Diva x Thomas Jefferson's black tort does, 8 weeks old
Loving this litter!
Monday, December 15, 2014
Cute Holland babies
Our current litters are very cute.
Diva x Thomas Jefferson's black tort does, 8 weeks old
Betty X Charlie Brown's litter, 5 weeks old
Loving this litter!
Diva x Thomas Jefferson's black tort does, 8 weeks old
Loving this litter!
Friday, September 26, 2014
Tips on building a herd.
So you want to build a herd?
First off do your research! Have a good look at the Standard of Perfection, look at the breed websites and check out breeder's websites. Best of all, go to some shows to get a good idea of what the perfect rabbit in that breed looks like. Prices vary wildly depending on breed and region but be prepared to spend some money to get good quality and possibly transport if you can't find what you need locally. Everyone has their own interpretation of the Standard of Perfection, so look until you find a breeder who has rabbits you *love*, most breeders are happy to help you out and can recommend other lines that cross well with their own.
Don't be too attached to fancy colours, type matters a lot more and it can be hard to start off with a colour project. Breeding rabbits takes time and patience so have a good goal in place, having a long term plan really is important because you often need to think years in terms of producing what you want. Once you have some rabbits don't get barn blind, keep evaluating your rabbits and their offspring and comparing them to the breed standard. Even two top rabbits can produce pet quality bunnies. Type really has to be first, if you are excited about a colour and have a little extra cage space then get like one rabbit of your chosen colour, don't jump into a huge colour project. A coloured rabbit has to be nice not "nice for a bew" The people who seem most successful I think of as having a nice herd and then adding colour, not building a nice herd from parts with colour.
Try to make every rabbit count, I think the key is having a herd that crosses well. Like you start running into problems if you get doe A for buck B but she won't cross well with buck C so you get doe D for him but she has some similar faults to buck B so they can't be crossed. By having a herd that crosses well instead of "parts" animals then you automatically keep your numbers smaller, culling hard is the other step, However by letting them go too early you may let go of some animals you wish you'd kept but most people don't have unlimited cage space.
A buck is going have the biggest impact on your herd so your primary herd buck should be the nicest rabbit in your barn, a doe's first job is raising a healthy litter so I will forgive a few minor faults on her if she is a good mum. Generally a nice buck will be the most expensive to buy when starting out.
It can be overwhelming starting a herd, many people (myself included) have started and then changed course and restarted. Don't be discouraged, just keep working at it. Sometimes it comes down to what you can invest more of in your herd, time or money. Some people are able go to a top breeder and drop a grand on a trio and they are going to see results quicker than someone who buys a herd over time and breeds up. Both people will see results (if they make good breeding choices and stick with it) but good rabbits can be expensive and you have to invest time and money to build a herd.
Bottom line is have fun! breeding and showing rabbits can be a great hobby, but you need persistence and patience.
First off do your research! Have a good look at the Standard of Perfection, look at the breed websites and check out breeder's websites. Best of all, go to some shows to get a good idea of what the perfect rabbit in that breed looks like. Prices vary wildly depending on breed and region but be prepared to spend some money to get good quality and possibly transport if you can't find what you need locally. Everyone has their own interpretation of the Standard of Perfection, so look until you find a breeder who has rabbits you *love*, most breeders are happy to help you out and can recommend other lines that cross well with their own.
Don't be too attached to fancy colours, type matters a lot more and it can be hard to start off with a colour project. Breeding rabbits takes time and patience so have a good goal in place, having a long term plan really is important because you often need to think years in terms of producing what you want. Once you have some rabbits don't get barn blind, keep evaluating your rabbits and their offspring and comparing them to the breed standard. Even two top rabbits can produce pet quality bunnies. Type really has to be first, if you are excited about a colour and have a little extra cage space then get like one rabbit of your chosen colour, don't jump into a huge colour project. A coloured rabbit has to be nice not "nice for a bew" The people who seem most successful I think of as having a nice herd and then adding colour, not building a nice herd from parts with colour.
