Oh the Joys of Patience!

I'm still "patiently" awaiting the arrival of Chex's litter. She is due on Saturday! I am so excited! It will be interesting to see what I get. Last time I got 2 sports, 1 banded. I used the same buck for this breeding.
Also, I am starting to think I may not offer pets anymore. I don't know if I will or not. I'm thinking I may offer them for $35 for one month and if they don't sell I will give them to the Birds of Prey Aviary next to my house. I just don't want my animals being bred for pets. The life of the average pet rabbit is terrible. I can guarentee more than half of them sit in a little cage until they die from who knows what. We will see.

So I may not be posting much this week, considering there is nothing to post about until the nests are full. LOL I palpated Pippet and Maybelliene and neither of them took. Ugh.

If anyone is interested, Pippet it avalible for $50 to make room for new stock.

Have a great day!

Updates!

Well as usual, I'm staying with these rabbits even if it kills me.

Some bad news is I think Pippet may have a retained kit. I can feel an oblong shape, but she won't pass it. She was due yesterday. Usually when I palpate by now to check on the babies growth, I can feel the babies individual legs, and the head. This one just feels like a lump of firm...stuff. We will see. I may end up petting her out if it is. She has a great pet personality, my most well behaved doe.

Some awesome news is Chex is due on the 28th. Those babies are growing fast! I'm very excited to see what Teddy x Chex produces.

Asti thinks he will die without his oats...

Needing some Inspiration...

Well lately I've been getting lots of put downs, and I've had many things happen that were unexpected and make me feel like I am failing with this breed. I am so irritated with some of the top breeders and their rude remarks I could almost sell out because of it. It surprises me that with this being such a rare rabbit, they would try the under-dogs like this, then go around talking about being a "promoter."

I just have a list of a few quotes that I have sitting in my rabbitry right now, but here's one of my favorites.

"Between you and every goal that you wish to achieve, there is a series of obstacles, and the bigger the goal, the bigger the obstacles. Your decision to be, have and do something out of the ordinary entails facing difficulties and challenges that are out of the ordinary as well. Sometimes your greatest asset is simply your ability to stay with it longer than anyone else."

~ Brian Tracy

I want to keep trying, I really do. It's just hard. The heartache of losing a litter, the anger of someone telling you what you have worked on for a long time is not good enough. I guess it's just a matter of When the world says, "Give up," Hope whispers, 'Try it one more time.'

I think I may need a break with these rabbits. I am juggling so much right now. I've worked and worked. I've prayed. I've studied. I've convinced. And then I can't even get a single baby.

I don't know. I just don't feel like I am accomplishing anything.

I have often used this video to help with my horse shows which I messed up at if you would like to watch it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Yp5nQ48b4

Pippets getting chunky.

Chex did palpate positive though today. :)

The New Stuff!

So we got new rabbits, new cages, new everything a few days ago. I have been so busy with everything lately I couldn't post. We still haven't set everything up in our barn, we are waiting for when my brother, my dad, and I are all free from work and it is still light enough outside. My Grandma is less than pleased with them as she doesn't like rabbits because "They Multiply." Oh well...

So now, its time for pictures!!!

BA's Maybelliene

BB's Lil' Buck (Just sold him. He produces NICE babies! I hope he does well for you!!)

For Sale! BA's Zeus

For Sale! BA's Munchie

BA's Asti

Tattooer EZ Tatt

My Pet:

Broken Black Tort Vienna Marked BEW Holland Lop

GORGEOUS eyes on this doll

My stuff that isn't all set up.

Asti Cooling off

Daisy doesn't know what to think of this situation...

It's been a sad weekend...

Well, I am very sad to say Chex's litter died from heat stroke. I checked on them, they were doing great, came back about 1 hour later and they were all almost gone, needless to say it was 15 minutes later and they all expired. I tried everything I could think of to save them. I haven't posted about it because I feel really bad, like it was my fault.

But on a happier, well... VERY EXCITING note we are getting a whole new rabbitry and herd tonight!!!! WHOOOO!!!!!

This includes:

-12 cages (might be getting a 4 cage hutch also, but most likely not)

-tattoo pen (actually already took that home)

-feeders and waterers

-toys

-wormer

-7 transport cages

- 6 rabbits (5 hotots, 1 VM BEW Holland Lop)

I am so excited!!! I will be taking tons of pictures to post in a little while.

I think we may be having a budding friendship...

"Just keep digging, just keep digging!"

No post is complete with out a steer wanting his picture taken.

Grizz

BABIES!!

I am proud to announce the birth of our first litter in 5 years.

Chex had 3 babies (2 sport, 1 black banded) on the wire. I caught it in time to save 2/3. I warmed up the 2 surviving babies and they are back with their mom. I think the sport baby has eaten a little bit but the banded baby is still skinny. They are adorable and lively now that they are warm. I'm so excited!

Proud mom

Proud Sire

Nest with a bunch of fur!

Warming up...

Sport baby

Banded Baby

They are so cute! I Love em'!

Pippet pulled fur!!

So the most interesting thing happened this morning. Pippet, our "horrible mother" rabbit pulled tons of fur in her hay box! Oh my!!! She is 9 1/2 days from her due date and she already started.

Oh!! I really need to get a nest box built! Except I can't because I have a broken arm, so let me re-phrase that, My brother needs to get a nest box built!! I will put him to work when he gets home from the hay fields.

Then we are headed off to the rodeo! I will probably post pictures of that if I can. The livestock move so fast its next to impossible to get a still shot. No promises. LOL

She wouldn't wake up for nothing!

Her pretty little nest in her hay stash.

Still sleeping.......

Little Nasty was hiding from me.

Then Teddy got jealous and I gave him the extra... bucks.