So Luxton Fair was a great success. I took all my "other" breeds of chickens and some ducks and put them on display. I managed to sell every single chicken I took except for 2 that I thought I was going to keep(not a breed I want to breed/show) and now have someone coming to pick up those 2 girls on Saturday!
Which just leaves me with my silkies, which is the breed I want to raise : ) Then of course all my ducks in many breeds- Cayugas, Pekins, White calls, Silver Appleyard, Buff Orpington and I think that is it. Oh and I have a Khaki Campbell as well ;)
We also sold 3 nice Mini lops to Tara Grunwald in Sooke, and a French lop Jr doe. We also sold a Cavy as a show/breeding boar when he is ready to go. And hopefully have some more sold when they are ready to go!
I am trying to cut back on some cavies as I only have 4 big cages "designated" for cavies and I am into rabbit holes( X many!) so I need to cut back. I am considering parting with Just Hoppin's Charles who has a Best in Show win at a very small local show. Beautiful boar in breeding coat. Has produced terrific kids that I am keeping otherwise he would NOT be for sale. I also have a Kelly Gilmore boar and sow to part with(nice pigs!) and others! Many babies! I would like to get down to about 6 adults so I can keep some babies... I want to keep my Black boar, Roan sow, a Red/White sow, a TSW sow and Boar and 1-2 of my current babies... So the others are all available. :- )
I also non-rabbit related have a couple of young(baby) Silkie roosters, and some Black Cochin and Barred Rock chicks for sale.
We are planning a couple of quiet days. Tomorrow we are going to ship a rabbit to Terrace, and possibly pick up a rabbit cage in Nanaimo that someone is selling if not already sold. Try to get the chicken run completely finished and work in the barns!
I want to get some does bred tomorrow too. Babies are beginning to bounce around the cages- looking super cute!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
Ohio Shipment sent out, and others!
So it took a day longer, thanks to the Victoria cargo office, but going out of Nanaimo went with no hitches to get 9 rabbits off to Ohio (supposed to be 10, but will send the other one to Convention, she just didn't fit in shipment).
Cage space wise, that REALLY helped!
Also sent 4 Mini's down to WA (thanks Jan for transporting for us!!!), and we are doing a shipment of 1 Mini to Terrace tomorrow morning (7 am flight in Victoria.. not my idea of a fun Saturday morning! Oh well can use the cage.)
Now we just have to try to get through a few more weeks, with a few other people's rabbits. We have been looking after 2 Dwarfs, that are to go with a few ML's to another breeders place, and as of tomorrow will have 4 hollands we are housing until we can get that shipment off (along with 3 French lops).
Our nest boxes are getting full, have 5 ML litters right now, smaller litters though so not too high of numbers. New litter born yesterday by "2nd Time Around" a broken chestnut doe who is a sister to Ada and Ava. She was returned from a 4H home, as they found her scratchy. So I worked with her for a few weeks, and she really just wanted to be a mom! She is actually a super sweet doe, wanting head scratches. So she had a litter of 4 (3 alive) yesterday by Montana. Perfect timing, as we were just loading to send Montana to Ohio, so glad to have this litter by him!
I believe our last count of ML babies, including the 3 born yesterday is 19 I believe.
Dwarf litters are doing well. We have an Opal! Out of Mae and Keno. Something different for sure. Was expecting it to be a Blue Otter, but now that it has more fur / eyes open, we're sure it's an opal. Last count was 12 Dwarf babies. Have 1 more doe due, then nothing until Nov when we will breed a few for Dec litters (that way Selina can have cute 4 week old babies when she is here! Her request).
Still have the 10 Satin babies, Hope is raising 7, Rosalind 1, and Sara 2 of them. We have Tana due in the next while, can't remember when she is due, need to check barn calendar on that one!!
Still have some ML's due, with not breeding since May (last litters in June), we had a WHOLE slew of does that needed to be bred. Ones that had the last 6 months off. We have bucks that are 1 yr old that have only just now been used for their first litters, and does that are 1 yr old who have had 1 litter, and sat idle since then... So, we had to breed some of them!!
