-

tion was very interested in

receiving donations of de-

ceased rabbits (death due

to disease, heat, or other

causes) and some products

of slaughter. In particular,

heads are a real treat for

birds of prey. Donated ani-

mals or animal parts

MUST be drug-free since

even trace amounts are

harmful to raptors.

These are only a few sug-

gestions. The possibilities

are endless.

No homestead meat rabbit

breeder should start the

hobby/business with the

idea of getting rich quick-

ly. There are many

scams, notably offers to

buy back fryers from

stock purchased from the

swindler. Sometimes, he

refuses to buy the fryers.

Even if he does pay for the

rabbits, the grower is re-

sponsible for shipping

costs, which can exceed

the amount received for

the animals. Though rab-

bits can be prolific, kit

mortality can easily be

25% or more. Profits are

really only possible with

hard and steady work.

some value. You can ob-tain names of buyers from a rabbit magazine. Pelts can be tanned and made into trinkets, clothes, etc. to be sold. (Please note that fryer pelts are best suited for craft-type projects, while stewer pelts are better suited for use in hats, coats, etc.)

The manure is excellent and is the only manure that does not need to be aged before using as ferti-lizer. Gardeners may be willing to pay for manure.

Several species of worms, most notably night crawl-ers and redworms, can be

grown in the manure. The worms help keep the ma-nure from smelling bad and could be sold to gar-deners or fishermen.

Attractive bunnies could be sold for pets. Note: Pet bunnies should only be sold to responsible indi-viduals along with an in-formation packet and small supply of feed. For that matter, a small sup-ply of feed should accom-pany any live rabbit

sis. Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease (aka Viral Hemor-rhagic Disease and Rabbit Calicivirus), a highly con-tagious and deadly illness, is endemic in Europe, Asia, and Australia. It's becoming a concern in North and South America, it has been diagnosed sev-eral times in the past dec-ade or so.

It is beyond the scope of

this article to discuss rab-

bit diseases in any detail.

Most rabbit diseases can-

not be transmitted to

man. Typically, it is best

to simply dispose of dis-

eased animals because

often the disease is incur-

able (snuffles) or compro-

mises the animal's perfor-

mance (coccidiosis). Also,

the removal of one animal

can save the entire herd

as disease can spread

quickly.

There is no substitute

for good husbandry

practices

Providing clean wire cag-

es, feed, and water at all

times goes a long way to

prevent disease. Stressed

rabbits are more likely to

become i l l than non -

stressed ones. Drug use

should be kept at a mini-

m u m t o k e e p d r u g -

resistant organisms from

developing. Since very few

drugs have actually been

approved for use in rab-

bits, information on how

to treat any given ailment

is often oral tradition.

Other Animals

and Children

Only working farm dogs should be near rabbits. The instinct to kill small animals has been nearly bred out of these breeds. Both the herding

(Australian Shepherd, Border Collie) and guardi-an (Great Pyrenees, Ana-tolian Shepherd) dogs are suitable. It is important that these dogs be exposed to the rabbits and taught not to hurt them while they are puppies. Whether or not to have cats near rabbits is controversial. Some breeders shun cats. Ducks, especially good foraging breeds, can be a healthy addition to the operation, as they can help keep the fly popula-tion in check.

Young children should be taught not to "play" with the rabbits. Until they have been trained how to properly care for rabbits, children should also not be permitted near the cag-es as their presence can frighten them causing in-jury. Once instructed, chil-dren may perform the day-to-day chores. This makes raising rabbits for meat an excellent family activi-ty.

By-Products and

Other Markets

A meat rabbit hobbyist can make a little extra money. In ordinary times, many rabbit operations don't bother to save the

skins, but they do have Continued next page



stewers are better suited

for soup, sausage, or chili.

You now have all the ba-

sics to start raising rab-

bits for your family ta-

ble. Rabbits are easy to

raise and can be a reward-

ing project for the home-

steader wanting to raise

their food. Rabbit is a

bargain in today’s econo-

my. It takes little time

and space to raise one of

the most inexpensive

types of livestock for food

production.

ing themselves to sharp

edges.

