How We Started Our Rabbitry with Mystery Rabbits

Because why start small when you can start confused?

Like all good homesteading stories, ours began with big dreams, a tight budget, and a questionable Facebook post.

We didn’t plan on starting a rabbitry. Not yet, anyway. But then, one sunny (okay, slightly chaotic) afternoon, we spotted an ad that read something like:
“Rabbits – good for meat or pets. Must go today. Cheap!”

And because we’re nothing if not impulsively committed to the chaos of self-sufficiency, we were loading up a crate 3 hours later with what may or may not have been a breeding pair.

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🕵️‍♀️ The Mystery Begins…

To this day, we’re still not 100% sure what breed they were. The seller wasn’t either. “Some kind of mix,” they said. Maybe New Zealand, Californian? Or Florida White? Or something.”
(Helpful.)

We named them Big Mama, Blue Eyes, Raggedy Ann, Chestnut and Jack because:

1. They looked like trouble

2. We weren’t sure if they’d steal hearts or just multiply and take over the backyard.

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🐰 Fast Forward: Surprise, It’s Babies

Turns out, mystery rabbits don’t waste time. Within weeks of building our first makeshift hutch (from pressure treat wood, 1/2in mesh hardware cloth, and pure hope), Raggedy Ann pulled fur. One day later, we were rabbit grandparents to a pile of squirmy little bun buns.

Cue: panic Googling.
“How to keep baby rabbits alive?”
“Do rabbits need baby formula?”
“What the heck is a nesting box and why didn’t we build one?”

We learned fast. Mostly by trial, error, and a few very stern lectures from seasoned rabbit forums.

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🛠️ From Mystery to Method

Since that first surprise litter, we’ve gone full tilt into rabbitry. We upgraded the hutches (compliments of my Engineering Husband), studied up on breeding lines, and learned how to not buy animals without asking 47 questions first.

Here’s what we’ve built since that fateful mystery-rabbit day:

• ✅ A basic record-keeping system (name, weight, breed guesstimates)

• ✅ An ever-evolving hutch setup for growing space

• ✅ Weekly weigh-ins for kits to track growth

• ✅ A garden that loves rabbit poop more than words can express

• ✅ A deep appreciation for the phrase “start where you are, use what you have.”

Now we breed primarily for manure and meat, with an eye on developing our own hearty homestead line — part mutt, part magic.

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💡 Lessons from Our Rabbitry Origins

• You don’t need to have it all figured out to start. Just start — even if it’s with mystery fluffballs and duct tape hutches.

• Ask questions. Ask more questions. Especially before buying animals from strangers named “Dave.”

• Track everything. Even if your records begin with “Possible Mini Rex? Or… beaver?”

• Rabbits are fast learners — and so are you.

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Final Thoughts

Our rabbitry didn’t begin with pedigrees, perfect hutches, or a five-year breeding plan. It started with two mysterious rabbits, a leap of faith, and a lot of Google searches.

And honestly? We wouldn’t change a thing.

Because here at Homesteading Unhinged, we believe in learning out loud, growing through the chaos, and laughing every time a rabbit escapes the hutch you swear was latched.

Here’s to more surprises, more squirmy litters, and more lessons learned with fur in your coffee.

Stay unhinged,
The Homesteading Crew 🐇🔥

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P.S. Want to see our current rabbit setup or learn from our early mistakes? Drop a comment or sign up for our newsletter — we’ve got free resources, behind-the-scenes chaos, and zero judgment.