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Tommie's Homesteading progression

Posts: 64

Location: Callisburg Texas

posted 8 years ago

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I have decided to start a thread that will outline my progress towards owning my own homestead and my everyday struggles/successes/failures on my 1.5 acre rented house that I am turning into a homestead.

Today all I did was build a compost bin (enclosed) and organized my dwindling lumber pile. Pictures tomorrow.

Have a blessed day!

- gunslingin goat farm and rabbitry

Galen Young

pollinator

Posts: 100

Location: out in the woods of Maine

posted 8 years ago

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Good luck

We are 12 years down that path here.

Tommie Hockett

Posts: 64

Location: Callisburg Texas

posted 8 years ago

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Well guys sorry I haven't been updating this thread. I have been busier than a one legged man in a butt kicking contest. Anyway, along with the compost bin I also got some nest boxes built for my rabbits. We have 2 that should be having there babies tomorrow or the next day and 2 more that will be having them in 3 to 4 more days.I also ventured down the path of figuring up how much it costs to raise a rabbit up to maturity for butchering (6 months) and I seriously hope I am wrong (math isn't my strong suit) but I came up with $173 per rabbit per six months!!! I will go back and refigure that though. And as promised just very late here are some pictures... no pics it didnt happen haha

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Have a blessed day!

- gunslingin goat farm and rabbitry

Karen Donnachaidh

gardener

Posts: 1508

Location: Virginia (zone 7)

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posted 8 years ago

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Tommie Hockett wrote: $173 per rabbit per six months!!!

That couldn't be right, could it? Maybe, if you're Hugh Hefner.

Thanks for creating this thread. I'll be interested to watch your progress. I look forward to seeing lots of pictures.

With forty shades of green, it's hard to be blue.
Garg 'nuair dhùisgear! Virtutis Gloria Merces

Tommie Hockett

Posts: 64

Location: Callisburg Texas

posted 8 years ago

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Oooook. It is $11.51 per six months for a rabbit. Not to bad. I will only have to sell 17 rabbits a year to pay for themselves and turn a bit of a profit. And thank you Karen I appreciate it.

Have a blessed day!

- gunslingin goat farm and rabbitry

Tommie Hockett

Posts: 64

Location: Callisburg Texas

posted 8 years ago

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Well we have some baby rabbits now. The 2 older does that are full blood new zealand had their kits. One doe had five babies and my older doe only had one. I think she is about at the end of her breeding days. The last time she only had 2. She is nearing up on 3.5 years old. The provlem I run into with her is that she is one of those animals that was just simply born to be a mother. She gets very depressed when she isn't either pregnant or raising babies. So I don't know what I am going to do the next time around. Anyway pictures to come in the next few days when it is warm enough to uncover the kits enough to see whats what.

Have a blessed day!

- gunslingin goat farm and rabbitry

Tommie Hockett

Posts: 64

Location: Callisburg Texas

posted 8 years ago

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Well my first kit of pedigreed tamuk/A&M newzealand composites were born this morning!!! She only had 3 but I chalk that up to her being a first time momma. The doe is the one that is sitting in the nest box looking (goofy) right at the camera. I promise I will get some fresh pictures. We have a wierd cold snap blowing through right now. But if my wife can't get any pictures I will when I get home from work and will post them sometime on Teusday.

As always thanks for reading and have a blessed day!

Have a blessed day!

- gunslingin goat farm and rabbitry

Yolande Brown-Conran

pollinator

Posts: 48

Location: Ontario, Canada

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posted 8 years ago

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Love the thread :) the bunnies are so cute! Can't wait to see the pics of the babies. Stay warm.

Tommie Hockett

Posts: 64

Location: Callisburg Texas

posted 8 years ago

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Hey guys sorry it has taken me so long to post. My internet has been acting up on my phone. Anyway we had some good progress over the last week. My dad came over and helped me install an automatic watering system for the rabbits and they all seem to like it just fine. Also we had more babies than we originally counted. The white doe Josephine had 4 white's and 3 black's not much diversity there but no big deal. There was a minor setback she ate one of her babies.... we started feeding her more food and she is doing fine and all of the rest of her babies are healthy! And the tan doe Danearys had 5. Also My dad gave me 100 square bales for my garden this spring!!! I just have to go get them out of the field. (You gotta love dad's I certianly don't know what I would do wothout him.) Anyway now for what you have all been waiting for.... PICTURES!!! lol.