The Dinner Table

Rabbit meat from fryers

may be used in many of

the same ways as chicken.

One caution is needed,

though. Because rabbit

meat is so low in fat, it

dries out easily in the

cooking process. Lower

temperatures and longer

cooking times are needed.

For baking, a temperature

of 250° F for 1½ hours is

suggested. Roasters and

bored. Rabbits purchased

for pets often get stimula-

tion that rabbits in a meat

operation lack. Odd be-

haviors, such as fur chew-

ing, may occur without

proper entertainment. It

is recommended that sin-

gle rabbits be given "toys."

Simple things such as a

used tuna can or plastic

bottle lid may suffice.

Some books mention using

soda pop cans as toys. We

do not recommend this

because the rabbits chew

through the cans, expos-


Toys

Rabbits are fairly intelli-gent creatures and can get


after it has all been strained into the jug.

5. Use your funnel again to pour some of your or-ganic pesticide into a spray bottle.

This mixture will stay

good for two weeks as long

as it is capped and refrig-

erated. Spray the pesti-

cide on every part of your

plants and the surround-

ing ground. Please note

that this does not kill the

insects on contact. Howev-

er, the smell is very un-

pleasant for the pests, and

it will prevent them from

continuing to feed on your

plants. Over time, the

pests will die off or move

to a new area. You should

treat your plants every

four days, and most people

will see a dramatic reduc-

tion in the amount of

pests in their home gar-

den within three or four

treatments.

This DYI homesteading organic pesticide mixture was provided by iPodGuy, via Instructables.

1. Recycled Bottle

Cold Frame

Cold frames, in case you’ve never heard the term, are basically small scale, free-floating green-houses designed to allow light to reach a plant while protecting it from damaging frost.

If you live in an area that truly experiences all four seasons, it will be neces-sary to have some cold frames prepped and ready for fragile seedlings in order to begin planting early. Fortunately, you can create a simple recy-cled cold frame for each seedling using old plastic bottles found in the recy-cling bin.

The instructions are as follows:

1. Select an adequately sized bottle for the type of plant you wish to shelter.

2. Cut off the cone portion of a clear plastic bottle near the threaded bottle-neck.

3. Turn the remaining piece of the bottle upside down and place it over the seedling, pushing it into the soil so that it does not blow away.

This is an extremely sim-ple and effective method for protecting your seed-lings, and it allows you to have an eco-friendly usage for bottles that do not have a refundable deposit.

This quick DYI home-steading idea was provid-ed by Velacreations via Instructables.

2. DIY Organic Pesticide

If you’ve been a gardener for any length of time, you’ve probably seen a good chunk of your har-vest damaged by pests. It’s frustrating to see your hard work destroyed as you sit there brooding, and think ‘These greedy little insects must be stopped.’

Despite the frustration, keeping your plants alive and pest-free must be bal-anced with the need to keep your garden and your meals free from harmful chemical pesti-cides. This can become a serious dilemma for gar-deners determined to keep their produce 100% organ-ic without paying an arm and a leg for organic pest control products.

Fortunately, there is an all-natural solution! All you need is a gallon of warm water, some natural dish soap, two small on-ions, a clove of garlic, a

jalapeno pepper, a clean jug, a bandana, a funnel and a clean spray bottle.

1. Chop up all of the vege-tables and then blend them until they become a paste.

2. Dump the vegetable paste into a pot that con-tains one gallon of warm water. Let the mixture sit for 20 minutes. As a note, the smell will be quite pungent, so you will want

to use a ventilated room for this step.

3. Next, take a funnel and a bandana and shift the mix-ture into the clean jug.

4. Add two table-spoons of natural dish soap to the mix

from DIY page 1

http://www.instructables.com/member/iPodGuy/

http://www.instructables.com/member/velacreations/

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