I have done a few breedings recently-
Keep's Fiona x Keep's Panda
Keep's Nova x Keep's Tribute
Keep's Puzzle x Keep's Tribute
BL's Jiggy x Keep's Poplar
I've noticed that in my effort to spread out my shaded lines a little bit I am getting fewer and fewer shaded babies. Currently I have the four babies- two are black, one is shaded and one is AOV.
Of the litters I am expecting, all of them are shaded to self with the exception of Jiggy & Poplar- that is a self to self breeding, though Poplar is a REW hiding agouti. I could actually even get orange out of that pairing, since both carry for tort.
My fingers are crossed for doe babies. I'm getting dangerously close to having a dying herd. Most of my does are getting older- it has been two years since I started getting primarily boys. I don't want to have to continuously buy does from other breeders to keep my herd going!
Keep's Muse kindled today. Unfortunately one was a DOA, one is dying (she dumped it on the wire and I haven't been able to get it happily warmed back up) and I believe she is still in labor. I hope she delivers this last kit soon and without a lot of trouble. I can not afford to lose her!
Erb's Indiana made a lovely nest, but she has yet to put anything in it. Fingers crossed for a healthy litter from her!
-Kristen
Monday, April 30, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
Boys, Boys and more Boys
I sexed the four babies that are old enough to be sexed- three boys and a girl. Ugh, my mostly buck streak continues! It's been going on for two years now and it's difficult to improve the herd when you can't get girls!
Both blacks and the AOV are bucks, the lone girl is also the lone shaded in the breedings- a little siamese sable. Hopefully she turns out nice, since she automatically gets to grow out here for a little while.
I have more does due on Saturday and I have my fingers crossed as tightly as I can get them that I'll get does!
I am very tempted to try the "by the moon" breeding to see if it gets me results. Clearly, just breeding them when I feel like it is doing nothing but getting me little boys!
-Kristen
Both blacks and the AOV are bucks, the lone girl is also the lone shaded in the breedings- a little siamese sable. Hopefully she turns out nice, since she automatically gets to grow out here for a little while.
I have more does due on Saturday and I have my fingers crossed as tightly as I can get them that I'll get does!
I am very tempted to try the "by the moon" breeding to see if it gets me results. Clearly, just breeding them when I feel like it is doing nothing but getting me little boys!
-Kristen
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
A friend of mine felt like playing in photoshop the other day, so she threw up a quick facebook contest. Imagine my surprise when I won! I gave her free reign to choose any picture I had posted and do anything she wanted to with it-
This is what she decided on! I love the incorporation of Carolina blue in the flowers and of course, Panda is one of my favorite bunnies! Hard to believe this picture was of him relaxing in his cage :).
I just wanted to share the cute!
-Kristen
Sunday, April 22, 2012
The Best Laid Plans...
Well, today was going to be the day that we got the insulation up in the rabbit barn, installed the AC and did a huge spring cleaning session.
Instead, I wake up to rain, with more rain forecasted. It is possible we can get some of the insulation up, but I am a bit hesitant to do that because my plan had been to pull all of the rabbit cages out of the barn at once. I am not sure I want everyone sitting outside with the threat of rain looming over us.
It hasn't rained in forever and it chooses this day to do it? Geez!
At least the temperatures are looking mild for the rest of the week, so we can hopefully get this project completed next weekend!
-Kristen
Instead, I wake up to rain, with more rain forecasted. It is possible we can get some of the insulation up, but I am a bit hesitant to do that because my plan had been to pull all of the rabbit cages out of the barn at once. I am not sure I want everyone sitting outside with the threat of rain looming over us.
It hasn't rained in forever and it chooses this day to do it? Geez!
At least the temperatures are looking mild for the rest of the week, so we can hopefully get this project completed next weekend!
-Kristen
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Baby Woes- and New Lines
What a set of baby woes I have had recently.
To start off with- every doe that was due this past week kindled. Unfortunately, out of 9 babies born, only two are alive and healthy.
Keep's Sunset is the proud mother of two shadeds out of JG's Hot Stuff, the buck I brought in at Nationals to open up my shaded lines a little more. Hot Stuff, when paired with Keep's KTLM produced Wonder's Kiss Me, the doe that brought $950 at the Golden Fleece Auction at Convention. Needless to say, I am very excited to see what he produces here.
The thing that makes me the most nervous about bringing in new lines is the uncertainty. Is there a genetic problem you aren't aware of? How does the line develop? Will it mesh well with what you already have?
I am lucky in that I bought Hot Stuff from Amber at Wonder Woolies, who is a good friend. She gave me the information on anything she has seen pop up in his litters, how he breeds, what she has noticed from offspring, etc. This kind of information is invaluable!
