Rabbits: An Excellent Homestead Addition

     Now, a lot of people may think that rabbits just make good pets. But to homesteaders and farmers, they can mean so much more. To us, we see the rabbit as the most basic animals to have on the farm.

(Above) Tilia and her first litter of kits (newborn rabbits).

     Rabbits are extremely useful in so many ways. For one, they are very easy to raise. That is, they require less space than larger animals, (although more space is always better for them), they require less food, and require less diversity in their diets compared to omnivores (like chickens). Also, they are very easy to dispatch, versus larger animals such as sheep, cattle, hogs, etc. require more difficult methods of dispatch. For more on dispatching rabbits, go to: https://www.raising-rabbits.com/killing-rabbits.html. Another benefit to raising rabbits for meat, is that they make healthy and easy-to-raise protein for your other carnivorous and omnivorous animals on the farm such as cats, dogs, chickens, and pigs. Not to mention, their pelts are extremely soft and warm, making them very useful too. And for those who are into making yarn, the Angora rabbits have very nice wool that can be used for knitting. For more about Angoras: https://www.wideopenpets.com/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-angora-rabbit/  or,  https://practicalselfreliance.com/angora-rabbit/ . Of course, rabbits can still make for good pets. Whatever you use them for, rabbits are wonderful, bright little animals to have on the farm! For more on raising rabbits, go to: https://morningchores.com/raising-rabbits/ or https://www.raising-rabbits.com/ 

~Kathrynn H. Murray