Try to make every rabbit count, I think the key is having a herd that crosses well. Like you start running into problems if you get doe A for buck B but she won't cross well with buck C so you get doe D for him but she has some similar faults to buck B so they can't be crossed. By having a herd that crosses well instead of "parts" animals then you automatically keep your numbers smaller, culling hard is the other step, However by letting them go too early you may let go of some animals you wish you'd kept but most people don't have unlimited cage space.
A buck is going have the biggest impact on your herd so your primary herd buck should be the nicest rabbit in your barn, a doe's first job is raising a healthy litter so I will forgive a few minor faults on her if she is a good mum. Generally a nice buck will be the most expensive to buy when starting out.
It can be overwhelming starting a herd, many people (myself included) have started and then changed course and restarted. Don't be discouraged, just keep working at it. Sometimes it comes down to what you can invest more of in your herd, time or money. Some people are able go to a top breeder and drop a grand on a trio and they are going to see results quicker than someone who buys a herd over time and breeds up. Both people will see results (if they make good breeding choices and stick with it) but good rabbits can be expensive and you have to invest time and money to build a herd.
Bottom line is have fun! breeding and showing rabbits can be a great hobby, but you need persistence and patience.
Monday, July 21, 2014
BEW and other stuff
Gosh, I have been neglecting this blog. busy summer I guess, all the critters are doing well.
Anyway I am very excited to announce our Blue Eyed White Holland Lop project!
I couldn't find any in Michigan but always thought they were really pretty, recently I unexpectedly (and accidentally) acquired a very nice Vienna Marked buck. Which lead to the purchase of a nice trio from Wisconsin and the start of my little color project.
Blue Eyed Whites are an interesting variety to work with and need to be kept separate from your regular show lines, this is because of the Vienna gene. All our colour project bunnies will be kept separate from my regular Holland Lops unless I make a cross specifically for Vienna Carriers. The pedigrees are clearly marked, I don't want anyone getting nasty surprises.
As for showing - Blue Eyed White's & Vienna Carrier's are showable, but Vienna Marked are not. Vienna Marked are sold only to be used in a BEW breeding program or to be sold as a pet. Any rabbits I bred will have it marked on the pedigree if they are carrying the Vienna gene.
BEW - Blue Eyed White. Which is a solid white rabbit with blue eyes.
VM - Vienna Marked, also known as "Sports". Which means that a rabbit carries the gene and shows it. For example: a solid black rabbit with white spots or patches, white toenails, blue eyes, ect.
VC - Vienna Carrier. Which means the rabbit carries the gene, but doesn't show it.
The Vienna gene must be present in both parents in order to get a BEW. Here are a few crosses that could be made and the results that you should get...
Normal Coloured Rabbit (VV) x BEW (vv) = All (Vv) - all will carry the gene, but no BEWs.
Normal Coloured Rabbit (VV) x VM or VC (Vv) = 50% will carry the gene & 50% will not. This is not a desirable cross, as you will have a good chance of not knowing what carries and will likely waste cage space & time.
VM or VC (Vv) x VM or VC (Vv) = 25% BEW, 50% carriers, & 25% non-carriers. In this case there is a chance that you will not know which are carriers or non-carriers. It is advisable to not use the rabbits from this cross because you cannot tell whether they carry or not - again, a waste of time & space.
BEW (vv) x VM or VC (Vv) = 50% BEW, 50% carriers - marked or not.
BEW (vv) x BEW (vv) = 100% BEW!
We currently have a Vienna Marked black doe and my surprise Vienna Marked buck, and two BEW. Hopefully next year we will have some nice offspring, I'm really aiming for the awesome Holland type in a Bew package.
Anyway I am very excited to announce our Blue Eyed White Holland Lop project!
I couldn't find any in Michigan but always thought they were really pretty, recently I unexpectedly (and accidentally) acquired a very nice Vienna Marked buck. Which lead to the purchase of a nice trio from Wisconsin and the start of my little color project.
Blue Eyed Whites are an interesting variety to work with and need to be kept separate from your regular show lines, this is because of the Vienna gene. All our colour project bunnies will be kept separate from my regular Holland Lops unless I make a cross specifically for Vienna Carriers. The pedigrees are clearly marked, I don't want anyone getting nasty surprises.
