Kits on the way...hopefully

[dmmcnair]

Well, Jenna got bred on Monday with one of ournew bucks...hopefully we will be having kits in November!!!She did really well, and is enjoying life in the house....

I don't know if ya'll remember, but Jenna had a pregnancy scare alittle while back, and she became a real nervous nelly. Imoved her into the house and she is loving it!!! She comes to the doorof her house for a little scratch every now and then...just don't pickher up!!! So she is on the road to normalcy.

Pam, is there anything extra you do for your breeding does? Iam seeing if Jenna will be able to participate in our 4H programeventually. I also need to make sure that my bucks are notsterile....she was bred to the buck that I am using for our projectthis year.

I am now up to 9 Californians, 5 does and 4 bucks but only 3 bucks arestuds. The new Californians are settling in verynicely. Justin has named them Lily, Thea, Chloe, Alli,Beowulf and Chester (my suggestions for the "old men"), andLevi. Chloe and Thea are so far the friendliest, theyactually let me pet them...Alli who is the newest, gave me kissesyesterday, although I do think it had more to do with the feed dustinmy fingers than any love :?...oh well it will come in time.

Ella is doing great...she is not sure about having a neighborthough. Bubba is growing and getting more loving.He is awesome!!! If it's not raining this weekend he is going to go tothe football game with us.

Sorry this is so long folks...I have been reading up on all the poststrying to catch up with everything...I see that Apollo and dajeti (didI spell that right?) are back in town...all of us newbies have heardmuch about you...Apollo is something to live up to for the FlemishGiants on the sight...we are working on Bubba!!!

Okay, I will stop...I have more pics, and as soon as they are on thewebsite I will post them...pics of the new buns and of Bubba.

Dawn

 

[Carolyn]

Congratulations Dawn!

Wow, your family really is growing quickly! How exciting!

Do keep us posted and thanks for the update. Glad to hear that Jenna's doing well.



-Carolyn

 

[SLRabbits]

Aww, congrats! Babies are always fun. Be sure topost photo's once they are born! I too am getting into the rabbitbreeding/showing business, however I do not plan on breeding any ofmine until probably the spring. I figure I should get the hand ofshowing before I add some new bunnies into this world, lol. Butanyways.. again congrats!

~Nichole

 

[dmmcnair]

Carolyn - Thanks! I'm so excited...I'mjust hoping that Beowulf is not sterile. One reason we brednow instead of November...I have to make sure he will be able to do thedeed come time for the show!!! I will keep ya'll updated!!!

Nichole - I wish I could wait to breed!!! I am so worriedthat something could go wrong since all of my does will be first timemoms. The only reason I am breeding now is because we aredoing meat pens for 4H, our show is in March, the does will have to bebred in November for the kits to be the rights size by show time, and Ihave to make sure that my buck is not sterile. I am hoping toget into showing with ARBA, but it has been put on the backburner formy son's 4H project....I couldn't afford any more rabbits after gettinghis!!! What are you going to be showing? I went to a show a fewweekends ago and learned quite a bit...it was prettyinteresting!!! I would love to show mini lopsandflemish giants...I have a special fondness for them because of Ella andBubba. Good luck to you!!!

 

[dmmcnair]

Here are some pics of my Cals!!

This is Beowulf...he's two and our star stud...hopefully!!!

Here is Jenna, she was just bred!!!

This is Lily...she is the shyest of all the does.

This is Thea...she is friendlier than Lily and will come up to say hi...

And this is Chloe...she is the friendliest...she comes up, says hi, sometimes lets me pet her for a while...

 

[Carolyn]

Can't see the pictures.

:?

-Carolyn

 

[dmmcnair]

And here are some pics of Bubba and Ella!!!

Bubba checkin me out!

Bubba chillin!

Bubba checkin out his new mat.

Bubba getting a little fed up with the picture taking.

Bubba now fed up with picture taking!!

Ella wondering what I am doing...

Ella seeing if I will let her out or not...

Ella and Jenna's house in the house..as you can see, Jenna is mad atme...again. I interupted her relaxing time and tried to pether when she wasn't ready. And of course Ella takingadvantage of my leaving her door open. :?

These are my babies!!! I love em lots and lots. Iwish I knewif Ella were purebred...I'd love herbabies. I don't really think she is, but I'm not the expert!!!

 

[dmmcnair]

Okay that insert does not work for me for somereason...I did it like I was told!!! go towww.freewebs.com/dmmcnairall the pics are there if you can't see them here! Ohh thatis just so frustrating....

