Out of the comfort zone-

Joni at Lyle Creek Rabbitry did a blog recently where she spoke of how rabbits have helped her come out of her comfort zone.

I have to admit, this past weekend we both really took a flying leap out of those comfort zones!

We planned to go to the Knoxville, TN show.  I was bummed about missing Nationals and it was the only show within a reasonable distance.  I won't be able to make Columbia, SC next weekend, so I though, why not.

We planned to go with some other friends, but on Wednesday they had to cancel.  While I totally understand why they canceled, Joni and I were a little disappointed to cancel our plans.  Tim had a meeting and wouldn't be able to drive me to the show.

Then I had an idea.  A bit of a scary idea, but hey- I figured why not throw it out there.

I would drive the 2 hours to Joni's house, then let her drive my car a bit over 2 hours towards Tennessee.  As we got closer to the city, I would then take back over and do the city driving, since she hates that part.

Joni agreed and so we undertook the trip, driving a state away by ourselves.  It doesn't seem like a big deal, but hey, we were pretty proud!

Keep's Knight and Keep's Merlin both took BOSBs.  They are little black junior bucks, born a day apart to two different groups of parents- I don't think they are related in any way.  I am pretty proud of the way they keep going back and forth on the tables.

-Kristen

Rain, Rain, Go Away

The poor rabbits- they haven't seen sunshine in almost 2 weeks.  While we are all enjoying the cooler temperatures this May, it would be so nice to get that beautiful sunshine out! 

The cooler weather is keeping some funky coats on  bunnies that very much need to molt.  However, it is helping poor Panda put a coat back on! He started webbing as his dead coat was refusing to drop off, so he and I had an intense several grooming sessions.  He's only now starting to not look like a poor little homeless ragamuffin.

Keep's Fiona kindled today.  She was so overdue that when I entered the successful birth in to my pedigree software, it popped up saying "This is more than 5 days past the due date.  Are you sure you entered it correctly?"  I definitely did, and her one little baby is as large as those that were born on their correct due date. Gotta love the challenges of the bunnies.

I did some rebreeding recently.  I am excited to see the new babies.  Meanwhile the most recent weanings have left me with absolutely no cage space.  Every time I move a rabbit out, it seems like a litter is being weaned! Accck!

I am hoping everyone else has had the kind of litter luck I have! Even though there were some dead babies, every doe bred gave me at least 1 live kit.  I evaluate feed and the health of the herd based on conception rate and 100% definitely makes me happy.  I also got a first time doe started and a doe who was having trouble conceiving started back up!  Hooray!

So far, it has been a successful May :).

-Kristen

Out with the old, in with the new-

I had a 100% conception rate  this last breeding.  Ok, so it was only a set of three does, but all of them kindled!  I now have 7 new babies in the barn, with more on the way.  This isn't including the three that are close to opening their eyes, or the ones still with their moms!

With all the juniors I am growing out and the new babies born, it occurs to me that it is time to do a herd reduction- if nothing else, so I have somewhere to put all these babies.

I'm happy that all of the Florida White babies will be gone in the next few days.  This will be good timing, since the senior doe, Eve, has been rebred!

I dislike having to move out the senior animals- often I wish I could keep them "just for one more litter".

I find that right now, I have too many bucks.  More importantly, too many half sibling bucks! It's time to make some decisions.  I can't keep them all, after all.

Oh well, perhaps some day the sun will come back, the days will warm up (it is May, isn't it?) and I will get out there and finalize my sales list.  Someday.

Until then- maybe there is time for just one more litter...

-Kristen

More babies!

Keep's Rumor Has It had FIVE babies on 4/20!  Unfortunately, one died for no reason that I can tell and one is a peanut, which leaves her with three healthy agouti babies.  I can handle that! It's a great number for a litter.

On 4/21, Keep's Cat Call finally got it right and had her litter in the nestbox.  Unfortunately, one of her babies didn't make it.  The other, a sable point, has been fostered over to Rumor.

It looks like Keep's Catching Fire missed this round.

The next set of babies aren't due until next week. I am hoping to stay with the 66%+ conception rate that this mini round gave me!

-Kristen

Now that's over...

Whew, now that Easter is "over", things (ie sales) can get back to normal in the rabbitry.