As for showing - Blue Eyed White's & Vienna Carrier's are showable, but Vienna Marked are not. Vienna Marked are sold only to be used in a BEW breeding program or to be sold as a pet. Any rabbits I bred will have it marked on the pedigree if they are carrying the Vienna gene.
BEW - Blue Eyed White. Which is a solid white rabbit with blue eyes.
VM - Vienna Marked, also known as "Sports". Which means that a rabbit carries the gene and shows it. For example: a solid black rabbit with white spots or patches, white toenails, blue eyes, ect.
VC - Vienna Carrier. Which means the rabbit carries the gene, but doesn't show it.
The Vienna gene must be present in both parents in order to get a BEW. Here are a few crosses that could be made and the results that you should get...
Normal Coloured Rabbit (VV) x BEW (vv) = All (Vv) - all will carry the gene, but no BEWs.
Normal Coloured Rabbit (VV) x VM or VC (Vv) = 50% will carry the gene & 50% will not. This is not a desirable cross, as you will have a good chance of not knowing what carries and will likely waste cage space & time.
VM or VC (Vv) x VM or VC (Vv) = 25% BEW, 50% carriers, & 25% non-carriers. In this case there is a chance that you will not know which are carriers or non-carriers. It is advisable to not use the rabbits from this cross because you cannot tell whether they carry or not - again, a waste of time & space.
BEW (vv) x VM or VC (Vv) = 50% BEW, 50% carriers - marked or not.
BEW (vv) x BEW (vv) = 100% BEW!
We currently have a Vienna Marked black doe and my surprise Vienna Marked buck, and two BEW. Hopefully next year we will have some nice offspring, I'm really aiming for the awesome Holland type in a Bew package.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Spring is springing!
We are finally getting some nicer weather which means OMG I HAVE SO MUCH TO DO.
Anyway here is one of Amelia X Lucky babies that is growing up well.
I'm really liking the look of this Bluebell X Dandelion baby as well. I guess I'm gonna have many tort bucks, lol.
Juniper and Oscar made some niiiiiice offspring so I bred them again. Hopefully we can get to some shows this summer.
Anyway here is one of Amelia X Lucky babies that is growing up well.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Baby pictures!
Finally got pictures of Amelia's litter, she had six! big litter for a small bunny. Very nice kits, all Torts. They are almost 3 weeks old. They will be ready for new homes in March.
Moon (Silver Fox) and Bluebell (Holland Lop) are both due next week. I need to make some hard decisions on which Silver Foxes to keep and will list some for sale soon.
 |
| One has always got to be uncooperative! |
Friday, January 10, 2014
January update
Gosh, I haven't updated in ages!
We are doing good, critters are all well. It has been crazy snowy and cold here.
Amelia (tort Holland lop) is pregnant and due next week, I am excited to see what she produces. She will be moving into the house soon as I want to keep a close eye on her. I'm going to be breeding Bluebell to Lucky soon.
I just bred Moon (blue SF) to Forest again and we will see how that goes, breeding is always tricky this time of year. I also need to do a preg check on Lentil (black SF) to see if she took.
I have a lot of tattooing to take care of this weekend and then listing a couple young SF for sale. I currently have some nice big black bucks (Oscar x Lentil) and a good looking first litter from Juniper (Oscar x Juniper)
Maran chickens have started laying and I love having such a variety of egg colours, pretty cool.
We are doing good, critters are all well. It has been crazy snowy and cold here.
Amelia (tort Holland lop) is pregnant and due next week, I am excited to see what she produces. She will be moving into the house soon as I want to keep a close eye on her. I'm going to be breeding Bluebell to Lucky soon.
I just bred Moon (blue SF) to Forest again and we will see how that goes, breeding is always tricky this time of year. I also need to do a preg check on Lentil (black SF) to see if she took.
I have a lot of tattooing to take care of this weekend and then listing a couple young SF for sale. I currently have some nice big black bucks (Oscar x Lentil) and a good looking first litter from Juniper (Oscar x Juniper)
Maran chickens have started laying and I love having such a variety of egg colours, pretty cool.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
How to buy and sell
A surprising amount of people suck at buying and selling rabbits so I thought I would do a little guide. It's really not hard to be good at this. People exchange money for rabbits, everyone is happy. I've had some super experiences and some really odd ones as both buyer and seller.
How to be an amazing buyer
Be clear about what you want, do a little research beforehand so you can say "Hi, I'm looking for a blue Holland Lop buck, what do you have available?" rather then "I want a bunny but not really sure what I want so send me all your pictures and lots of detailed descriptions so I can say "no that's not what I think I want " Also known as "don't waste someone's time."
If the seller doesn't have what you want or is out of your price range then say "no, thanks" and look elsewhere, totally easy and polite but generally omitted step.
When you find the bunny of you dreams, be on time to the pickup place and have the money ready in a form that is acceptable to the seller. Don't be freaked out if the seller has a closed barn and wants to meet at a public location, there are some nasty rabbit illnesses around and many people keep a closed herd, doesn't mean they are hiding something.
If you have other rabbits, quarantine your new rabbit when you take it home, a seemingly healthy rabbit can harbor nasty illnesses that can infect your whole herd.
How to be an amazing seller
Know your stock and prices, It's nice when someone is on top of things.
Respond promptly to inquiries, Life gets in the way sometimes, but I try to respond within a day or two and generally by the same mode of communication (email back, call back) Be honest about your stock, their health and productivity. Take the time to take good photos, make sure the rabbit is posed correctly for it's breed.
Don't be shy to let people know your prices, a buyer shouldn't have to stalk you to get a price. I have had to email people multiple times to get a price and honestly I'm less likely to buy from someone when they are weird about it. Be open to offers but don't feel pressured to sell for less. Be upfront about your stock and able to answer questions, we want people to enjoy their rabbits.
Keep good records and make sure the buyer gets the necessary paperwork. If selling pedigreed rabbits make sure the buyer knows not to change your prefix on rabbits they purchased, pretty simple to keep track of because a rabbit born in your rabbitry gets your prefix.
Send a little feed along to make sure the rabbit does well in it's new home.
How to be an amazing buyer
Be clear about what you want, do a little research beforehand so you can say "Hi, I'm looking for a blue Holland Lop buck, what do you have available?" rather then "I want a bunny but not really sure what I want so send me all your pictures and lots of detailed descriptions so I can say "no that's not what I think I want " Also known as "don't waste someone's time."
If the seller doesn't have what you want or is out of your price range then say "no, thanks" and look elsewhere, totally easy and polite but generally omitted step.
When you find the bunny of you dreams, be on time to the pickup place and have the money ready in a form that is acceptable to the seller. Don't be freaked out if the seller has a closed barn and wants to meet at a public location, there are some nasty rabbit illnesses around and many people keep a closed herd, doesn't mean they are hiding something.
If you have other rabbits, quarantine your new rabbit when you take it home, a seemingly healthy rabbit can harbor nasty illnesses that can infect your whole herd.
 |
| Lucky looks cute here but this photo doesn't tell a prospective buyer anything except look at his snoot. |
Know your stock and prices, It's nice when someone is on top of things.
Respond promptly to inquiries, Life gets in the way sometimes, but I try to respond within a day or two and generally by the same mode of communication (email back, call back) Be honest about your stock, their health and productivity. Take the time to take good photos, make sure the rabbit is posed correctly for it's breed.
Don't be shy to let people know your prices, a buyer shouldn't have to stalk you to get a price. I have had to email people multiple times to get a price and honestly I'm less likely to buy from someone when they are weird about it. Be open to offers but don't feel pressured to sell for less. Be upfront about your stock and able to answer questions, we want people to enjoy their rabbits.
Keep good records and make sure the buyer gets the necessary paperwork. If selling pedigreed rabbits make sure the buyer knows not to change your prefix on rabbits they purchased, pretty simple to keep track of because a rabbit born in your rabbitry gets your prefix.
