Feeding rabbits safe, dried fallen leaves can reduce feed costs, support digestive health, and align with regenerative, seasonal practices—if done with care. Fallen leaves are more than autumn clutter—they’re a free, renewable resource that can supplement your rabbit’s diet, especially in small-scale or homestead settings. When properly selected, dried, and introduced, they offer nutritional, behavioral,Continue reading “Seasonal Forage for Rabbits: How Fallen Leaves Support Regenerative Living”
Category Archives: Rabbits
Things Nobody Told Me About Raising Livestock (That Would Have Saved Me Hours of Headache)
A practical-but-honest guide for beginners who think livestock is just feeding and collecting eggs. When we started raising livestock, I thought I was signing up for fresh eggs, happy animals, and a wholesome connection to the land. What I got instead was a crash course in disappearing chickens, suicidal rabbits, and goats with a personalContinue reading “Things Nobody Told Me About Raising Livestock (That Would Have Saved Me Hours of Headache)”
Dilution in Rabbits: Understanding the D/d Gene and Its Effect on Color
Rabbit coat colors can range from deep, rich shades to soft, muted tones, and one of the key genetic players in determining intensity is the D/d gene—the dilution gene. This gene decides whether a rabbit’s color appears at full strength (D_) or is diluted down to a lighter version (dd). Unlike some coat genes thatContinue reading “Dilution in Rabbits: Understanding the D/d Gene and Its Effect on Color”
Farm Table Talk: When Experience Trumps Facts—Or, Why Some People Will Never Consider They Could Be Wrong
There’s a particular kind of frustration that comes from debating someone who refuses to entertain the possibility that they might be wrong. Not just skepticism, not just hesitation—full-scale, impenetrable denial that someone else’s knowledge, research, or experience could possibly challenge their worldview. Take rabbit genetics. I recently had a conversation with a breeder who wasContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: When Experience Trumps Facts—Or, Why Some People Will Never Consider They Could Be Wrong”
The Albino Gene (c/c): How It Overwrites Rabbit Coat Color
In the world of rabbit genetics, most coat colors come from a mix of dominant and recessive genes working together to create rich, varied patterns. But the albino gene (c/c) operates differently—instead of influencing color, it erases it entirely. Rabbits carrying two copies of the albino gene (cc) are completely white with red eyes, regardlessContinue reading “The Albino Gene (c/c): How It Overwrites Rabbit Coat Color”
Agouti vs. Self: Cracking the Code of the A/a Gene in Rabbit Coat Colors
Rabbit coat colors can sometimes feel like a puzzle, but the A/a gene is one of the clearest and most important pieces in figuring out how patterns develop. It dictates whether a rabbit displays the wild, banded agouti pattern or the sleek, solid look of a self-colored rabbit. Understanding how this gene works allows breedersContinue reading “Agouti vs. Self: Cracking the Code of the A/a Gene in Rabbit Coat Colors”
En/en: The Jackpot Gene in Rabbit Coat Patterns
If you’ve ever felt lost in the complexities of rabbit genetics, rest assured—there’s one gene that refuses to play mind games: the En/en gene, responsible for broken patterns in rabbits. Unlike many genetic traits where recessive carriers lurk unseen, making prediction trickier than solving a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded, the En/en gene doesn’t hide. It announcesContinue reading “En/en: The Jackpot Gene in Rabbit Coat Patterns”
Farm Table Talk: The Mystery of the Chinchilla Kit—Or, When Genetics Slap You in the Face
You ever have one of those moments in farming where you stare at an animal like it personally betrayed you? Because that’s exactly where I was this spring, standing in my rabbit barn, looking at a chinchilla kit that should not exist. See, last year, I bought a New Zealand Black buck from a breederContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: The Mystery of the Chinchilla Kit—Or, When Genetics Slap You in the Face”
Building Resilience: The Power of Adaptive Animals and Survivor Genetics
When we think about resilience, we often picture steadfast humans—those who weather the storm, rise above adversity, and come out stronger on the other side. But let me tell you, humans have nothing on animals when it comes to adaptation. Chickens, rabbits, cattle, and all manner of creatures possess a remarkable capacity to adjust toContinue reading “Building Resilience: The Power of Adaptive Animals and Survivor Genetics”
Farm Table Talk: Could Your Animals Use a Reset?
I’ve heard a lot of advice over the years about raising animals. Some of it’s golden, and some of it… well, some of it is just plain questionable. Like the time I was told rabbits absolutely must eat constantly or they’d bloat up with air and drop dead on the spot. The way it wasContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: Could Your Animals Use a Reset?”
