A backyard homestead in Stone Mountain, GA focusing on ethically raised meat rabbits and free range
As of November 2022, we are no longer raising rabbits. We are sad to see this chapter of our homestead close but look forward to reopening it in the far future. Thank you to everyone who has supported us! Our rabbits have found homes in backyards and homesteads all around Georgia, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Mississippi. We wish you all the best of luck in your homestead rabbit journey.
We have so many rabbits looking for a new place to call home(stead)! In very high demand are two litters of TAMUK composites (a heat tolerant meat rabbit breed), a few TAMUK composite/New Zealand crosses, Rexes and Rex mixes, AND proven breeding does and buck. See what we've got at purplehenhomestead.com/available-now and email us at [email protected] to reserve.
Proven does - Rex mixes
#1 - chocolate sallander (normal fur) NZ/Rex mix born March 2021. Has delivered one litter and did a wonderful job.
#2 - black magpie (normal fur) NZ/Rex mix born March 2021. Has delivered one litter and did a great job.
#3 - black magpie (Rex fur) Rex mix born June 2020. Has given us 6 litters with an average of 9+ kits each litter. Currently weaning a litter.
#4-6 ( #2's) litter of all normal furred Rex/NZ mix buns. Chocolate magpie doe with brown eyes, black sable magpie buck, three REWs. Born Nov 2021.
Need to make space for other buns and getting out of Rex fur genetics in our herd.
We've got 4 does and 9 bucks remaining out of our October litters. 🐇 They're all 75% TAMUK composite/25% New Zealand/Rex mix, perfect for heat resistant backyard meat rabbits or homestead rabbits for manure production! About 10 weeks old now and urgently looking for new barns! Check out what we've got at the link below and email us to reserve ([email protected]).
https://www.purplehenhomestead.com/available-now
Getting chilly. Expecting babies late this weekend or early next week. We'll see what happens this round.
We've had a lot going on recently, and have been so behind in posting our last litters on the website–but they're up now! We have just a few does this time around, so email us soon if you're interested. Both litters are 75% TAMUK composite and 25% New Zealand/Rex mix. They're 9 weeks old now and ready to go ASAP.
We are ready for our last sales of the summer! Our upcoming litters of rabbits - 38 kits in total - will be ready to hop along to your homestead beginning this weekend. Check out what we've got and let us know if you're ready to add to or start your meat rabbit journey.
Please note that we require a 50% deposit on every rabbit and do not allow on-farm visits due to biosecurity measures. More details on our sales and pickup policies can be viewed on our website.
https://www.purplehenhomestead.com/available-now
We'll have rabbits available in the next two weeks (stay tuned for pictures!), with some important information for you regarding the recent cases of RHVD-2 in Georgia:
In line with our previous biosecurity and business practices, all rabbit pickups will occur off-site to reduce possible farm-to-farm contamination. No visits to the rabbits are permitted on property. All rabbits will require a 50% deposit to hold before pickup. This deposit is fully refundable if we discover any evidence of injury or illness on the claimed rabbit(s) OR any evidence of transmittable disease within our herd. We provide numerous photographs and weight information on each rabbit so that you can make an informed decision on your new animals.
We take the spread of this virus very seriously and practice stringent biosecurity practices. However, as cases as extremely low and have yet to be detected in wild rabbit populations in Georgia, we are confident that we can move forward safely with rabbit sales at this time.
This hen had been broody for weeks. We don't want to hatch out chicks and didn't want to cage her indoors (which is a common recommendation for breaking broodiness). After a few weeks of (gently) tossing her off her nest several times a day, she finally got the hint and has rejoined the flock.
We will be downsizing our flock come autumn. We have a very diverse mix of layers, purebreds of many types and crossbreeds as well. Many of our hens lay colored eggs (blue and green). We will be selecting a group of 10-15 hens with our second rooster to re-home as a single group (we won't part them out individually). If an "instant flock" with already laying hens and a beautiful, friendly, protective rooster interests you, and you're in the Atlanta area, send us a message. They will not be available until August or September and pricing will depend on the final size of the group we're rehoming.
Weekly egg washing. 9 dozen collected this week. Production is down a little as the heat picks up.
We cooked up our first ever homegrown quail. Y'all, I'm honestly disappointed... that it's taken this long for us to try it. With just salt, pepper, and browned butter, this little bird was simply marvelous. 👌👌 We can't wait to try more quail recipes with the birds we have in the freezer.
The recipe for the quail is dead simple. Pat your quail dry. Generously coat your quail with kosher salt and black pepper. Put a cast iron pan in the oven and preheat to 500. When the oven is fully preheated, throw a half a stick of butter in the pan, wait a second for it to melt, then place the quail spine-side down in the pan and cook for 10-12 minutes. Baste the quail in the browned butter (make sure to include all the yummy brown bits). Eat!
Our quail are skinless since we hate how tedious plucking is, but the meat was still divine. (Although I'll admit the legs were a little tough, we'll maybe cover them with foil next time.)