I think the next most important one(s) to breed are Alexis, and maybe Anne Marie, and Dream on Boys (as Mayhanna really wants her rabbit to have babies, and I forgot to breed her to Porter before he left... Whoops! I think she wants her bred to a REW though, so Kayden can get a girlfriend probably!!)
Those are all the updates for today, have a gazillion jobs to do with Luxton Fair this weekend.
Cage space wise, that REALLY helped!
Also sent 4 Mini's down to WA (thanks Jan for transporting for us!!!), and we are doing a shipment of 1 Mini to Terrace tomorrow morning (7 am flight in Victoria.. not my idea of a fun Saturday morning! Oh well can use the cage.)
Now we just have to try to get through a few more weeks, with a few other people's rabbits. We have been looking after 2 Dwarfs, that are to go with a few ML's to another breeders place, and as of tomorrow will have 4 hollands we are housing until we can get that shipment off (along with 3 French lops).
Our nest boxes are getting full, have 5 ML litters right now, smaller litters though so not too high of numbers. New litter born yesterday by "2nd Time Around" a broken chestnut doe who is a sister to Ada and Ava. She was returned from a 4H home, as they found her scratchy. So I worked with her for a few weeks, and she really just wanted to be a mom! She is actually a super sweet doe, wanting head scratches. So she had a litter of 4 (3 alive) yesterday by Montana. Perfect timing, as we were just loading to send Montana to Ohio, so glad to have this litter by him!
I believe our last count of ML babies, including the 3 born yesterday is 19 I believe.
Dwarf litters are doing well. We have an Opal! Out of Mae and Keno. Something different for sure. Was expecting it to be a Blue Otter, but now that it has more fur / eyes open, we're sure it's an opal. Last count was 12 Dwarf babies. Have 1 more doe due, then nothing until Nov when we will breed a few for Dec litters (that way Selina can have cute 4 week old babies when she is here! Her request).
Still have the 10 Satin babies, Hope is raising 7, Rosalind 1, and Sara 2 of them. We have Tana due in the next while, can't remember when she is due, need to check barn calendar on that one!!
Still have some ML's due, with not breeding since May (last litters in June), we had a WHOLE slew of does that needed to be bred. Ones that had the last 6 months off. We have bucks that are 1 yr old that have only just now been used for their first litters, and does that are 1 yr old who have had 1 litter, and sat idle since then... So, we had to breed some of them!!
I think the next most important one(s) to breed are Alexis, and maybe Anne Marie, and Dream on Boys (as Mayhanna really wants her rabbit to have babies, and I forgot to breed her to Porter before he left... Whoops! I think she wants her bred to a REW though, so Kayden can get a girlfriend probably!!)
Those are all the updates for today, have a gazillion jobs to do with Luxton Fair this weekend.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
I'm venting!!
Okay I'm sorry but I have to vent, about what you ask? FAMILY!
Not my parents they are awesome. Our uncle... He has kindly let us keep the rabbits at the farm for the past 6 years and the rabbits have never been a problem. Then we asked about getting sheep and he was all happy. Then we had problems with the sheep getting out of the hay feeders and into the barnyard area and it turned into a nightmare so we sold the sheep. So then we got into ducks and chickens. The ducks don't seem to cause a problem. We had a nightmare of a time with the cows getting into the duck pen until we moved it but that isn't a problem now. Now the problem is if a chicken accidentally gets out he freaks out. I could go into many details but now that I'm writing this I'm thinking why does the entire world want to hear my problems? You probably don't so I won't keep venting and complaining and b****** Who wants to hear that? But .. UGH! So frustrating! I am mainly only keeping my Silkie chickens, and Cochins as both breeds don't fly very well so they don't get out. However our other chickens do. And I may have to find homes for the other breeds if I can't keep them in. Netting over the top only works to a certain point. Now he tells us he is bringing home 100 chickens(layers) raising them in a 14 by 14 shed and never letting his chickens out because they will lay better. And on Sunday or Monday he has a horse coming to the farm(long story, a women is involved though). UGH! And Guess what? Guess who gets to feed and grain these animals, and clean the barns and all of that? Have you guessed yet?
