Lost our Castor Herd buck-Sad but frustrated

Of course this happens to me... My castor herd buck, my only castor buck btw, passed away. The doe I bred him with, did not take so I now have nothing from his line, because I also sold his two offspring.

Fiddle sticks! So I decided I'm just taking a hiatus from breeding this winter. I probably wont be bringing in anything new right now either until spring.. Only consequence is I wont have anything new to show come march, but I will go to that show and take the opportunity to bring in new stock.

I keep thinking maybe I'll start fresh with a new color but I really don't think that will do it. I think I'm just so frustrated with my no progress, but a lot has to do with like i stated in my other post that my lines were just not meshing together. With the new year we will be bringing in a lot more money between me and my husband, like triple more. I think I'll feel more confident then.

Plus my dad promised he will show my husband how to build Better windows for the barn which will create way better ventilation then I have now. and we will go to the scarp yard and get better roofing material rather then just the tarp we have now.

I also want to have another six hole cage, so I can better grow my herd. I think once I get more keepers then not I will feel like I'm getting somewhere.

2013 please hurry up!

Re thinking everything

At this point I am just not happy with my lines, I am no where near where I'd like to be and I have probably only kept two homebreds this year that I will be using out of six litters. I hardly went to any shows, although it was a bad year for us financially since I was mostly the only one working.


My red line is decent, I have one super nice buck, that I can see adding a lot to my herd. The Doe's on the other hand, ehh. If I can muster the courage and money I think I will shove out quite a bit of cash in 2013 to bring in some fresh new red does to pair up with my two bucks. I'd also like to work on my broken reds a bit more.

My castors I'm failing miserably with them, I have kept O castors out of any of the litters i have had. Why because I'm picky, I just do not like the ones I was seeing. I think most of the reason was the Does I was breeding to, so yet again I will keep the one castor buck I have and bring in two more new Castor Does.

I think in order to develop my herd better I really need to concentrate on only two colors, yea yea boring I know but until I'm happy with what I have, I cannot move on to something else.

So after the last two 2012 does that are due, I'm cleaning house. Out with the old, in with the new. It's not that I don't have nice mini rex, I think my lines are just not mingling right. So I'll sell most of them to see if they can benefit others.

It's hard yes because I do have a bond with each, but if I'm ever to get somewhere I need to let Go.

2013 will be a big year for our rabbitry. I really need to just sit and rethink everything. I decided to start a small fund just for shows so that I can budget better and actually go to more.

So frustrations aside I have a lot to do next year!

Happy Thanksgiving

 I'm thankful for my Family, my wonderful husband who has done a lot to make my dreams come true, my amazing little boy, friends, our health, my job and coworkers and what we have. Time's have been tough for us lately, I'm the only one working at this point but that is soon to change; we are having some major fertility problems and it's looking like our son will be the only child we will ever have. I know things will get better. 


Spice had her babies, A very colorful litter. Excited to see them grow. Sun had four but she lost them three day's in, very frustrating to say the least. I'm getting really upset with this Doe. Was planning on going to the triple show at MSU this weekend but yet again something has gotten in our way and we cannot go. Well going to the family's later to enjoy a yummy dinner. Have a great thanksgiving everyone.

November Update

Everything is well here, moved our rabbitry to our new house. Hubby and my dad worked really hard to build the shed quickly before the real cold set in. It's not my dream shed but it works for now.

Going to the fall show over thanksgiving weekend in Lansing; really looking forward to it since I missed the last two shows at MSU. Hopefully I'll get some pictures because the place is awesome!

Have two litters due tomorrow, sun my doe that has lost her last litter seems to be ahead of the game as soon as i gave her hay earlier she quickly went to work and made a very nice nest. Spice on the other hand has made none, but she's always sneaky and builds it the last second before she births.

2013 is really going to be a big year for us, we already have planned to hit up several shows so hopefully all goes well.

Getting back into action

Phew it's been awhile since I updated; life sure finds a way to gain control. There was a good chunk of time, I thought I was going to have to walk away from my rabbits. We finally found a new place back in July, and we did not think our land lord would allow us to have our rabbits since there was no where to keep them.

Just lately I got to talking to my mom and we thought of a good idea for a non permanent shed, this way it could be put up and then taken down if need be and wouldn't require a building permit. My current house, is on the border of the country and the city, so technically there is no real rules against rabbits.

After talking to our landlord, the answer was yes!! My Landlord is so Epicly awesome.

Next month I am hoping to go to the fall convention in Lansing, so i have about a month to get everything back to where I want and decide who I am taking. I have planned on two litters for this winter, my goal is to bring more of my home grown to shows. so far Adam my red buck is doing very well for himself on the table.

Anywho, just hoping to keep up with my blog more now!

Our New Dog- Not a Rabbitry Post

Just wanted to share our exciting new's, we have put down a deposit for our new Siberian Husky. She will be ready to come home around the beginning of May. We have waited a long time to own one, searched for months for the right breeder and as soon as I saw her picture, I fell in love. Her name will be Alaska. We cannot wait to bring her home!

Great Lakes Rabbit & Cavy Shows- Our big win

I am honestly speechless, I had went to the show yesterday planning on not winning much, I had really went there to put on some more show experience, and get some opinions on some of my herd. When Mouse, my Sr. Castor buck who I had no plan's of showing, but decided that I'd bring him along and see what happens, well he won BOV twice and then BOB in show B. I could not help but be shocked, I know he's a nice buck, there is no denying that, but me get BOB, holy crap lol. I am pretty ecstatic right now.

I also brought home another buck, a broken black, and decided to keep my black doe, I'll be showing her to see how she dose, and then I'll breed her most likely in July or sooner depending how she dose on the show table.

So hopefully I will start raising brk blacks and blacks, hubby and I decided even tho we said we would stick to two colors, we will had on those. We also may get into otters, my husband really liked the look of them, so if I can get him more active, I'll get him a Arba membership, and I'll have him show his otters.

First we need to build our rabbit barn tho, and get more cages, technically I have 15 holes, and then a couple add on cages for the babies to grow out in once I wean at 8 weeks. So I'd like a couple more 6 hole for mini rex that I show, or brood bucks.

Lost a kit today.

Lost a Kit this afternoon, it had happened so fast we really had no time to do anything. It was Lacey's only castor, it was real nice so I'm kind of bummed that it happened. Last night it seemed fine, so I'm suspecting Enteritis. None of the other kit's seem affected, they are all active, eating, pooping fine, and drinking.

Also found out, that Tiny Tina is really Tiny Tim, I had thought a while back it was a buck, but then i thought doe, well now I am positive it is a buck. He just is more tiny, and I think took longer to develop those area's if that makes sense or is even possible. So since I really did not want to keep any bucks from those litter's he will be up for sale. I am going to another show on Sat so I'll try and sell him there, otherwise I'll hold on to him and make my final decision as he develops more.

 Don't have many bun related pictures but I like this one of my dog Dakota. She's such the little rabbit guard dog. She lay's by the cages most of the day.

Last picture of Lacey's castor, I'm bummed it was hiding in this pic.

Son's Buck Desp.

New Mini Rex added to the herd!

Hubby and I were planning on showing our rabbits yesterday at the MSRBA, but just one thing after another went wrong, so we ended up still going but just looking around and buying things.

I ended up getting a 6 hole cage from planks, two 4 hole carriers ( which mind you, is so nice, I was getting tired of making them each time i need to transport). I also bought two new rabbits.

BC'S Rudy, a SR red buck who has two GC leg's. He's a real nice addition to the team, and I plan on showing him a lot more.

Next is KD'S Spice, a JR broken castor. She will hopefully be a great addition to my Castors. Her dam has made very consistent nice looking kit's, so I'm hoping spice follows in her mothers foot steps.

The two set's of litter's are doing fantastic, getting big, starting to eat solid food's, and they drink a lot of water.

I sold Strawberry's buck at the show, my first homegrown that I have sold, makes me proud. Next if things go right ill start showing sun's little doe Tiny, she's looking very nice, has a clean red color.

We will be going to another show on the 10th at mason MI. this time making sure everything goes right!

What comes with the bad, comes with good.

Phew sorry for the lack of posting on my blog, thing's have been crazy around here. First of my father was in a tree accident and has been in the hospital for three and a half weeks now. I graduated Med school, and I am now a licensed Medical Assistant. I got a new job, and have been working there for three weeks as well.

The red Trio are doing fantastic, and getting close to the age that they can be moved on to new homes. I will only be keeping one, and that is Tiny Tina.