We have 15 rabbits remaining out of the 35 kits born in April. 8 does and 7 bucks, including this handsome magpie buck seen here. Check out our website (link in bio) to see who's available now! We have limited pickup slots available in the next ten days.
It's raining buns! We have 25 rabbits available for pickup beginning the weekend of June 12. Lots of litters, different bloodlines, the absolute perfect time to grab a breeding trio from us or add a new bloodline to your existing herd. All info on our website: purplehenhomestead.com/available-now
Our meat rabbits are bred and raised with the utmost care and regard for animal welfare. They are easy animals to keep and a great start for the beginning homesteader, or someone who wants to raise their own meat in their backyard. They're quiet, clean, and have low space requirements. We are more than happy to help you choose your new herd and answer any questions you have about raising meat rabbits.
Pearl, one of our proven breeding does, is looking to hop along to someone else's homestead! She is such a stellar rabbit that we've kept four of her offspring for our breeding program, and we need to make room for new genetics.
New Zealand mix
Blue magpie
Born 1/9/2020
Averages 8 kits/litter, excellent mom
Weight: 10.5 lbs
Dowry: 5️⃣5️⃣ carrots
Pearl will come to her fresh digs with transition feed, a full health check, nail trim, and partial pedigree information.
Pearl has several productive years ahead of her and is a great choice for someone looking to start with meat rabbits, but doesn't want to wait to start producing.
Message us for more info on Pearl!
Today we welcomed 8 fresh buns to the farm. Congrats to Flora, who (in the first 8 hours of motherhood) has done an excellent job.
Flora's due with her first litter this weekend. She's our wildest, least friendly rabbit by a mile–so I've got my fingers crossed that nothing goes wrong.
In general, I always recommend extreme caution to new rabbit owners when feeding rabbits fresh greens. That might be a little confusing if you've seen how many garden trimmings the rabbits have gotten lately!
My hesitance to recommend fresh greens for *new* rabbit owners is two-fold.
First, the type of green does matter. You want to avoid greens with a high water content–lettuces, especially iceberg, are notoriously risky. Brassicas like cabbage and broccoli are also a high risk green due to their gassiness. (Rabbits can't pass gas.) Spinach is high in oxalic acid, which can form stones in the bladder or kidneys if given in large amounts over time. Carrots, apples, and other high-sugar treats also feed the bacteria in the gut that cause issues.
Garden weeds and trimmings are free, abundant, organic, and well-loved! Our rabbits enjoy dandelions, wild strawberries, grass, nettles, and various weeds from the garden. They'll nibble on dried leaves and pinecones too. When the pea vines get pulled for the summer, they'll go nuts.
Second, most newer rabbit owners don't understand how sensitive a rabbit's digestion is, and miss the clinical signs that their digestive system is struggling with a dietary change. Symptoms of gastrointestinal distress usually include: uneaten cecotropes, diarrhea, loss of appetite, teeth grinding (pain), and bloat. If you flip your rabbit onto it's back and see f***l matter around it's ge****ls, it has some degree of diarrhea. The most severe cases will cause the f***s to stick and mat over the rabbit's a**s and ge****ls and prevent them from using the bathroom at all. That means death within 24-36 hours unless the blockage is cleared very promptly.
Most folks simply don't know that they should be watching for these symptoms. And as prey animals, rabbits don't do a great job of telling us that something's wrong until it's too late. So when I say to new customers to stick to pellets and hay, it's also giving them time to do more research, become more familiar with their rabbit's behavior, and learn what's normal and what's not.
Do you feed your meat rabbits any fresh greens?
Eight babies for Pepper this morning, just in time for Mother's Day. She managed to have them in the small slice of time between morning chores and afternoon chores. This is Pepper's second litter and I'm so proud of how well she's done with both her first and second.
Garden weeding = fresh feeding! I purposefully don't pull dandelions out by the roots, instead pulling off leaves and flowers so they'll grow back again. Dandelions are well loved by buns and a very nutritious snack.
The babies have breached the nest box!
We currently have 28, 3-week-old buns that were sexed yesterday. After the last brood, which were almost entirely bucks, I am happy to report that we have 20 females and 8 males!
There's a slightly younger litter that will be sexed next week, and I'm hoping the trend keeps up 🤞
While these won't be ready for new homes for 5 more weeks, feel free to get in touch to pre-reserve. We have New Zealand mixes and TAMUK composites, from several different bloodlines.
Dinnergram is brought to you by:
dim sum sausage grilled on top of a salad of grilled asparagus, endive, wild onions, spring mix, and arugula from this/last week's CSA share; plus sugar snap peas from our garden, yellow tomatoes, grilled corn, and goat cheese with a sesame soy dressing. We ❤️ a good salad!
Big Ging and Lil Ging 😭😭😭😭 Possibly the cutest moment I've ever captured on camera. We love our sweet mamas who love on their little ones. We owe everything to our beautiful does with wonderful mothering instincts. Ginger is one of our TAMUK composites.