Anyone have acreage to rent on Vancouver Island? Good barns and pasture, small house is fine LOL
Okay my vent is finished. Maybe I can just conk him on the head? ;)
Rabbits are all doing great. We have 14 leaving next Wednesday- CAGES! YEAH!
Lots of dwarf babies, a nice litter of Red Satins, and some nice litters of Mini lops coming up. We have Blue and Black Otters and one chestnut in the dwarf litters. So cute! The one older Dwarf baby we have is SO sweet. He comes running to the front of the cage for loving as soon as he sees us : )
Not my parents they are awesome. Our uncle... He has kindly let us keep the rabbits at the farm for the past 6 years and the rabbits have never been a problem. Then we asked about getting sheep and he was all happy. Then we had problems with the sheep getting out of the hay feeders and into the barnyard area and it turned into a nightmare so we sold the sheep. So then we got into ducks and chickens. The ducks don't seem to cause a problem. We had a nightmare of a time with the cows getting into the duck pen until we moved it but that isn't a problem now. Now the problem is if a chicken accidentally gets out he freaks out. I could go into many details but now that I'm writing this I'm thinking why does the entire world want to hear my problems? You probably don't so I won't keep venting and complaining and b****** Who wants to hear that? But .. UGH! So frustrating! I am mainly only keeping my Silkie chickens, and Cochins as both breeds don't fly very well so they don't get out. However our other chickens do. And I may have to find homes for the other breeds if I can't keep them in. Netting over the top only works to a certain point. Now he tells us he is bringing home 100 chickens(layers) raising them in a 14 by 14 shed and never letting his chickens out because they will lay better. And on Sunday or Monday he has a horse coming to the farm(long story, a women is involved though). UGH! And Guess what? Guess who gets to feed and grain these animals, and clean the barns and all of that? Have you guessed yet?
Anyone have acreage to rent on Vancouver Island? Good barns and pasture, small house is fine LOL
Okay my vent is finished. Maybe I can just conk him on the head? ;)
Rabbits are all doing great. We have 14 leaving next Wednesday- CAGES! YEAH!
Lots of dwarf babies, a nice litter of Red Satins, and some nice litters of Mini lops coming up. We have Blue and Black Otters and one chestnut in the dwarf litters. So cute! The one older Dwarf baby we have is SO sweet. He comes running to the front of the cage for loving as soon as he sees us : )
Friday, September 04, 2009
The End of Summer
The End of Summer is here. I remember back in high school that this last week before school started again I'd be all worked up about the new school year, but at the same time their was always the excitement of the new classes, seeing friends that I didn't hang out with over the summer, and just getting back into a routine.
That's what it's like with the rabbits. Usually this time of year, we are busy anticipating the show season, we would have 1 show under our belt (VIEX), but would have Cowichan and Luxton to look forward to. At the same time, we would be thinking ahead to breedings we had done for VIRBA, and when we should plan breedings for other Spring shows, depending on which we would be attending, etc.
This year however, our show season is already done. Cowichan isn't happening (due to the fair not being set up after moving), and Luxton no one else took over (we have done the secretary work for the last few years, and since it's the weekend after Cowichan have found it too much to run 2 shows back to back - however no one else stepped up to the plate to take it over). There is Saanich this weekend, however Kim and I decided we are going to scratch our entry. It's only a single show, and besides for 3 other Mini Lops entered, it's just ours. So that, and a few other reasons we have decided to save the money and apply it towards other rabbit 'things'...
We still have hope that we might be able to persuade a local breeder to show a few Mini Lops at Convention for us... Not sure if it'll work, but it doesn't hurt to try!
However, at this point our next show is VIRBA in February.
In breeding news, I did get GB1 bred to Ethan on Weds. Looking forward to that cross!
Sunday/Monday we have 6 does due, so will see what they have, if anything, after this long hot summer!! Technically it's not over yet either, but lets hope it stays on the cooler side now. I think I have a good enough tan for the Fall!
