New Litter's and a Hard decision.

Well I shall start at the beginning, the 28th Miss Sunburn kindled a litter of Four Red's on looking them over I noticed one normal sized kit, one smaller kit now I know to be a runt and two really tiny ones that now i know are peanuts. I was excited for her to finally kindle because last time i bred her we got nothing. So Off i went to work, on coming back I saw that Miss Strawberry had kindled as well Three Reds and she too had one normal and two peanuts. Really bummed at this moment i knew that I should just be thankful for live kits and not DOA's like i have had in my previous litter's.

Yesterday night I found Berry's two peanuts with missing back limbs, she was starting to kill them because she knew they were not normal. Still alive I had my husband put them down humanely, and I put Sun's strongest kit up with Berry so that just maybe the others would have a chance.

Well was I wrong. Because the biggest kit was missing, Sun fed the Runt and completely ignored the two peanuts which I figured. Woke up this morning to find them all cold, one Peanut dead, the other close, and the run cold but still strong. I got the two surviving warm and transferred them to Berry to care for, but of course being the very doting mother she is, accepted the runt but did not accept the remaining peanut and was going to  kill it, so Now came the hard decision!

People may find this funny, I'm a hunter in training as my husband will call me, as of to this day I have killed one animal. And here I had in front of me a Kit that needed to be put down, I knew as a responsible rabbit breeder I need to do the deed myself and stop passing it off to my husband.

So I did it and knowing that it needed to be done I feel okay with that decision. In order to save litters I need to learn to cull out the weak and save the strong.

I'll update the three remaining after The new year.

Here's to 2012 a new year!

Goals for 2012

My biggest goal is to build on to my herd and get some strong lines going, I'd really like to get some of my own home grown's out on the show tables. Which brings me to another goal to attend more show's, this is so important to me, and I pray my schedule can intertwine well with the show season. We will be moving within the next couple months and I think I may build some cages, I saw some really awesome idea's and I think I can get my father or my crafty husband to build them. Just need to figure out how to get a tray built in because I'm really like the tray's. I have done the let it drop on the ground and sweep it up and it's just messy to me, the tray's demand my attention to clean them, so I don't put it off ever.

Another big goal is to obtain a Red buck, my husband and I will eventually save up enough for a real nice foundation buck, but we are just awaiting the right one to catch our eye. My castor's will come first, once we get a nice litter from lime and then hopefully Lacey we can really kick off with them.

Speaking of Lime she is due on Thursday so i am praying she delivers in her nest box. She will be well watched and I'm hopeful I'll catch her in time to make sure she is delivering in the right location.

I'm sure I'll come up with more Goals, but I really just want to continue to build on to my rabbitry and bring in some show winners!

Waiting on the last of the litters for 2011!

Brought my three hopefully pregnant Doe's into our attached garage where we can keep a better eye on them. With my work schedule, I have been extremely busy since I travel to work in the City. Hoping we have better luck with Lime who is due on the 22nd. We are rebuilding our nest box, making is more secure and more enticing for her to want to give birth in the box instead of the wire, so let's cross our fingers!

I'm realizing how much I really hate winter, water's are freezing now which really sucks. Rabbit's don't seem to mind the coldness, and the barn has been staying a degree warmer then outside, but still cold enough that the waters are freezing.

Sunburn due the 28th

Not much to report, Baby ( Alex's daughter) is staying nice and small which please's me. Looking forward to taking her to show's in the spring. She will be eight weeks old on Friday. Crazy to think how fast she grew. Now let's have more new babies so I have an actual show team for 2012!

Limerick due the 22nd

Strawberry due the 28th.

Just a tad bit frustrated.

Lost another litter today to a first-time mom. I'm so frustrated right now because although I have lost litter's in the past when I worked with Cinnamon's and other breeds I had  lost maybe two in the two years that I worked with them. I really need to sit down and re-evaluate how to get litter's that stay alive. Maybe it's because these are first time mommy's? Maybe I am just doing something wrong? I don't know, so far I have only had one live litter of two kit's, but that was with an experienced mom, and she did everything right, from pulling ton's of hair, to making her nest in the actual nestbox.

Both my first time mom's did not pull that much hair, nor did they even attempt to build their nest in the nest-box which is the core issue of why I am losing babies right now. My husband is going to be building different nest-boxes out of wood. Put a more Cave feeling to them, perhaps the moms will feel more comfortable having their babies in them.

I have three more litter's to go, one experienced mom, one new mom, and I re-bred lime for hopefully a live litter. I think i may just wait till spring to re breed Lacey, she's still young.

I know I can't get frustrated, it's going to happen, and it may happen many times before things start working right. My Doe's health's come first, they are not just breeding machines to me, they are like children to me and I do love them.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Enjoying the holiday with the family and I hope everyone else is enjoying there holiday to! My rabbits penguin and Sunburn are going to be on their way to the Lansing show on Saturday, I myself could not go because of a family tragedy but Hanna from Bella's rabbitry took them for me and I am very thankful! 

Miss Lacey will be having her babies in the next 24 hours hopefully, she has a nest almost made just waiting for her to go into labor!

Alex's Kits are both Does and the one I kept the black doe is now named Asinaway's Bella Baby, or just Baby for short. Bella baby has two meanings, one from Bella's Rabbitry and another from my grandmother because Bella baby has always meant beautiful baby girl in Italian! 

Going to my Second Show- The MSRBA Fall Show.

Very excited to get the chance to go to my second show in Lansing. I had really been debating if I was going to go, and I really did not want to go by myself. I'll be going with my good friend Hannah from Bella's Rabbitry. This show will be so much bigger then the first show I went to, so I'm glad I am not going by myself. It's going to be a blast and I'm looking forward to getting the chance to show Strawberry again with some real competition. It need to get some more show under her belt. I'm hoping she will do good, but I'm always happy just to show and enjoy all the company and learning.

Alex's babies are doing great, getting so big. Everyone else is doing fantastic and Lacey is due with her first litter on the 24th of this month, so thanksgiving day!

Alex's kit's are Three weeks tomorrow.

I cannot believe the Kit's are already Three weeks old, where dose time go? I tried sexing them the other day, I believe they are both Doe's. I love how friendly they both are, it really makes a difference when they are held and played with since day one. It's enjoyable to see them hop to the door each day when they see me in the barn.

Unfortunately I lost my first litter yesterday, Limerick gave me a surprise and started pulling hair the other day, when I though it was sun who was going to kindle, it was actually Lime. All three of her kit's were still-born, one being stuck. It was a really scary situation, but she is doing fine, and back outside in the barn. It made me realize just how attached I am to these girls. When outside people say these rabbits mean nothing to breeders, they are so very wrong. I personally care deeply for all my rabbits that reside in my barn, some I like better then others, but they all have a place in my heart. I just no longer mourn over the death of kit's, I can't, yes it's sad, but if I broke down and cried and became deeply sad every time a kit passed onto the other side, I'd never be able to successfully continue breeding.

I'm hoping Miss Sun kindles but my hope that she is even pregnant is now dwindling. I'm going to re-breed her next weekend and hope that this time she takes. I'll be giving Lime a break and re-breeding her with another buck. Now just waiting on Miss Lacey to kindle, I know for sure she's pregnant, and she's due on the 24th. Maybe I'll have better luck the second time around starting with Lace!!!

Is it time! Maybe?

Oh my Goodness, I am just going crazy with anticipation. I'm almost certain my Red Doe is in labor, I still don't know her well but she seems to not be acting herself at all. She's what I call a corner hugger, who well as the name say's sit's in the corner most of the day. Even when I first put the nest box in she still kind of hung out in her corner, until the last couple day's she has been hanging out in her nest box and now has refused to leave it other then to go to the bathroom. Her feed and water intake has seemed to go down in just a few hours, and her girly parts seem swollen. She's doing that growl that Does make, and being very territorial. Very much hoping to go outside tomorrow afternoon and see some babies.

Today is the 28th day, and her first litter she kindled exactly on her due date, so we shall see.

Nothing else to report, got weights on everyone, clipped toenails, and spent some time with Alex's babies, who are happily exploring their cage with mommy. What I love the most is they come out of their little corner as soon as they hear my voice.

Happy Sunday!

Waiting Anxiously On More Litter's to arrive!

The wait is killing us, we check on our doe's several times a day hoping they will kindle soon. They are actually due the 8th, but they could give birth anytime from now till the end of the week. I personally am looking forward to my first Red litter. Since I am still horrible at palpating, I cannot guarantee that they are pregnant, but I'm pretty positive that my Castor doe is, and still 50/50 that my Red doe is indeed pregnant. She's been acting a little off the last couple day's so I'm hoping that is a sign. She refuses to leave her nest box, so really hoping that is her way of telling me, stay out of my cage so I can give birth soon.

Alex's Kit's are two weeks old, and refuse to be in their nest box, every time I'd put them back in it they would job right back out. So we decided to heavily line the cage with straw, hay, and paper shavings. So far they are doing fine, keeping warm. Mamma seems to be enjoying the company, she checks on them regularly and they are still well fed, fat and happy. I'm going to try my hand at sexing them next Saturday, I have heard of breeders sexing at three weeks so I have extensively been studying pictures, so hoping that maybe I to can get official Gender's on them.