Once upon a time, the chickens laid all their eggs in one single nest box, a rabbit nest box that sat atop one of our rabbit cages.
With rabbit breeding season in full swing, I needed that nest box for my buns, so I took it from the chickens and they're revolted ever since.
We find eggs in flower pots, under the quail pen, in between folds of tarps put up for rain protection, and sometimes in the middle of the yard.
Animals are creatures of habit, and it's hard to break them of it. They still jump on top of the cages and look around like, wtf mom?
👋 jazz hands 👋
Our Cascadian Sugar Snap peas are coming in slowly, but they're working hard!
This is Sesame's first litter with us. I'm not sure I've learned anything about his recessive genetics 😂
This sweet boy and many other young lads are still looking for greener pastures! Check out our website for more info: purplehenhomestead.com/available-now
These bucks will sire meat rabbits that are healthy, hearty, heat tolerant, and fast growing. We pride ourselves on the quality of our rabbits & work hard to produce consistent results for our own herd and yours.
If you're not ready for meat rabbits yet, check back in a few weeks when our most recent kindlings become available.
We have just ONE breeding trio remaining from our February litters, these two sweet does pictured above and your choice of buck! Doe #1 is a Champagne d'Argent cross that, since picture day two weeks ago, is beginning to silver out absolutely beautifully; doe #1 is a broken blue New Zealand/TAMUK composite cross. I have TONS of bucks to choose from too, just visit our website (link in bio) and click "Available Now."
Our rabbits are 9 weeks old and are all weighing in around 4.5-5 lbs. They are ready for their new homes ASAP!
Six new babies from Pearl today. In a few days we'll be able to see what colors we have. Fingers crossed for more magpies 🤞
Welcome to some new friends on the farm! These babies are about 4 days old and we have nearly 30.
Our quail hens have been hard at work this spring. 🐤 Did you know that carries our quail eggs in their larder? When you buy our eggs from them, you're supporting two small, local, family-owned businesses at once!
A lot of folks ask how to use quail eggs. They can be cooked just like chicken eggs. They can be hard boiled for salads, tiny deviled eggs, scrambled, fried and daintily placed atop avocado toast, or used in baking recipes. You can even boil them, peel them, and pickle them whole!
AVAILABLE DOES - 8 weeks old
1. Champagne d'Argent cross
2. TAMUK composite
3-6. TAMUK composite/NZ cross
Check out our website for DOBs, prices, etc. Link in bio!
(Lots of our does have already been sold, this is what's left for this round!)
Getting ready for our next round of babies on the homestead. We have six does due between now and later this week. One first timer, and two brand new pairings. Here's Emmylou building her nest for her fifth litter!
We have LOTS of 8 week old rabbits ready to hop along out of Stone Mountain. All of our meat rabbits are fast growing and come from lines with awesome mothers. We have TAMUK composites, TAMUK composite crosses, and Champagne d'Argent crosses right now.
To see what we still have, click through to our website: http://www.purplehenhomestead.com/available-now
We have 8 week old rabbits that are ready to hop along from Stone Mountain. ALL of our meat rabbits have excellent growth rates and come from lines of top-notch mothers. Right now, we have pure TAMUK Composites, TAMUK Composite crosses, and Champagne d'Argent crosses. Click the link below to see pics of all our of does and bucks.
https://www.purplehenhomestead.com/available-now
Animals available for purchase
Pepper's babies are growing so quickly. It was a big litter (12) so they started off tiny and it seemed like they were growing so slowly, then bam, everyone's eyes are open, they're out of the nest box, they're eating solids, mom's in the corner like, ugh, kids.
The Peppercorns are 3 weeks old now and hardly ever hang out in their nest box anymore, preferring to pile themselves in a cuddle puddle in the corner. Like my last batch of litters, this one's disproportionately boys. At the very least, lucky for me, the colors I wanted to keep are girls.
A lot of people ask us what we "do" with all the rabbits. Of course, they're meat rabbits, and so their primary purpose is to provide our family with a healthy, ethically raised, ecologically friendly source of protein. On average, we actually sell more live rabbits than we harvest. We exclusively sell to other homesteaders and self-sufficiently minded folks who are raising rabbits for sustenance.
When we have more boys than girls, however, it almost always ends up that we have a larger harvest than usual. As with almost all livestock, each herd only needs one or two males for many females. So when a male doesn't get to go on to sire new generations at another farm, he lives the rest of his life out here as a happy, healthy rabbit that eventually becomes food.
Honeysuckle bush is in full bloom
Meet Flora, our Flemish Giant mix doe, the newest member of the farm. She is about 3 months old.
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June is getting ready for her babies!! She's due tonight. We're so grateful the weather has cooled down for kindling day but of course, that brings worry for our first time mamas that may have their babies on the wire. I don't think we have to worry about June. 😂 We have three does due tonight/tomorrow: Emmylou, June, and Poppy. All first time mamas. Fingers crossed! 🤞 #rabbitbreedersofga #rabbits #georgiarabbits #tamukrabbits #meatrabbits #babyseason
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