Starting to raise and show buns !

[Kadish Tolesa]

At this point, we're excited and busy preparing new hutches. Some will be outdoors and some indoors. The outside hutches are weather-proofed and our friend who is a carpenter is building them ; while the indoor hutches (8) are the largest size "My First Homes" from PetSmart - - -we'll be buying a few more to fill up the empty room. It used to be my computer/craft/sewing room....no more !

We will be going to the ARBA nationals to buy the foundation stock.Right now, I'm interested in ND's, JW's, and of course Lionheads .

As there are 3 different breeds; we're not sure what to call our rabbitry....any suggestions ?? My husband suggested Heinz57 Buns; but that sounds like mutts !

I posted in another thread about Em. and Tigger; and their new owner has already called her vet about Tigger's spay.....Em. has been spayed with no complications other than biting my husband when he went to pick her up and place her in the travel cage.:rollseyes Em. and Tigger will be housed separately until - - - or if they bond . Each one has her own NIC-style cage and more room than either one had before. ( Lucky girls....I like it when a bun is successfully re-homed , it just takes time and patience. ) Their new owner wants to re-name them ; she says Tigger is inappropriate for such a small, gentle bun. She's right !

I'm open to any help with naming our rabbitry; yes, I'm saying "ours" although I'll be doing most of the work - - what with raising buns, traveling, showing, ect.

 

[CalifornianKit]

Are you sure you want to start out with 3 breeds? Thats quite a lot to start out with =)



And the "my first home" cages are way too small for rabbits. Even the small ones. Id recommend building hutches for inside too. Or buying some metal ones and getting litter pans for them

 

[iluvdutchrabbbits90]

Lionheads are a very fun breed to breed! I love them. I have been breeding them for a little over a year. Maybe you should start out with one breed,then when you are happy with them,start the other etc. My rabbitry is called Shady Woods Rabbitry,because trees are all around our house and rabbitry and its always shady My bucks cages are 24x24 with a secand level to jump up on. All my cages have 2 tiles in them so they can get of the wire.And my does cages are 30x30 so they have room when they have their babies

 

[Jaded]

I would probably start with the one breed - Lionheads buts its completely up to you

 

[Kadish Tolesa]

Hi CalifornianKit.... Farmerchick's setup is impressive ; I recognized the "my first home" - - - not sure exactly about the brand name, they look like farmerchick's indoor hutches --- - large size purple-bottomed cages.... The way the NIC panels were arranged around so that the buns could come out for playtime ( Wanda, Sophie, & Hank?).

Something like that, perhaps; I'm not sure yet. We were at a ND breeders' rabbitry a while ago... I think Camp Douglas,WI ; and her cages were in a converted outbuilding. They wereextremely small ! And her rabbits are kind of expensive, too. But they looked great ! Such typey buns with microscopic ears !But maybe I'd have the ND's in the purple cages and it would be enough room ?

If the ARBA Ntl's don't have what I'm looking for, it's o.k., I'll keep checking around for some quality buns. I'm thinking of the main focus on JW's and a few great quality ND's and maybe just a trio of Lionheads- - - because , well, just because they're so wonderfully cute !

Thanks everyone for yourcomments and wish us luck in our search at Ntl's.

 

[CalifornianKit]

The rabbit should have enough room to stretch out and relax plus it needs to be able to stand on its tippy toes. My ND's are in cages big enough to hold californians. Theyre more active than bigger rabbits so they still need a big space despite their size. Good luck on your rabbit searches. Have you decided what colors you want to work with?

 

[wooly_queen]

Woolies are ah-maaaaaazzzing! :biggrin2: They are definitely my favorite breed! I have about 20 of them right now. lol They're rather addicting... XD

To name your rabbitry there are a few things you can play around with... like using your last name, initials, your street name, a well known landmark near by, things that have to do with the state you live in (state flower, animal, fish, bird, etc.)... does that help give you any ideas? lol

My two rabbitries are Northern Breeze and Secret Trails. :biggrin2:

 

[Kadish Tolesa]

Jersy Woolies are my main focus. Nethies and Lionheads are still being considered. This is what I'd prefer, but plans may change depending on what stock is available at the ARBA show in MN : 4 breeding does and 1or 2 bucks ( JW ), all of them showable ; and as for color, probably Siamese Sable or Seal- - - any of the shadeds

One ND trio, and 1 Lionhead pair, same colors as the JW's.

I need to add here that a JW breeder I've talked with over the phone breeds ND into her JW's, to make the ears smaller and body size "cobbier". She's actually getting out of JW's, which is too bad as her bunnies looked very good on her website. Does anyone here do that ??

Buying breeding buns are o.k., and sometimes cheaper, but as one breeder put it to me: "you get out of it what $ you put into it", meaning you get what you pay for. I'm hoping to buy all showable stock and start with the best that I can.

Still don't have a rabbitry name yet, but don't have buns to show yet, etc.