I let Tim take one of the "old man" retirees to the Easter Egg Hunt at one of the churches- Cairo was a HUGE hit! He sat on laps for pictures and posed right up. I guess he misses the show table, but he definitely loved all the attention he got. Spoiled rotten boy.

I have been taking advantage of the warm weather- nearly all the does have been bred! If they all take and produce, this is going to leave me in a bind for space, but that just means I'll have to make some tough decisions on who stays and who goes.

Tim's Florida Whites are doing well- I weaned the doe, Eve, away from her litter of 5.  We've sexed them and it appears we have 3 girls and 2 boys! They are for sale now, all proceeds go to helping us get them to Haiti.

A friend of ours in youth, Sarah Lemons, is joining us in working with the Haiti Project.  She will be getting her florida whites at the end of the month.  I am so excited that there will be a wider pool of genes available, without me having to sacrifice my entire barn to them! :)

-Kristen

NCRBA

The NCRBA State Show was this weekend- and wow, what a weekend.

To start it off, Saturday in Show A Joni finally was awarded her very first wooly Best of Breed! AND she got Best Opposite of Breed with another homebred.  I have to say, I was shocked that there were no tears.  I probably would have cried- she's worked so long and hard for the "big one" and to get it at a state show out of 70 woolies....sweet! :)

As we were waiting on results of Show A, the Youth President and Vice President handed Kitty Lynch and me a lovely red rose and a card.  How sweet are they?

"Thanks so much, you were more than kind.  People like you aren't easy to find"

In Show B, we were finally able to beat Joni.  Keep's Catching Fire was awarded Best of Breed.  Helen McKie took BOSB.  It was so funny, as the two does the judges were debating between were a shaded doe (mine) and an agouti doe (Helen's).  The BOSB debate was over a shaded buck (mine) and an agouti buck (Helen's).  It makes you feel really good to know that you're producing animals that are so similar to others you are admiring as you watch the judging.

Keep's Catching Fire

Joni and I helped grade youth royalty tests for a few hours.  It is amazing the knowledge the kids have!

On the second day, I woke up feeling fairly terrible, a theme that continued through out the day.  Joni won her second BOB in Show C, proving that when it rains, it pours (good things, in the case.)  Tresia took BOSB.  In show D, which occurred quickly on the heels of Show C, things went a little differently.   Keep's Tequila Mockingbird took BOB, and Deidre took BOSB.

Keep's Tequila Mockingbird

I felt so terrible that I didn't stay for BIS judging on the second day.  I wish I had, but you know- you do what you can do and I think I made the right decision.

It was a wonderful show overall, as it usually is. Keep's Cold Shoulder picked up a few junior legs (he won several group or opposite wins), while Troublemaker and Poplar padded their leg count.  Keep's Merlin, a little black junior buck was raved over, as was Keep's Vodka, a shaded junior doe.  I can't wait to see them as seniors.

I wasn't able to show as many rabbits as I would have liked (mostly juniors) because of the costs of entries ($4 each and there were 4 shows!), but there wasn't a single rabbit I felt that I should have left home of the ones I brought- I call that a success :).

-Kristen

Baby Bunny time

I am pleased to announce we had some successful litters this weekend!  Of four does bred, Keep's Rumor kindled one broken black and Keep's KKA kindled 4 healthy shadeds.  Keep's Cat Call kindled four of her own, but unfortunately chose to build her nest in the corner opposite of her nestbox.  While she pulled a ton of wool, the babies unfortunately didn't make it.

I am still waiting on Keep's Pakhet, who I suspect was the only one of the first round to miss.

Due any day now is Keep's Love Song, Keep's Puzzle, Lyle Creek's Violet and Keep's Tequila Mockingbird.    Love Song, Violet and Tequila are all first timers. 

I am hoping someone else kindles! I'd very much like to foster Rumor's baby off, but don't want to give it to KKA, who has four of her own and is a first timer as well.  Likewise, I'd rather not take one of KKA's kits and give to Rumor, since I am planning on moving her out soon and would like to breed her to someone else, rather than spend the next 2 months watching her raise a singleton, or having her work as a foster mother.

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I just found out from Tim that Keep's Puzzle kindled today! Hooray! Tim thinks she has two, and if that is the case, I can easily foster Rumor's singleton to Puzzle!

Now just waiting on the other ladies :).

-Kristen