Sad

We lost two baby bunnies last night. Even though they were well over a week old and had good amounts of fur, two of Chapel Hill's babies left the nestbox and froze last night :(. This leaves me with only a single baby left in her litter.

I guess I should be thankful that at least one had the sense not to creep out of the box.

I hate when I lose the babies at this age- you think you're home free until weaning because they are furred and have made it this long, then it gets cold and bam, you lose a few :(.

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry

No work tomorrow!

HOORAY! I finally don't have to work tomorrow!

This is going to give me time to go over my herd and make my nationals entries- just in the nick of time!

I'm also planning a few breedings- I had hoped a self doe of mine would be in condition to show at Nationals, but since I can't get her to EAT, she's out of condition. Yes, I've tried pretty much everything to get her to eat, and I do mean everything. Hopefully breeding her will jump start her metabolism.

I also have a few cages I need to scrub down :D.

I promised pictures on a few potential sale animals to two breeders, so I've got to rope Tim in to helping me with that. I can't wait, pretty soon I am going to have a TON of empty cages- just in time for litters to start being born!

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry

Erugh

I'm sick. So I apologize for not really posting much here lately.

We're BACK to cold weather for now. Joy joy joy.

I am going to have 3 pet woolies available the week after Easter. Probably will have gorgeous type, but they are martenized pointeds, which means they would be a LOT of trouble to breed to get the correct color and are unshowable. I would consider letting one go to a brood home, but only to a responsible breeder who can tell me what they plan to do with that color.

Otherwise- petting them out unpedigreed :). So if you want a beautiful JW pet, let me know.

National entries are due REALLY soon. EEEEEEEEEEEK. I can't believe it. I'm freaking out a little bit, but I think I have a few decided on.

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry

Greensboro Show Results

I'm only placing Top 2 placings, to keep the results down. I got several thirds in the larger classes as well.

Day 1, Saturday:

Show A:
(all these are woolies)

Keep's Poplar- Self Sr. Buck- 2/6
Keep's Cairo- Shaded Sr. Buck- 1/3 BOSG
Keep's Heart Throb- Shaded Jr. Buck- 1/2

Show B:
Keep's Poplar- 2/6
Keep's Tryon- 1/3- BOSG


Day 2, Sunday:

Specialty 1:
Keep's Tryon- 1/6- BOG
Keep's Cairo- 2/6
Keep's Bahama- Shaded Sr. Doe- 2/6
Keep's Epiphany- 1/6

Specialty 2:
Keep's Tryon- 1/6- BOG
Keep's Bahama- 2/6


Show C:
Keep's Poplar- 1/7- BOSG *granding leg*
Keep's Tryon- 1/5


Show D:
Keep's Poplar- 1/6- BOSG


The rabbits were ready to bite by Show C & D and were cringing by the time the carriers opened. It was such a long, stressful experience for the poor bunnies.

I'm overall pretty pleased with my placings considering the excellent competition that came to play! A BIG Congratulations to Joni, who owns Keep's Burlington. He took a BOSB! :).

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry

Breeding Rabbits is DANGEROUS

So, I'll post more on the Greensboro show another day, but I had to tell this story.

I was helping with the youth breed ID and various other youth activities through out the weekend. On Saturday, I was heading back to my grooming table when we heard a SLAM. Everyone's head WHIPPED towards the noise and there was a collective gasp in the very large showroom-

a table of flemish giants COLLAPSED.

Even worse, it collapsed on top of Judge Jay Hreiz's FOOT.

Thankfully, everybunny was ok and that includes the judge! He was able to joke about it later, though I KNOW it had to hurt.

This is why the small bunnies are better than the biggies :P

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry

Excited!

Well, it's finally here! Friday.

Even as I sit here typing this, Tim is glaring at me and pointing to the clock. I know, I know, we still have a lot to do before we leave for the NC Convention.

I can't wait, several out of state friends are coming, some of my rabbits are actually in good coat and it's going to be 3 days of nothing but bunny people- WHEE :D.

Meanwhile, I have several does due soon. One is nesting already and has pulled fur in wild, random patches. o.O She's a bit of a weirdo. I'm hoping for some beautiful babies in just a few short days.

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry

Brr

The weather has turned cold again! I'm currently enjoying the heat of a mobile-kitty-heater. Also known as Boo. It is so nice to have an animal to snuggle that will keep you warm!

I got my show entries in yesterday- by the skin of my teeth! I had thought they were due today. Oops.

I'm excited for a show, I miss seeing my friends! I have a few animals to drop off that are for sale or sold, and I'm picking up Jasmine, my belgian hare doe (who is for sale) and a pet AFL buck. Yeah I know, another pet. But I feel like I *know* this rabbit and can't stand the thought of him being raffled or given up for meat. He's an old guy, I hope he takes the transition well.

Greensboro is offering the opportunity of showing SIX times. I won't be taking advantage of that with all the rabbits, it's just too expensive to do 4 $4 shows and then the 2 specialities ($5 if you enter both) with a large number of animals. I'm showing just 6 woolies on Saturday and 1 Belgian Hare. Sunday's entries are I believe 4 woolies and no hares. I haven't signed up for the specialities yet.

We're staying with Brenda, Paige and Kylee of Narrow Gate Farms on Friday night and then I'm splitting a hotel with Joni at Lyle Creek on Saturday. I am thrilled to get to spend time with everyone :D.

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry

JW Sweeps!