That's what it's like with the rabbits. Usually this time of year, we are busy anticipating the show season, we would have 1 show under our belt (VIEX), but would have Cowichan and Luxton to look forward to. At the same time, we would be thinking ahead to breedings we had done for VIRBA, and when we should plan breedings for other Spring shows, depending on which we would be attending, etc.
This year however, our show season is already done. Cowichan isn't happening (due to the fair not being set up after moving), and Luxton no one else took over (we have done the secretary work for the last few years, and since it's the weekend after Cowichan have found it too much to run 2 shows back to back - however no one else stepped up to the plate to take it over). There is Saanich this weekend, however Kim and I decided we are going to scratch our entry. It's only a single show, and besides for 3 other Mini Lops entered, it's just ours. So that, and a few other reasons we have decided to save the money and apply it towards other rabbit 'things'...
We still have hope that we might be able to persuade a local breeder to show a few Mini Lops at Convention for us... Not sure if it'll work, but it doesn't hurt to try!
However, at this point our next show is VIRBA in February.
In breeding news, I did get GB1 bred to Ethan on Weds. Looking forward to that cross!
Sunday/Monday we have 6 does due, so will see what they have, if anything, after this long hot summer!! Technically it's not over yet either, but lets hope it stays on the cooler side now. I think I have a good enough tan for the Fall!
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Fall breedings started
With our last big cut back, we needed to start some Fall breedings for show juniors at VIRBA. We started last month with the first batch, 3 Mini Lops and 3 Dwarfs are due (plus 2 Dwarfs who came bred, although I'm not convinced they took, but we'll see).
So those 6 does we bred are due on the 6th and 7th of this month. That is: Rosalind, Milky Way, Sara for the mini lops, and Olivia, Mae & White Gold for the dwarfs.
Yesterday I bred a few more Mini Lops, for a few more VIRBA juniors. We need to be really careful not to breed too many, so we don't get overwhelmed again. However, most of these girls have sat idle since earlier this spring, with the exception of GB1 who weaned her litter earlier in August.
So I bred: All Summer Long X Damian, Jessica X Kayden, Bridget X Hunter and Cali X Zander.
Still have 2 more does to breed this round, then holding off on the other does for the most part. Some will need to be bred before long, but need a bit of a break inbetween!
Today I'm going to try and breed: Gillian X either Dominic or Evan; and GB1 X Ethan (although she wasn't interested yesterday, but we'll see today!).
Also have to breed Cricket, before she leaves to Amanda's. We'll be getting POL back, as we had planned to keep her for 1 more litter, but Amanda has transport this coming weekend for her, and not sure when she will again, at least not for a few months. So I think Cricket X Braxtin.
So that's the plan! Our website upcoming litters page is updated with all of the above, for the breedings already done... Will post the other 2 tonight if it works!
So those 6 does we bred are due on the 6th and 7th of this month. That is: Rosalind, Milky Way, Sara for the mini lops, and Olivia, Mae & White Gold for the dwarfs.
Yesterday I bred a few more Mini Lops, for a few more VIRBA juniors. We need to be really careful not to breed too many, so we don't get overwhelmed again. However, most of these girls have sat idle since earlier this spring, with the exception of GB1 who weaned her litter earlier in August.
So I bred: All Summer Long X Damian, Jessica X Kayden, Bridget X Hunter and Cali X Zander.
Still have 2 more does to breed this round, then holding off on the other does for the most part. Some will need to be bred before long, but need a bit of a break inbetween!
Today I'm going to try and breed: Gillian X either Dominic or Evan; and GB1 X Ethan (although she wasn't interested yesterday, but we'll see today!).
Also have to breed Cricket, before she leaves to Amanda's. We'll be getting POL back, as we had planned to keep her for 1 more litter, but Amanda has transport this coming weekend for her, and not sure when she will again, at least not for a few months. So I think Cricket X Braxtin.
So that's the plan! Our website upcoming litters page is updated with all of the above, for the breedings already done... Will post the other 2 tonight if it works!
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