My two castor doe's both gave birth, Lacey had two castors, one red, and two chocolate yea that was a surprise. Unfortuntly two dissapered and three are fine and growing strong. They were born 2-7-12.

Limerick had six castor's, although two were peanuts and did not survive, the others are fat, healthy and now have their eyes open. They were born 2-6-12.

I just bought a Tattoo clamp and cannot wait for it to arrive, I have tattoos to catch up on that's for sure. I had gone with the clamp just because I think for me it will be easier, and will look nicer then if i was to use the pen.

Anywho i'll try to keep more updated.

We now have vision!! The Red Trio.

This blog is just a dedication of the Red trio and how much they have grown in two weeks. They all have their eyes open, the little one taking her sweet time doing so. They are now jumping in and out of their nestbox and it is adorable. Tiny tina is still tiny and I have decided to keep her as long as she is up to standards and looks nice. I'm wondering though if she will carry on to have small babies when its her time to breed? I guess we will see when she is older, I may just keep her as a non breeder because I love her personality and wont have the heart to cull her. If she turns out not looking nice they she will go as just a pet with a no breeding contract. The other two, I have not decided which i will keep or if I will sell both, I am not 100% sure at this point because i cannot tell which will look good and which wont. But I do believe i have two Doe's and one buck. So Berry had a doe and sunburn a doe and a buck. One thing i am sure of they are adorable!!!!!

Momma annoyed that all the babies can now hop out and harass her. 

Raspberry

The Red trio made it to a week and one day old.....

I honestly did not think these two litters well the last of the kits from the litter would make it, there was just so many things stacked against them. So far so good, the three even the little one have nice plump belly's and berry is an over enthusiastic mother who constantly is checking on them as soon as one makes a sound she's in the box checking on them. I was thinking at first she would feed the two bigger ones and the poor little one would not get enough food, but oh boy dose it get food, it has a nice ole fat belly and seems to have grown bigger, but i think it will always be small which i have now grown so attached to it, I might even keep that one but it will all depend on how it looks as it gets bigger. I have decided to name her, I believe she is a doe Tiny Tina, but just in case if she ends up being a he i'll change it to tiny Tim.

Tiny Tina

Which reminds me I tried my best to sex them and got two Doe's and a buck, but I could honestly be wrong the gender parts sooo tiny. Let's just hope I am right.

Other new's I will be breeding my two castors Lacey and Limerick so I'm soo hoping for some successful litters from them for some June show babies. I need to go over my herd and really decide how many kit's from the litters I will keep or have room for, Really thinking about when we move I'll build some cages, saw some awesome ideas on the internet.

Anywho enough rambling here are some updated pics.

The fatty

Kissing on her cousin

All three, you can see the size difference, but all fat and healthy.

All Rabbit Blogger's Check it out!

The Hoppin Circle------Click here to enter

I highly suggest checking this out a blog networking site just for rabbitry blogs! I really think it's a fantastic way to have all the blogs right there in view, I personally love reading other peoples blogs! I hope to see more and more join!

A New Year!

Wow it's 2012 can't believe I'm saying that lol it just seems so weird to look at.

The new kit's well the three left are doing well, big ole fat belly's. I must say for a first time mom, strawberry is a fantastic mother, she built an awesome nest, with a ton of hair and she keeps her babies well fed and clean. She's very attentive to their needs and even when I go in there, she immediately checks on them as soon as I walk away. She will defiantly be one of my prime Brood Doe's.

Now on to the kit's they are four day's old now and thriving, even the little one has a good belly on it which pleases me because I was worried the two big ones would not let the little one eat but Berry make's sure that even the little one has a good meal.

Hmm some things I must accomplish in the next few months, first get a tattoo pen or clamp that is a must for sure and then work on getting some carriers at least one for the up coming spring shows and of course get me some more cages, I want at least 30 hole's total just have to hold back till we get into a new place not sure how the landlord will feel yet but I don't see a problem since all my rabbits are kept in very clean cages and trays are changed regularly.

Some pictures they were moving around so much it was almost impossible to get clear good photos of them. The third picture you can see the runt, it's head looks funky in the picture but it's not just came out that way, the first pic is a close up of the smaller one/runt. It's defiantly not a peanut. I honestly dident even know rabbits could have runts because i have never come across it before but i guess so.