I have been planning a rabbitry for months using upcycled scrap. I called my local rabbit breeder today who told me he couldn't help me until at least next week.

I've sold more rabbits in the last week than I did the entire year before that. I've been selling even newborns who aren't weaned and their mothers. I couldn't give them away the whole winter.

Surprised, I asked him were these Easter presents? He told me that it was people getting into raising rabbits to prepare for COVID-19.

Curious, I called my neighbor who I recently learned has a home fowl breeding operation. We went over to his farm, and he gave us a tour and showed us every stage of how he breeds and sells chickens, geese, ducks, and guinea hens, all in peer-to-peer sales. I bought 5 of his day-old heritage Rhode Island Reds (not the typical cross strain in big box stores). I was surprised that he only had a few left. He confirmed to me what the rabbit breeder told me:

With this coronavirus, I have people calling me day and night trying to learn how to raise their food. They're finally getting it.

He has been putting 500 eggs in his 1940's incubator and selling out within a day or two after they are hatched. While the news media has been relentlessly pushing panic buying, everyday people in my community are starting to consider renewable sources of food.

A new brood

We spent about an hour with him teaching us chick cultivation. Inspired, I decided I will keep one rooster from this batch of straight-run (unsexed) Rhode Island Reds. A rooster would help with flock protection and would allow us to hatch our own chicks with this dual-purpose (meat and eggs) breed.

Feeling like pros, we bleached the waterer, feeder, and brooder, and we welcomed our new chicks home. When checking them for pasty butt, I noted that one of the chicks appears to have a loop of intestine sticking through its navel. There was poop on it so I didn't notice it when I was wrangling them at the breeder. My wife and I considered our options, either immediately culling the chick or attempting a repair.

Given that the chick did not appear to be distress and was eating and drinking, I used the back end of a child's paint brush (treated with rubbing alcohol) to secure the intestine within the thorax and then a very small bandaid to stop it from popping out. We'll see. Any advice is appreciated (@nateonsteemit and @goldenoakfarm looking at you). Some people report survival with this condition, and others report terminal infection or dehydration. I will have a very low threshold for culling if the chick doesn't appear to be thriving.

Sitrep

I am trying to stay productive and focused here, but the local situation is deteriorating. As you would expect with exponential growth, we are seeing 30-50% increases daily now. I went to the grocery store yesterday and there were at least 30 people waiting at the door before it opened. I bought the last bag of chick crumble at the feed store today. That was my last run to town. Everyone is being called to innovation and heroism. There are many very experienced farmers and ranchers on #hive. Please consider sharing your experience with people just getting into independent food production.