I will be rebreeding the girls that missed as soon as I know I'm well past our "vacation timeframe". I don't want the friend who is feeding and taking care of the animals for me to have to deal with nestboxes or checking on litters.
-Kristen
To start off with- every doe that was due this past week kindled. Unfortunately, out of 9 babies born, only two are alive and healthy.
Keep's Sunset is the proud mother of two shadeds out of JG's Hot Stuff, the buck I brought in at Nationals to open up my shaded lines a little more. Hot Stuff, when paired with Keep's KTLM produced Wonder's Kiss Me, the doe that brought $950 at the Golden Fleece Auction at Convention. Needless to say, I am very excited to see what he produces here.
The thing that makes me the most nervous about bringing in new lines is the uncertainty. Is there a genetic problem you aren't aware of? How does the line develop? Will it mesh well with what you already have?
I am lucky in that I bought Hot Stuff from Amber at Wonder Woolies, who is a good friend. She gave me the information on anything she has seen pop up in his litters, how he breeds, what she has noticed from offspring, etc. This kind of information is invaluable!
I will be rebreeding the girls that missed as soon as I know I'm well past our "vacation timeframe". I don't want the friend who is feeding and taking care of the animals for me to have to deal with nestboxes or checking on litters.
-Kristen
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Great Saturday
Saturday we got up early and headed to Taylorsville for the double. We weren't able to get our usual location, so we were crammed into a smaller side building- the wooly table was outside on a porch and it was cold for a good portion of the morning.
Despite that inconveniences- the show must go on! I did very well under judge Jamie Green, which surprised me- I usually don't have excellent placings under him. This isn't a knock on him, we just have a different vision of what our perfect wooly is, I guess. This time however, I did very well! Panda took a BOSG, my little junior self buck Ninja won his class (1/6), while Poplar, my self senior buck took...oh shoot, I don't remember if he took BOG or BOSG and I'm entirely too tired to go find my show sheet! This is why I write down my placements though- less than 6 hours after we left the show and I'm already forgetting placements. Keep's Tribute took a BOG in shadeds and Keep's Romeo surprised me by winning the shaded junior buck class, despite his awful molt and his "uglies" (he's 3 1/2 months old). Ultimately, Keep's Poplar took BOSB in Show A! I was so tickled, though Poplar seems to be my perpetual BOSB bunny.
In Show B, we nearly weren't assigned a table! This meant that at 4pm, we still hadn't been judged- we were crammed far down on the list of show breeds, though we had nearly 60 woolies. We were all tired, luckily the ladies I show with are a bunch of goobers, so as tired as we were, there were plenty of laughs!
In Show B, under Carla Wilson, I also did fairly well! Panda took BOG while Keep's Taurus, a tiny little 10 week old buck beat out Ninja and the other self junior bucks to take his class. I was thrilled, this guy was only along to give him show "practice". Keep's Cairo took the Shaded Sr. Buck class, Keep's Muse took the Shaded Sr. Doe class and they placed BOG and BOSG in that order. In the end, Keep's Cairo took BOB in Show B! You could have knocked me over with a feather- I just happened to grab Cairo out of retirement and enter him because he felt pretty good... I'm glad I did!
Keep's Nim won BOB in Youth Show B for her owner. I love seeing that girl, she loves her bunnies so much.
Overall, it was an excellent day, even if it was very long and very tiring. We didn't get home until after 7:00pm, which is an unusually late time on a show day.
-Kristen
Despite that inconveniences- the show must go on! I did very well under judge Jamie Green, which surprised me- I usually don't have excellent placings under him. This isn't a knock on him, we just have a different vision of what our perfect wooly is, I guess. This time however, I did very well! Panda took a BOSG, my little junior self buck Ninja won his class (1/6), while Poplar, my self senior buck took...oh shoot, I don't remember if he took BOG or BOSG and I'm entirely too tired to go find my show sheet! This is why I write down my placements though- less than 6 hours after we left the show and I'm already forgetting placements. Keep's Tribute took a BOG in shadeds and Keep's Romeo surprised me by winning the shaded junior buck class, despite his awful molt and his "uglies" (he's 3 1/2 months old). Ultimately, Keep's Poplar took BOSB in Show A! I was so tickled, though Poplar seems to be my perpetual BOSB bunny.
In Show B, we nearly weren't assigned a table! This meant that at 4pm, we still hadn't been judged- we were crammed far down on the list of show breeds, though we had nearly 60 woolies. We were all tired, luckily the ladies I show with are a bunch of goobers, so as tired as we were, there were plenty of laughs!