The Jersey Wooly Sweepstakes have been updated- I'm shocked and overjoyed to see that I'm currently #6 Overall in Open! WOW.

That amazes me, I've said 100 times we have an incredible quality here in NC- even judges have commented that the level of competition among the woolies that show here is outstanding and some of the nicest they've seen. I am so happy to show against the folks I do- they inspire me to breed harder and cull harder. I know I'm going to have to, to have a chance against what other folks bring to the tables! :)

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry

My Surprise- Revealed!

My surprise is finally here! A BEW Himi! :P



Ok, obviously I'm kidding. Meet Journey, my BEW Netherland Dwarf Buck. Thank you SO MUCH to Dennie, Susan & Gary, and Lory Ann for helping this beautiful little guy come live with me sooner than expected! :).


So, you're wondering why I have a BEW ND, right? I suspected you might be. Would you believe that I'm going to sell out the Jersey Woolies and concentrate on their wool-less counterparts?


No? I didn't think you'd buy that. That leaves another option though... Making BEW woolies!


BEWs are something I said I'd never do. You have to have a lot of cage space for them, VCs, VMs, etc. I decide to give it a try though, just to have a fun little project to play with.


My first hurdle is going to be that very first litter- I am going to get ALL VM or VC wool-less animals. Both BEW and Wool is recessive. So, I'll have to keep a baby out of the first litters and breed them to each other or to woolies to get the wool gene consistently- then I'll have to start hoping I pull BEW out.

I'm not sure how it's going to work out- it's going to be a lot of work and take a lot of time, I know that. However, I think it will be fun and I'm excited to give it a try! Journey will appear on all pedigrees as NETHERLAND DWARF or IMPORT. I haven't decided which yet.

Wish me luck! This doesn't mean oranges won't make an appearance in the barn as well, we'll just have to see.

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry

Breeding!

I'm so in love with this weather. It's nice and warm, the bunnies are happy and best of all- the does are in the MOOD!

I got another holland doe bred today and I'm probably going to head out in a few minutes and try a few wooly does too. It's hard to decide who to breed to who- I feel like I have a strong set of bucks.

I've learned the value of doing my most important breedings first. I lost Wooligans Little Mama while she was pregnant with her second litter. Thankfully, she was bred to Tryon on her first litter and produced my two beautiful little does.

I lost Lil Bit Farms Jazz Hands after HER first litter. She died mysteriously three days after giving birth to HER first litter. Thankfully, she was bred to the buck I most wanted to try her with.

I guess I need to think a little more closely about who these girls are going to be bred to. You never know when something terrible will happen and that litter will be your last. :(

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry

Something Exciting!

I have something exciting and new coming to the rabbitry! It shouldn't be too long before it gets here, and I'm about 50/50 nervous and excited.

Speaking of, we're inching close to Greensboro and JW Nationals! HOORAY!! :).


Ok, I just had to share that I have a surprise coming :D This blog was really not much more than a good-natured taunt lol.

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry

More Sadness

I had another doe produce a dead litter- rather, it was a live litter that froze due to insufficient nesting. The good news is it was a doe I badly needed to get started, so at least she's started now and she's still showable because she didn't pull a lot of wool.

It's been a dismal winter for breeding. A ton of does have not kindled, have kindled dead litters and of those alive, 4 of the 7 babies are going to be pointed whites- which I'd rather not deal with and am working on weeding out.

So, that leaves me 3 of 7 babies to work with. *sigh* Oh well, Spring is just around the corner and I've got some young senior bucks I'm eager to see start becoming a working part of the herd!

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry

Sadness

Wow, a sad day in the rabbitry.

WWR Rice Ball tanked her very first litter and scattered four babies across the wire. Tim found 3 on the ground and one in another rabbit's cage. *sigh*

Next, KLC's Pick of the Litter turned out to be a FUZZY HOLLAND! Gar, he's going to be for sale. He's a beautiful broken siamese sable buck and I've "affectionally" named him SunofaBeach because I'm upset he sprouted wool lol.

My Nationals sales animals are almost all spoken for- which is another sadness. They are beautiful animals and I'm going to be sad to see everyone go.

The good news is, Greensboro is only 2 weeks away! I can't wait to see my friends, deliver a few bunnies and hopefully show well! I need my guys to finish up on their molts, because we're rapidly approaching JW Nationals time!

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry

Orange Woolies

I'm in LOVE with Orange Woolies. I first saw them in person at the ARBA National Convention in 2008 (in Louisville, KY) and they were so beautiful! Not to take anything away from the fawn or the red, which are also stunning, but the orange really speaks to me.

I have gone around and around in my head about whether I should add in a color project. In general, I don't really mess with "Color" projects because my focus always has been and always will be on TYPE.

However. I can make oranges. I have several components in my herd that will allow me to put together the necessary genetics and I think I'd get excellent type from the crosses. It may take a few generations, but I'm confident I can do it. That eliminates two big hurdles- 1.) lack of availability of oranges in this area and 2.) expensive price tags. I don't blame folks for charging a lot for oranges, I just can't justify spending a lot on what would be a color project.

The question then becomes- should I give up the cage space for more agoutis, to do the oranges? Or should I devote that space to the Agoutis, Selfs and Shadeds I already have? (I'm not going to even get in to the REW I have that might be a Tan pattern).

I think it's going to be something I am going to have to continue letting my mind run in circles over.

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry