When our rabbit doe gave birth on Easter Sunday, we were excited to share about our 11 new baby rabbits on our YouTube channel and our Instagram with this short little clip.
Everyone loved seeing and hearing about our bunnies so much that we decided to post about this batch of kits for the first 30 days—until the point that they wean from mama bunny and graduate to their grow-out cage.
Every day, for a month, we created a short video of about fifteen seconds. Come learn more about baby rabbits, and watch them get cuter as the days go by. If you’re interested in learning more about raising meat rabbits you can check our 10 Reasons to Keep Rabbits on the Homestead or 10 Reasons Keeping Rabbits May Not be Right for You.
Day 1: Baby Rabbits’ Nest
One the first day Mr. M. showed us the nest that mama rabbit had made for her kits. When she’s getting ready to birth, the doe will pull soft warm fur from her chest and use it to make a fluffy bed for her babies.
Day 2: Coloring and Size
One day 2 we see that these baby rabbits are already developing differences in their size. You can also see the patterning on their skin, which will translate into the fur coloring.
Day 3: Baby Rabbits have eyes closed
As we find out in this video, kits are born with their eyes closed. They remain that way for at least the first week. (It actually took a little longer with these babies, but you’ll see that in a future video.)
Day 4: Growing Fast
On day four we see that the baby rabbits are already starting to get some fur, and are filling out quickly.
Are newborn rabbits cute? I took a poll on my Instagram from day 4, and the results were split, with most people thinking they were. Wherever you fall in this opinion, they certainly get more adorable as we go along.
Day 5: Count your Baby Rabbits
If you raise rabbits, it’s important to count your little kits daily. This batch only lost one baby, which is a very good success rate.
Day 6: Holding baby rabbits
Can you hold baby animals, like rabbits? Or will it cause the mother to abandon them? We address this myth on day 6.
Day 7: Low Maintenance for Mom
After one week I (Kris) filmed the first video that I did in the series. And what a relevant one…
Baby bunnies only nurse once or twice a day for a few minutes!
Day 8: Big bellies
When these kits do feed, they get really big bellies as you can see in this video. Hey, it has to last them for the whole day!
Day 9: Variety in a single litter
Do you think they’re getting cute yet?
Day 10: Focus on the Mama Doe
On this day we introduced our viewers to mama bunny, a pure-bred New Zealand doe named Sarai.
Day 11: Eyes Open
It’s nearly two weeks, and these baby rabbits are finally starting to open their eyes. Just a little later than Google told us.
Day 12: Jumping In and Out of Nest
These babies are starting to get in and out of their nesting box by themselves.
Day 13: Curious Little Critters
Cute bunnies and cute humans. You can see that the they’re all getting curious and busy. Watch out!
Day 14: Burrowing Bunnies
You have to continue to check these baby rabbits regularly, to make sure they’re not getting stuck in a crack or corner.
Day 15: New Mom Syndrome
If this doesn’t resonate with you, then you must not have little kids. Ha.
Day 16: Newborns Every Month
And if that’s not enough, wild mama bunnies repeat this cycle every 30 days.
Day 17: The Cutest Baby Rabbits
Now these babies are just adorbs. There’s no way around it.
Day 18: How many kits to expect?
How many kits is normal for a rabbit litter? A mama will birth 2-17 kits each time. Ten to a dozen is a good size for a meat rabbit breed.
Day 19: These are Meat Rabbits
This was not our most popular video ever, but the reality is that we raise rabbits as a source of meat for our family. Raising meat rabbits provides a lean, sustainable, and highly efficient for of protein for the table. It might not be for everyone, but we believe that raising our own meat is the most ethical and eco way to provide quality food.
Day 20: Who do these Baby Rabbits Take After?
Genetics are cool. One day 20 we’re showing you the color variation in this batch of baby rabbits.
Day 21: Keepin’ Cool
Here’s some information about the importance of keeping rabbits cool during hot days. These animals actually do better in the cold, which makes them a great livestock for colder climates like ours.
Day 22: Choosing a Rabbit Breed
Our rabbits are mostly New Zealand. Learn why we like this breed, and some things you might want to consider before getting rabbit stock.
Day 23: Rabbit Dental Hygiene
Rabbits have teeth that grow continually, so be sure to keep that in mind when keeping rabbits.
Day 24: Meat Rabbit Math
Mr. M. talks about the numbers breakdown of raising rabbits for meat.
Day 25: Rabbit Setup
Get a glimpse of our summer setup for raising these rabbits. (You’ll see the grow-out cages later on!) If you’d like to see our unique winter set-up check out our post on our walipini warren.
Day 26: Forage for our Baby Rabbits
Foraging fresh food for our rabbits is a great way to provide them healthy food and cut our costs. It helps make this endeavor that much more sustainable!
Day 27: A Quick Glimpse Back
In just a few seconds, Mr. M. is taking us through with a comparison of newborn bunnies to the 4-week rabbits.
Day28: These Baby Rabbits are Nearly Retiring
Check out these cuties as they hop around the lawn. It’s almost time to wean them and move them to their teenage cage.
Day 29: Rabbit Stew??
So. Here’s why we’ve all heard of rabbit stew, and what we think about it here at Growing Wild Roots.
Day 30: Graduation Day! Moving to the Grow-Out Pen.
These baby rabbits are (kinda) all grown up! We’re moving them into their grow-out pen where they will move around the lawn eating grass and lounging around.
Thanks for following along! You can subscribe to our channel or to this blog for more great content around raising rabbits along with many other aspects of producing, preserving, and preparing quality food.
Also, remember to check out 10 Reasons to Keep Rabbits on the Homestead and 10 Reasons Keeping Rabbits May Not be Right for You.