In Show B, under Carla Wilson, I also did fairly well! Panda took BOG while Keep's Taurus, a tiny little 10 week old buck beat out Ninja and the other self junior bucks to take his class. I was thrilled, this guy was only along to give him show "practice". Keep's Cairo took the Shaded Sr. Buck class, Keep's Muse took the Shaded Sr. Doe class and they placed BOG and BOSG in that order. In the end, Keep's Cairo took BOB in Show B! You could have knocked me over with a feather- I just happened to grab Cairo out of retirement and enter him because he felt pretty good... I'm glad I did!
Keep's Nim won BOB in Youth Show B for her owner. I love seeing that girl, she loves her bunnies so much.
Overall, it was an excellent day, even if it was very long and very tiring. We didn't get home until after 7:00pm, which is an unusually late time on a show day.
-Kristen
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Ooo- Updated!
I am enjoying having the website here on the blog! In less than a month, my official website will be gone.
I had to edit the For Sale page today- I will have two pet bunnies available once they turn 8 weeks old. I decided that the For Sale page title will simply be changed to include the date whenever I post something new!
I'm just tickled in general at how low maintenance this solution is going to be! Yay!
In other news, I have three does due on Thursday! My fingers are crossed for some babies!
-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry
I had to edit the For Sale page today- I will have two pet bunnies available once they turn 8 weeks old. I decided that the For Sale page title will simply be changed to include the date whenever I post something new!
I'm just tickled in general at how low maintenance this solution is going to be! Yay!
In other news, I have three does due on Thursday! My fingers are crossed for some babies!
-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Taking Notes
One fun thing about showing is we do it differently in different parts of the country. Here in NC, we don't use comment cards at the table. In fact, I had never used the cards until I went to PA to show.
I often hang around the table with my scrap piece of paper and my pen, taking down my own placements. I often can't remember from one group to the next how many animals were in each class or where my rabbits placed, so I have to do something! I got in this habit back when I was part of an active rabbit forum- folks always wanted to know how everyone who had shown that day did. I often had to say "Uhm...I don't remember. I won a BOB! I have no idea how many rabbits there were...sorry!" I was teased a bit for being so inattentive.
Several people I show with on a regular basis also take down their placements. One lady actually keeps a very detailed notepad, complete with judge's comments, instead of just placements. I tried doing this a few years ago but couldn't read my own chicken scratch as I frantically tried to write everything down as it was said. I definitely admire her note-taking abilities!
From what I have noticed, comment cards definitely don't replace taking your own notes/placements or just good old fashioned listening to the judge. By the time the poor writer finds the card and gets started, some of the judges are finishing up their remarks. Most of my cards (from the few shows I have attended that have them) just have a few hasty check marks and maybe a "nice" or "lacking" across a particular area of note.
So what about you? Do you write your own comments? Do you just take placings? Do you get comment cards in your area?
-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry
I often hang around the table with my scrap piece of paper and my pen, taking down my own placements. I often can't remember from one group to the next how many animals were in each class or where my rabbits placed, so I have to do something! I got in this habit back when I was part of an active rabbit forum- folks always wanted to know how everyone who had shown that day did. I often had to say "Uhm...I don't remember. I won a BOB! I have no idea how many rabbits there were...sorry!" I was teased a bit for being so inattentive.
Several people I show with on a regular basis also take down their placements. One lady actually keeps a very detailed notepad, complete with judge's comments, instead of just placements. I tried doing this a few years ago but couldn't read my own chicken scratch as I frantically tried to write everything down as it was said. I definitely admire her note-taking abilities!
From what I have noticed, comment cards definitely don't replace taking your own notes/placements or just good old fashioned listening to the judge. By the time the poor writer finds the card and gets started, some of the judges are finishing up their remarks. Most of my cards (from the few shows I have attended that have them) just have a few hasty check marks and maybe a "nice" or "lacking" across a particular area of note.
So what about you? Do you write your own comments? Do you just take placings? Do you get comment cards in your area?
-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry
Monday, April 2, 2012
Big Congratulations!
The folks in Indonesia put on their first ARBA rabbit show this past weekend!
Caudill's Country Boy took a double BOB and a single RIS for his new owner! I know Brian is thrilled- how great for a wooly to strut it's fluff and take a RIS so quickly!
Keep's Kat took a BOSB in Show A for her new owner, while Lyle Creek's Kendra took a BOSB in Show B for her new owner!
How exciting! I am doubly shocked and thrilled, Miss Kat is a very molty girl right now, but her beautiful width and depth must have made up for the definite lack of wool.
-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry
Caudill's Country Boy took a double BOB and a single RIS for his new owner! I know Brian is thrilled- how great for a wooly to strut it's fluff and take a RIS so quickly!
Keep's Kat took a BOSB in Show A for her new owner, while Lyle Creek's Kendra took a BOSB in Show B for her new owner!
How exciting! I am doubly shocked and thrilled, Miss Kat is a very molty girl right now, but her beautiful width and depth must have made up for the definite lack of wool.
-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry
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