If not I honestly don't mind waiting longer to tell, I normally don't sex until they are eight weeks, just for reason of not getting them wrong, but this time since I'll be choosing who I keep I'd like to know ASAP!

Other then waiting Anxiously for more babies, things are going good!

Kit's have their Eye's Open.

The kit's have their eye's open finally, and they are just so adorable. Still active, and their momma feed's them very well. They are some chubby little babies. Already do they poke their head's out to look around from the nest box, but still burrow into the bedding/fur. I let them out to hop around and investigate, handle them regularly so they get used to interacting with people. I'm really hoping the black turns out nice, I am still not sure who will be the one to carry on it's mothers lines, but I know I will only keep one from this litter. So far to early to tell what will happen.

Alexandria's Kit's are One week and One Day old!

Time really goes by quick, Alex's babies are already a week old. They are very strong, active, and I can finally tell their color's. A black and a castor. Now to wait the waiting game and see the genders. But for now I get to enjoy their company. I still have been bringing them in at night, and Alex is doing great with it. She's such a tentative mother, and immediately hops in to feed them, when I bring them back to her in the morning.

I expect their eye's open in a few more day's I can kind of tell the Castor is going to open it's eye's first. I have decided which ever one I keep, if it's a doe will be named Asinaway's Bella Baby. Now maybe I'm going to Jinx myself and both will be a buck, lol but maybe I'll get lucky! I am trying to keep all Doe's from my litter's since I have more then enough bucks at this time.

My other two doe's are due soon, the 8th of November, I'm really looking forward to some of my own Red's so we will see how that goes. I just may keep a doe and a buck from that one, but I'll need to think about that later.

 

A Wonderful Fall Day.

Sunburn

Spent a lovely and very sunny fall Saturday cleaning up the barn, and rearranging things. Since I lost my voice, and had spent most of the day sleeping on and off. I found some quality time with the rabbits, helped clear my head.

Lacey

Alex's Kit's are doing good, have full belly's, and are very warm. Alex really is a great momma. Still going to bring them in at night, just until they get their fur in.

Everyone Else is doing good, Strawberry is turning out real nice, and I can't wait to get her to more show's and see how she really dose with some good competition.

The boy's are being boy's, Koda's really chewing up his cage, so I cannot wait to get him into a all wire cage. All the other boy's are behaving. Worked with Penguin, I think he will do well at his first show. Now that I can't go up north. I just may try to make it to the Lansing show, but I'm not 100% sure yet.
Other then that nothing much to report, but I took some pictures of everyone today to share.

Strawberry 

Penguin

Alexandria had her Kit's

Our Blue doe Alexandria had her little one's today, I had suspected something earlier in the week, but by last night I really did not think she was going to kindle. Well to my surprise on the one day I don't get out to the barn till late she had two kit's in her nest box. 

So very excited to have my first kit's born at my barn. Now I am hoping one is doe and one is a buck! That would be perfect, lol. Either way I'm just excited for healthy, and living babies! 

Alex is doing good, munching away on her hay. I'm so proud of her. And now she is officially retired after she weans these kit's. She made me proud, and now she can live the rest of her life relaxing and being a good Doe to my son. 

I will try my hardest to keep an updated progress on here of them growing up. 

Thing's are looking up.

Sunburn is doing so much better, and is finally back into a feeding schedule. She had me so worried, I had worried I was going to lose her. But now everything is back to Normal, and she seems to be trusting me a lot more. I just really hope she took when I got her bred, I'm really looking forward to this breeding.

Actually I'm hoping all my Doe's Kindle because It will be perfect for me to have some more showable rabbits for March for our Second Show. I already have Two or three picked out, My beloved Strawberry, I believe Penguin, possibly Lacey which will be her last show because I think her ears are tad long to get her far on the show table no matter how nice her fur is, but I think matched up to my Buck Rusty they will produce some nice show winners.

 I will have Three from hopefully my litter's. So I will have a lot more to show from when I first showed. It's going to be amazing and I actually can't wait, although I will be a year older in March Yuck! ( did I ever say how much I hate getting older.) Anywho.. I think March will be a great kick of to the show season for me. 

JV

Everyone is Happy, Fed, and Settling in Nicely!

Everyone is settling in nicely and almost everyone is comfortable and happy. Sunburn my Red doe is still a bit stressed out from the move, and she has me slightly worried, but I got her to finally eat a bit today, so hoping soon she get's more into eating, because if she is pregnant then she will need her food.