Send a little feed along to make sure the rabbit does well in it's new home.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Basics of a more natural diet
I feel it is easy to raise extremely healthy rabbit, with a forage based diet. Rabbits are naturally
herbivores, they have evolved to eat a wide variety of grasses, herbs,
bark and plants. I should clarify by saying I am not anti pellet, I just feel you can provide a very healthy diet without commercial rabbit pellets. With most pellets I don't feel you get what you pay for (the exception being Sherwood Forest rabbit pellets, very high quality and when I feed a pellet, I choose this one.) Commercial rabbit pellets are primarily composed of alfalfa, grain, some fat, salt, vitamins and minerals. All of which can be provided separately for less cost. A natural diet takes a lot more time and effort but I feel the results are worth it.
My buns get free choice grass hay year round as I've found this cuts down on a lot of digestive issues. I also feed alfalfa cubes to up the protein and there is less waste with alfalfa cubes versus alfalfa hay, although some people feed alfalfa hay in a hay feeder. Many rabbits won't eat alfalfa pellets, maybe due to the large size or taste. One day a week is a hay only day. The amount of grain I feed varies on season, they get a lot of green food in the summer and more grain in the winter. The amount also varies based on the rabbits condition, age, weather and if they are cleaning up their rations. This way of feed does require you to pay very close attention to how the rabbit's condition, attitude and health. Trace mineral salt block is very important, there is salt included in commercial rabbit pellets and your rabbit can get a serious deficiency if you neglect to provide a salt lick for them. I harvest a lot of fresh grass, weeds and herbs (primarily Nettles, Comfrey, Dandelion, Mulberry and Alfalfa, detailed here)
I feed whole grains, specifically oats and barley. The amounts varies with the season, in summer they get less grains as more of the rabbit's dietary needs are met by fresh grass, herbs and hay. In the winter I feed more grain to maintain body condition and help keep them warm. Nursing does and growing rabbits get more, year round. My grain feeding is a little unusual, Initially I had a lot of issues with waste with a grain mix because the rabbits would eat what they liked and scratch through the mix. To solve this I started alternating grains, oats one day and barley the next. I often top dress the grain feed with some black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS) or flax. This means more tubs in the feed area but less grain being wasted. The amount works out to about 1/4 to 1/2 cup a day per adult rabbit, depending on size, young rabbits get more and also get more alfalfa as they have higher protein needs. All bunnies always have mineral/salt licks, you can get blocks made for horses and knock chunks off.
So to recap I feed
1. grass hay and alfalfa cubes
2. oats, barley, boss and flax (alternated)
3. fresh grass and weeds (in season)
4. salt/mineral lick
My buns get free choice grass hay year round as I've found this cuts down on a lot of digestive issues. I also feed alfalfa cubes to up the protein and there is less waste with alfalfa cubes versus alfalfa hay, although some people feed alfalfa hay in a hay feeder. Many rabbits won't eat alfalfa pellets, maybe due to the large size or taste. One day a week is a hay only day. The amount of grain I feed varies on season, they get a lot of green food in the summer and more grain in the winter. The amount also varies based on the rabbits condition, age, weather and if they are cleaning up their rations. This way of feed does require you to pay very close attention to how the rabbit's condition, attitude and health. Trace mineral salt block is very important, there is salt included in commercial rabbit pellets and your rabbit can get a serious deficiency if you neglect to provide a salt lick for them. I harvest a lot of fresh grass, weeds and herbs (primarily Nettles, Comfrey, Dandelion, Mulberry and Alfalfa, detailed here)
I feed whole grains, specifically oats and barley. The amounts varies with the season, in summer they get less grains as more of the rabbit's dietary needs are met by fresh grass, herbs and hay. In the winter I feed more grain to maintain body condition and help keep them warm. Nursing does and growing rabbits get more, year round. My grain feeding is a little unusual, Initially I had a lot of issues with waste with a grain mix because the rabbits would eat what they liked and scratch through the mix. To solve this I started alternating grains, oats one day and barley the next. I often top dress the grain feed with some black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS) or flax. This means more tubs in the feed area but less grain being wasted. The amount works out to about 1/4 to 1/2 cup a day per adult rabbit, depending on size, young rabbits get more and also get more alfalfa as they have higher protein needs. All bunnies always have mineral/salt licks, you can get blocks made for horses and knock chunks off.
