5.27.09 - WOW!!! long time since i've been on here. With my class, work and 4-H i have had VERY LITTLE time for the computer (or housework for that matter!). Looking forward to finally cleaning house and cleaning the rabbits up and getting them ready for summer/convention. Breedings have been happening and babies being born. Sad news is we lost Betty, our brown Beveren that was our baby! She kindled when we had a heat wave (it was over 100degrees for 2 days after only being 70 the days before) and she couldn't handle it. Sad thing is we lost the babies too. She was absolutely gorgeous but we have her daughter Benny from an earlier litter so we're doing ok.
The Cremes are doing fantastic and the great news is we got a few from Mr. Ed Ferryman from Ohio! He graciously shipped 4 to the National show in Colorado and we had a member going so she picked the rabbits up and brought them home for us. Now the family is smitten with the characters and can't wait to get a few in their barn! YEAH, more creme breeders! The senior doe was bred to another buck and kindled 9 but with the same heat wave as above, we lost 3. It has been a rough week. I thought i learned my lesson with the first doe i lost but after doing all the right things sometimes you still lose one or two. I had misters, fans, ice bottles and wet burlap yet they still succommed, not much one can do without having an air-conditioned barn (which i will have someday!).
On other news, the spots have been prolifically breeding appropriately! We have 3 litters, some blues, blacks, chocolates and i wanna say a lilac or two in there. Marked ones are gorgeous and the selfs/sports are good for breeding for color. The charlies are always cute but gotta go. I'm keeping them all for fryers now. I've been letting them get to 12 weeks then off they go. Might as well get something outta the breedings!
Anyhoo, I hope the summer isn't too hard on us or any of you. Take it easy and stay cool.
1.15.09 - happy New Year! To start off the year, we have 4 litters right now! The brown Beveren gave birth to 8 babies, 3 of them brown; the blue Beveren had 7; and the sport black Eng Spot had 4 marked and 3 sports. Gracie, black spot, had 7 last night, 4 marked and 3 sports, i think. It's a baby boom around here! Still waiting to see if our white Beveren doe will kindle, she should tonight, no later than tomorrow night. I'll keep you posted and let you know what's for sell when they are able.
12.28.08 - We ended up selling all the babies! I couldn't believe it! One family took 3 and another family took the last 3. I hope they lead healthy, happy lives, and i'm glad I'm getting the spots out there for others to enjoy! On other news, i breed 5 does, 2 spots and 3 beverens so keep your fingers crossed we'll get something great! Other than that, not much going on. Just fighting the cold but who isn't around here? I'm just glad we're not 5 feet under snow! TTFN.
11.21.08 - Oh my, the last month has flown by!!! I have pics of the litter on the photo album page... they are so cute! We ended up giving the charlie kit to another rabbit mom, and the next day she ate it! The foster kits we took in have turned out to be the fattest, cutest, healthiest Lionheads thanks to momma spots milk! Chaos took them in and ended up feeding all her kits just so wonderfully, I'm a proud grandma. (Well, that sounds weird, but they are my kids "kids", I mean animals!) Anyhoo, expect to see us in the future at the shows, we'll have a litter of 6 "bouncing down the table" blue spots!
10.27.08 Well, the black doe never kindled... I swear she was pregos but she never delivered, must be reabsorbing them or I grossly misjudged her, probably more of the latter. On other news, our other doe had taken in 3 fosters for a few days. We just took one of them over to another nest due to the fact our spots are growing so quickly, the littlest lionhead couldn't compete but we still have two! Our doe is so good, which kinda surprised me, she's not named Chaos for nothing! When I get done with my homework (yes, this mom is still in college... finish college before starting a family!!!) tomorrow, I will get some pics posted. Thanks for being patient.
10.21.08 GOOD NEWS! Our blue spot had a litter of 7 last night! They are all marked but there is at least one charlie, sad. But the others are all marked! I really, really need to get pic's done and I will soon, i'll even add pics of the litter. We're still waiting for our black doe to have a litter, due by tomorrow so we'll see what she does. Many people are leaving today or tomorrow for KY, i wish you the BEST OF LUCK on all the fun. I can't wait till next year!
10.16.08 UPDATE: Sadly, yesterday, even though it was only nearly 90 degrees, we lost a blue Beveren doe. In all my years of raising rabbits, I had never lost anyone to heat... I believe it was a combination of heat, elevation change and stress of the move. I'm just really thrilled to report that the others are still with us and we learned a real tough lesson the hard way. The others are acclimating and adjusting to all the changes and hopefully the weather will continue to cooperate and cool down.
10.15.08 UPDATE: We've gotten back from an emergent road trip to Colorado! Guess what I came home with? I visited Grannys in Durango and I got 8 Beverens, a trio of whites, a trio of blues and a black buck and brown doe. I also could not resist getting a few (five that is!) of her Creme D'Argents. They are only 10 weeks old but are irresistible, as all babies are! Our car was packed tightly like the Clampetts coming home west to California! It was hilarious and I must give kudos to my main man who tolerates my hobby and loves me for it! My oldest daughter, who stayed home with her aunt, was really thrilled to see her new babies; unsure of Beverens, she has decided she loves them! I'm so excited!
If anyone wants to acquire some beautiful stock, I strongly encourage them to take advantage of Granny and her knowledge. She is more than willing to share her animals with excited youth, she has Beverens, Cremes, French Lops and a few misc. buns. They were all beautiful and well maintained. TAKE ADVANTAGE of her willingness to share! She is a great individual... I can't express it enough! Her ad is found in the back of the DR magazine, give her a call! She's old fashioned and has no computer or email, you have to call or fax her. Good luck and we'll see you at the tables!
9.29.08 UPDATE: Thank you for being patient with us. We've had a lot of "other parts of life" things going on and we've been burning both ends of the candle. I have some great news and need to add pictures as soon as I can, hopefully it should be this week. Keep watching and i'll get it going, thank you!