Dawn

 

[SLRabbits]

Aww, your buns are too cute! I will beshowing/breeding Holland Lops as a start. I am getting my first trio in3 weeks. I am hoping to join 4-H right after I get them, and startshowing in December. I am waiting to breed because I want to get theshowing thing down and plan the litters around the shows I am going to.I will probably also breed a litter for Easter even if I am not goingto a show. And don't worry y'all, I will NOT give out the rabbits topeople who don't know a darn thing about them. I just think it would bea better supply and demand time to have some avaliable. (that didn'tsound cruel did it?) Anyways.. on the other hand this trio and all thestuff that goes with them is going to wipe me clean out of all themoney I have, so no babies until I get a new job! lol. XD

 

[dmmcnair]

When we first decided to do the 4H Justin wasjust going to show rabbits, I figured either mini lops or flemishgiants (FGs are too big for him yet though) until I found out that inour county livestock show, all they show are Cals or Nz and any otherrabbit wouldn't get a fair judging...so here come all the cals...andthen I found out that with meat pens Justin could win money for collegeand stuff (big bonus!) so we are breeding...exact breed date Nov21. There are so many things to consider that I am going outof my mind at this point...Justin hasn't handled any of the adultrabbits, just because they don't like to be held, I have a hard time, Iam waiting for the kits to give Justin hands on there, they will beeasier and I intend to imprint them and get them used tohandling...especially since a few may end up show rabbits! Cross yourfingers for us!

When we have more money to make more room and more cages I plan ongetting more FGs and mini lops...Yes I'm going to the extreme withsmall to extra large, but I love these two rabbits. I willstart showing these and if Justin is interested he will show in Jrs forARBA.

It's good that I have so many rabbits already...I can have a good headstart and may be able to furnish other 4Hers with cals eventually, andI hope that my other 3 children who are clovers right now, will startoff with rabbits. I just can't wait for Jenna's kits to gethere and then be able to breed the others....two months!!! Still have awhole month for Jenna's kits!!! The waiting isterrible! I have been trying to leave Jenna alone (she easilystressed) so that she won't cannabalize. I know I won't besleeping the day she is supposed to kindle!!!

Well there I go again...I "talk" way toomuch

 

[bunsforlife]

Wow =) busy busy busy!

Matchmaking is such a hard job hehe.

Good luck on your endevours! =)

 

[dmmcnair]

Yuppers, busy busy.

The boys have got no problem with the matchmaking!! The boys that didn't get to do anything were very jealous!!!

Maybe someone could verify if this is normal....

I took Jenna to Beowulf's cage...he chased her he mounted her her felloff, repeat, the last time, one of them kinda screamed, well more of ashout :shock:...and he fell off and laid there for a while. Everytime he was done he would thump his back feet at thesame time looking at the other bucks, or run/hop up to the other bucks.

To say the least it washilarious!!! DoI get to look forward to this with every breeding??? I don't think Ican take it. I'm not even sure I want Justin to witnessthis...can youimagine all thequestions??? Andthey are his rabbits for his project! He has to be a part ofit!!!

Any parents have any advice on the questions??? Is it time for the birds and the bees talk??? He's only 9!! AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!

Any info on the buck's breeding performances??? Was that normal???

Dawn

Oh and if any of you young posters out there have question;Ican't answer them for you...I can't even answer my own son's questionsyet!!

 

[pamnock]

dmmcnair wrote:

Pam, is there anything extra you do for your breeding does? Iam seeing if Jenna will be able to participate in our 4H programeventually. I also need to make sure that my bucks are notsterile....she was bred to the buck that I am using for our projectthis year.

Over feeding can be dangerous to the doe's health, so we normally don'tincrease feed until after the doe has kindled. We beginincreasing depending upon litter size, doe'scondition, howwellshe is milking,and when the kits begin eatingthe food. The does often enjoy a small piece of carrot orapple, and we may add a few milk pellets (calf manna) to the diet afterthe kits are born.

Pam

 

[pamnock]

dmmcnair wrote:

Any parents have any advice on the questions??? Is it time for the birds and the bees talk??? He's only 9!! AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!

Any info on the buck's breeding performances??? Was that normal???

The buck's behavior was normal.

Yes, it is time for the birds and the bees Answer thekid's questions simply and straightforward. You don't have tomake it complex.



Pam

 

[Dolores Lindvall]

At age 4, my granddaughter was out helping withthe rabbits. When she asked what was going on, I told her,and used the correct terms...no slang terms. Then prettysoon, she was telling me that the buck had fallen off the doe, so,"She's bred." I had a hard time to keep from giggling, but ifkept matter of fact, even the little kids just accept it and it is nobig deal. It's a little harder as they get older.

- Dolores

 

[dmmcnair]

Honestly, I think I have more of a problemthinking of explaining it than Justin will actually have...It's notlike I have to worry about what he says in school about breedingbunnies...we are in a farm/4H community...I'm sure he has already hearda lot about breeding animals...I on the other hand am from the city,and didn't know about the birds and the bees really until I had healthclass (or that special class they give to girls when they are startingpuberty).

I will get through it...somehow. :?

Thanks,

Dawn