So to recap I feed
1. grass hay and alfalfa cubes
2. oats, barley, boss and flax (alternated)
3. fresh grass and weeds (in season)
4. salt/mineral lick
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Herbs for rabbits
I'm working on a post about natural feeding for rabbits but since I can only type when Smooshy is sleeping it is taking a bit. So here is a shorter post on my favorite rabbit herbs, these are the herbs I feed on a regular basis for general bunny health. This a short list of my favorites and I will do another soon because my experience is always growing and I'm branching (ahem) out into new territories all the time.
The amounts are not set in stone, an average sized rabbit will eat around a tablespoon of dried herb, which might be a small handful of fresh. Pay attention to the rabbit's appetite and preferences. Obviously use common sense in introducing new foods and feed herbs with a well balanced bunny diet.
This list is provided for informational purposes only. To the best of my knowledge, all the plants listed here are safe for rabbits when fed in moderation as directed
Nettles
(Urtica dioica)
part used: leaves, dried
I love nettles and feed them to everything (including us, excellent spring green) They lose their "sting" when dried (or cooked, which is how I eat them) They are very palatable and full of vitamins and minerals.
The leaves are a wonderful source of nutrients, containing a number of essential minerals including iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium.
This year I am going to harvest lots of nettle and dry it to feed in winter.
Good for: General health, Healthy skin and fur, respiratory strengthener, digestive restorative
Comfrey
(Symphytum officinale)
part used: leaves, fresh or dried
Comfrey has been used for centuries, recently highly debated as causing liver issues. I feel when used in moderation (a leaf, occasionally) it is a useful and safe herb for rabbits. It is one of the rare plants that contains the vitamin B12 and also rich in minerals such as calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, zinc, selenium and germanium.
Good for: digestive aid, healing, bone formation, ill bunnies, stressed and weak bunnies. First herb I reach for when a rabbit has a gut imbalance.
Dandelion
(Taraxacum officinale)
Part used: leaves, fresh or dried (do not feed wilted leaves as they can cause bloat)
Everyone knows dandelion but many don't know how wonderful it is for you and your animals, it's an exceptionally nutritious food and bunnies love it! Dandelion is loaded with nutrients including substantial levels of vitamins A, C, D, and B complex as well as iron, magnesium, zinc, potassium, manganese, copper, choline, calcium, boron, and silicon.
Good for: Blood purifying, respiratory ailments, anti-inflammatory, bladder infections, diarrhea, milk flow of nursing does
Alfalfa
(Medicago sativa)
Part used : leaf and stem
I debated including alfalfa since many rabbits get alfalfa based commercial rabbit pellets but as a fresh herb alfalfa is good stuff. Alfalfa is naturally high in many essential vitamins and minerals, including A, D, E, K, and even the full family of B vitamins; biotin, calcium, folic acid, iron, magnesium, potassium and many others, as well as being very high in protein, especially when dried
Good for: very good at detoxifying, balancing hormones, increases immune system functionality.
If you are harvesting your own, make sure you know how to correctly identify the plants.
The Complete Herbal Handbook for Farm and Stable
A good place to buy dried herbs is Mountain Rose Herbs
The amounts are not set in stone, an average sized rabbit will eat around a tablespoon of dried herb, which might be a small handful of fresh. Pay attention to the rabbit's appetite and preferences. Obviously use common sense in introducing new foods and feed herbs with a well balanced bunny diet.
This list is provided for informational purposes only. To the best of my knowledge, all the plants listed here are safe for rabbits when fed in moderation as directed
Nettles
(Urtica dioica)
part used: leaves, dried
I love nettles and feed them to everything (including us, excellent spring green) They lose their "sting" when dried (or cooked, which is how I eat them) They are very palatable and full of vitamins and minerals.
The leaves are a wonderful source of nutrients, containing a number of essential minerals including iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium.
This year I am going to harvest lots of nettle and dry it to feed in winter.