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rabbits.jpg

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Have a blessed day!

- gunslingin goat farm and rabbitry

Tommie Hockett

Posts: 64

Location: Callisburg Texas

posted 8 years ago

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More pics I cant get them all to load in one post

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Have a blessed day!

- gunslingin goat farm and rabbitry

Tommie Hockett

Posts: 64

Location: Callisburg Texas

posted 8 years ago

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More pictures. As a bonus there are some of my goats

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Have a blessed day!

- gunslingin goat farm and rabbitry

Tommie Hockett

Posts: 64

Location: Callisburg Texas

posted 8 years ago

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I almost forgot to show yall the watering system. I need to buy a tank heater and a recirculator for the winter. I purchased all of the parts from klubertanz.com. If anyone is interested in doing this contact me and I can help you. It isn't as complocated as I thought it would be.

P.s. i thought I had more pictures of it. I will update this when I get home and get better pictures

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Have a blessed day!

- gunslingin goat farm and rabbitry

Tommie Hockett

Posts: 64

Location: Callisburg Texas

posted 8 years ago

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Well guys and gals they are officially at the cute stage. Will have to butcher some of the older stock when I get home for additional cage space. If anyone is interested in the process of butchering put a post up and I will take pics along the way. Also I am going to try air skinning to see if it will make it easier to scrape the hides... maybe have less meat,fat and possibly even less membrane on the hide itself...??? Just a thought.

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Have a blessed day!

- gunslingin goat farm and rabbitry

Tommie Hockett

Posts: 64

Location: Callisburg Texas

posted 8 years ago

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A few more pics

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Have a blessed day!

- gunslingin goat farm and rabbitry

Karen Donnachaidh

gardener

Posts: 1508

Location: Virginia (zone 7)

364

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posted 8 years ago

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I love your pictures! Thanks for sharing.

(Note to self: If you're having a bad day, come back here and look at those bunnies. Aww.)

With forty shades of green, it's hard to be blue.
Garg 'nuair dhùisgear! Virtutis Gloria Merces

Tommie Hockett

Posts: 64

Location: Callisburg Texas

posted 8 years ago

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Lol Karen thank you. You know if you weren't so far away you could have some of these cute little ones in a month when they are ready. Wink wonk nudge nudge.

Have a blessed day!

- gunslingin goat farm and rabbitry

Tommie Hockett

Posts: 64

Location: Callisburg Texas

posted 8 years ago

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I would post this in the cider press under religion but I do not have enough apples.

My family has been stricken by the worst tragedy imaginable. Early monday morning we lost our 3 year old grandson in a house fire and our grand daughter who is 5 held onto life until early Teusday morning when God called her home. We are grief stricken and lost and could use you're prayers.

Have a blessed day!

- gunslingin goat farm and rabbitry

Kj Koch

Posts: 52

Location: Jersey Shore PA

posted 8 years ago

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I'm so sorry for your lost. Sending the best mojo and blessings you and your families way.

Not all those who wander are lost...

Tommie Hockett

Posts: 64

Location: Callisburg Texas

posted 8 years ago

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Well it has been around a month since tragedy struck my homestead and it is still hard to live day to day but it is slowly getting easier to breathe. But today God saw fit to bless us with 2 doelings

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Have a blessed day!

- gunslingin goat farm and rabbitry

John C Daley

pollinator

Posts: 6202

Location: Bendigo , Australia

587

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posted 8 years ago

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If you can get rabbits that lay eggs also that will help the cash flow

John Daley Bendigo, Australia The Enemy of progress is the hope of a perfect plan
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GOOD DEBT/ BAD DEBT https://permies.com/t/179218/mortgages-good-debt-bad-debt

Tommie Hockett

Posts: 64

Location: Callisburg Texas

posted 8 years ago

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Wow john C. Daley
The coincidence is I had a farmer drop off a bale of alfalfa for free and told my wofe that his hay was the secret to getting rabbits to lay good eggs lol

Have a blessed day!

- gunslingin goat farm and rabbitry

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