On August 28th, something amazing and completely unexpected happened. We welcomed our very first litter of 7 kits here at Bimland Farms! 🎉
The proud parents were BF Hazel and BF Casper, but to be honest, I had no idea Hazel was even pregnant. I was completely surprised when I went out to the rabbitry that morning and found tiny kits on the wire. I had to think fast and make a nesting box out of a storage bin so they could stay warm and safe.
Sadly, one of the kits didn’t make it past day four. It had been struggling from the start, and even though I tried my best, losing it still hit me hard.
A few days later, BF Hazel passed away too. 💔 The vet mentioned that her calcium levels were low, and while we couldn’t be certain what caused it, it was a tough moment that reminded me how delicate and unpredictable raising animals can be.
That left me with six tiny kits and a huge challenge ahead. Since Hazel was gone, I had to syringe-feed them by hand for several weeks using PetLac kitten milk replacer. It was exhausting, especially while working full time. Between feedings and work, I often worried I wouldn’t be able to keep up. But little by little, the kits began to grow stronger.
By the time they were old enough to wean, they took to the ration and water bottles perfectly, and I finally felt a wave of relief. Watching them nibble, explore, and hop around for the first time made every sleepless night worth it.
When it came time to find them new homes, I sold one through a local Facebook group, and the rest went to a pet shop. That experience taught me a valuable lesson. If I plan to continue selling rabbits as pets, I need to build my own mailing list of interested buyers so I can connect directly with families.
The pet shop made a 100% profit, buying them from me at $20 and reselling them for $40. I was fine with it this time since I was preparing to travel and needed to free up space, but I now see how important it is to think about long-term systems for sales.
TOTAL SALES = $105
I did keep one special kit, Oreo, the runt of the litter. Despite his/her size, they are full of energy and personality. 🐰💛
This first litter taught me more than I could have imagined:
- The importance of proper nutrition and calcium for does.
- How demanding but rewarding hand-rearing can be.
- Why every sale should be part of a bigger plan rather than a quick decision.
- And that in rabbit farming, you should always expect surprises.
It wasn’t easy, but it was the start of something special. The lessons from BF Hazel and her kits will guide how I grow Bimland Farms in the future.
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