Koda my new Castor buck cracks me up, he stretches out all comfortable and will only lift his head up to see if it's food time. I actually had the chance today to sit out there and watch him for a bit, boy dose he eat quick, no wonder he's 5lbs the boy loves his food!

It's interesting to see all the different personality's, people who say Rabbits are all the same are liars. For instance, Alex my blue doe, is so sweet, so laid back, and then you have Limerick my castor doe, she's spunky and it takes her longer to trust, then the boy's, Rusty is my Anti-social boy, he's fine with a quick scratch and that's it. But Desperoux would love if I rubbed him for hours.

I'm falling more and more in Love with Owning Mini Rex, I can now see why they are so popular and I can't wait to have some babies. It will feel good to have my First Asinaway Home Grown Mini Rex.

Oh How I despise Wood Cages.

I was going to use this post as a moment to give 101 reasons why I despise wooden cages at this moment in time, but decided I'll save that for when My husband comes home from work, I'll give him 101 reasons why we need to make switching to all wire a lot more quicker. We have till April or May before we move to a new house, a new location, I'll need to use everything in my power to prove to the new Landlord that my Rabbitry is clean, which means where I house the Rabbits at will be close to spotless as any Rabbit owner can get. I'm very OCD when it comes to my Rabbit barn, If I had the energy I would clean every day, but with finishing up my MA schooling, and my toddler I tend to clean twice a week, sometime one time if it's been a busy week, or if I notice certain cages being dirtied I'll clean them more often.

I cannot stand the smell of Ammonia, I have to have that smell of clean, I think it is mostly from being in health care, we are drilled that if we cannot smell bleach or a similar clean smell the place is A. not clean enough, and B. not sanitized enough. Well I don't dare use bleach, I'm so apprehensive about it since I tend to make some strong bleach solution yet another health care habit ( ever wonder why hospitals smell like bleach, yup just think when the solutions are made, there is a lot more bleach then water.) 

I think most my issue is the fact my wood cages soak up the urine in the corners from the bucks.

All the more reason to switch to wire!!!! 

Soon very soon!

JV

My son is in Love and her name is Alexandria!

This Doe is the best thing since sliced bread, lol. No but really, her and my son are perfect for each other, she is so gentle with him, and he absolutely adores her. He's been going around saying, " Blue, mine!" So I lost my Doe to my son, lol. But that's okay, my whole goal to starting my Rabbitry was to start so that when my son is old enough he has good stock to be able to show with. My hope is he continues to enjoy rabbits as he get's older.

So far, being 20 months old, he likes them very much. Now let's just pray he want's to stick with Mini Rex, because his momma can't just have one so most likely by the time he's Five, I'll have 30+. I have told myself though that I am stopping at 20, no more then that. I want to be able to give each of my rabbits the individual attention they need and deserve, no matter if they are show or brood. At the moment I have Eleven, and after my three litter's I will probably keep one from each litter, and that's it till next summer.

Right now I need to concentrate on continuing to switch over to Wire cages, and to get myself a Tattoo gun so that by the time the Kit's are old enough I can do their tattoos.

I do have to say though Going into my barn and seeing a whole line of cages full of Castor's is pretty awesome!

JV.

Brought Home Five Mini Rex Today.

It's so amazing that in just a couple months I have accomplished so much since opening up my Rabbitry. I have always owned rabbits but had never imagined that I could do something so exciting, so beneficial. I have vowed to never breed for just pet's, that I will strive to produce some nice show quality mini rex.

I brought home Three castor bucks, one white buck, and one blue doe from Hanna (Bella's Rabbitry). I turly appreciate everything she has done for me, and has really helped me bring my dream into something real. It's breeder's/owners like her that make showing/breeding rabbits so much fun and enjoyable.

If all goes as planned I will have three upcoming litter's! Really hoping these next weeks zoom by. I have not seen a kit in such a long time, and I am ready to start getting my own home grown mini rex so I have some show rabbits.

JV

My First Post!

 I have never been much of a Blogger, although I have dappled in my own personal blog for a few years. Decided I would start a blog for my own Rabbitry.

The hubby took me to Mt. Pleasent today to pick up Two new Does from Jenni at two rivers rabbitry. It took us about two hours to get there but the drive was so worth it. I now have a Castor doe named Limerick and a Red doe named Sunburn.







 Really excited to see what they will produce. Right now they are with Hanna ( Bella's Rabbitry) Getting bred to her awesome Bucks.




Honestly cannot wait till March for the show in Lapeer. I'll have a lot more Rabbits to show, it would be a great birthday present to do really well there!

My goal by then is to get so much more familerized with the standard

JV