Good for: General health, Healthy skin and fur, respiratory strengthener, digestive restorative
Comfrey
(Symphytum officinale)
part used: leaves, fresh or dried
Comfrey has been used for centuries, recently highly debated as causing liver issues. I feel when used in moderation (a leaf, occasionally) it is a useful and safe herb for rabbits. It is one of the rare plants that contains the vitamin B12 and also rich in minerals such as calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, zinc, selenium and germanium.
Good for: digestive aid, healing, bone formation, ill bunnies, stressed and weak bunnies. First herb I reach for when a rabbit has a gut imbalance.
Dandelion
(Taraxacum officinale)
Part used: leaves, fresh or dried (do not feed wilted leaves as they can cause bloat)
Everyone knows dandelion but many don't know how wonderful it is for you and your animals, it's an exceptionally nutritious food and bunnies love it! Dandelion is loaded with nutrients including substantial levels of vitamins A, C, D, and B complex as well as iron, magnesium, zinc, potassium, manganese, copper, choline, calcium, boron, and silicon.
Good for: Blood purifying, respiratory ailments, anti-inflammatory, bladder infections, diarrhea, milk flow of nursing does
Alfalfa
(Medicago sativa)
Part used : leaf and stem
I debated including alfalfa since many rabbits get alfalfa based commercial rabbit pellets but as a fresh herb alfalfa is good stuff. Alfalfa is naturally high in many essential vitamins and minerals, including A, D, E, K, and even the full family of B vitamins; biotin, calcium, folic acid, iron, magnesium, potassium and many others, as well as being very high in protein, especially when dried
Good for: very good at detoxifying, balancing hormones, increases immune system functionality.
If you are harvesting your own, make sure you know how to correctly identify the plants.
The Complete Herbal Handbook for Farm and Stable
A good place to buy dried herbs is Mountain Rose Herbs
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Summer time :)
We have been pretty busy
Moon, one of my Silver Fox does seems to be pregnant, I bred her with my Mom's buck and I'm excited to see what she produces. It doesn't look like Amelia (Holland Lop) is pregnant after all, so she will be rebred soon and I am looking for a second Holland Lop doe.
The Silkie and Maran chicks are doing well, almost feathered out and spending most of their time in the outdoor baby chick cage. I feel it is important for them to get lots of time outside and the weather has been great for it.
The incubator is full again, this time with Araucanas, Blue Laced Red and Golden Wyandottes and a couple bantams. Hatch day is June 24th and we will be selling a few Araucanas chicks.
Moon, one of my Silver Fox does seems to be pregnant, I bred her with my Mom's buck and I'm excited to see what she produces. It doesn't look like Amelia (Holland Lop) is pregnant after all, so she will be rebred soon and I am looking for a second Holland Lop doe.
The Silkie and Maran chicks are doing well, almost feathered out and spending most of their time in the outdoor baby chick cage. I feel it is important for them to get lots of time outside and the weather has been great for it.
The incubator is full again, this time with Araucanas, Blue Laced Red and Golden Wyandottes and a couple bantams. Hatch day is June 24th and we will be selling a few Araucanas chicks.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Hello!
heh. So I suck at posting.
This is going to be our farm blog, I post about more horse related stuff here: http://dangerbunny.blogspot.com/
Things are good, The Smooshy is a year old (where did the time go???) He is super fun, walking, talking and causing trouble. I love looking at pictures from this time last year because he was so tiny (relatively)
Recently my friend, Melissa and I went to our first rabbit show, took two of my Silver Fox kits, they did well. The show was really disorganized and I can't see myself getting super psyched about rabbit shows but it was interesting and the feedback I got on my babies was nice. Came home with three Holland Lops, I love me some Lop ears and since I'm finding the Angora's fur care too time intensive I really wanted a second breed. The Lops are perfect, cute and small with these really engaging personalities, plus the ears just slay me.
We once again have too many roosters, out of my 8 silkies we have 3 hens. I do love my silkies though they have such funny personalities. We have a lot of plans for our chickens this year and I just set up a farm facebook account!
Today I am setting up the incubators, it's a good idea to run them for a bit to stabilize the temperature and work out the kinks before putting precious eggs into them. I think I found some local Silkie hatching eggs and hopefully more Marans since we only got two Roos out of the last batch.
now pictures!
This is going to be our farm blog, I post about more horse related stuff here: http://dangerbunny.blogspot.com/
Things are good, The Smooshy is a year old (where did the time go???) He is super fun, walking, talking and causing trouble. I love looking at pictures from this time last year because he was so tiny (relatively)
Recently my friend, Melissa and I went to our first rabbit show, took two of my Silver Fox kits, they did well. The show was really disorganized and I can't see myself getting super psyched about rabbit shows but it was interesting and the feedback I got on my babies was nice. Came home with three Holland Lops, I love me some Lop ears and since I'm finding the Angora's fur care too time intensive I really wanted a second breed. The Lops are perfect, cute and small with these really engaging personalities, plus the ears just slay me.
We once again have too many roosters, out of my 8 silkies we have 3 hens. I do love my silkies though they have such funny personalities. We have a lot of plans for our chickens this year and I just set up a farm facebook account!
Today I am setting up the incubators, it's a good idea to run them for a bit to stabilize the temperature and work out the kinks before putting precious eggs into them. I think I found some local Silkie hatching eggs and hopefully more Marans since we only got two Roos out of the last batch.
now pictures!
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| Lucky Dragon, My new Holland Lop buck |
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| Lupin, my Silver Fox jr buck |
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| Silver Fox Babies |
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| cute little buff .Silkies |
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Hello world!
Gosh, time barrels by fast.
The Smooshy is over 9 months old, has three teeth, is crawling and pulling himself up on e.v.e.r.y.thing. Totally is gonna start talking any second and has a few little words. His interests include destruction and world domination, the latter will be accomplished through cuteness.
I'm doing well, most days I'm flying solo and that is a different experience, makes you appreciate having another adult around. I'm working hard to balance life and not get overwhelmed, some days are easier then others. Of course the weather is shite right now too, it's been super cold so I have been busy just keeping all the beasts fed and watered. Currently 18 degrees out and I'm trying to remember it for when it is so hot that I feel like I'm melting. I am taking a course on equine nutrition! it's free through this site, this program is from the University of Edinburgh and the website has lots of interesting (free) courses. Pretty excited actually.
My Silver Fox doe kindled! very excited to have little bunnies running about, I'm having to resist the urge to mess with them too much since she is a first time momma. I have a bunny room for my females, this is the first batch of babies born in a group setting and I was really surprised to see the other doe helping to build the nest, very cool. The other two females leave the babies alone.
I think most of my Silkies are male and the two surviving Copper Marans are definitely male, which is a bit of a bummer.
So that is us for now
xoxo
The Smooshy is over 9 months old, has three teeth, is crawling and pulling himself up on e.v.e.r.y.thing. Totally is gonna start talking any second and has a few little words. His interests include destruction and world domination, the latter will be accomplished through cuteness.
I'm doing well, most days I'm flying solo and that is a different experience, makes you appreciate having another adult around. I'm working hard to balance life and not get overwhelmed, some days are easier then others. Of course the weather is shite right now too, it's been super cold so I have been busy just keeping all the beasts fed and watered. Currently 18 degrees out and I'm trying to remember it for when it is so hot that I feel like I'm melting. I am taking a course on equine nutrition! it's free through this site, this program is from the University of Edinburgh and the website has lots of interesting (free) courses. Pretty excited actually.
My Silver Fox doe kindled! very excited to have little bunnies running about, I'm having to resist the urge to mess with them too much since she is a first time momma. I have a bunny room for my females, this is the first batch of babies born in a group setting and I was really surprised to see the other doe helping to build the nest, very cool. The other two females leave the babies alone.
I think most of my Silkies are male and the two surviving Copper Marans are definitely male, which is a bit of a bummer.
So that is us for now
xoxo
Thursday, December 6, 2012
One step forward
You
know, I'm learning to take each day at a time. Some days I feel like I
am doing great and some days I feel like a total failure who stays in
jammies all day and makes messes when my husband works hard to support
us, but there is always another day to try to do better. I'm trying to look at
what is realistically achievable for me and look at what my ideal is,
then find a middle ground. By taking small daily steps towards what I want without beating myself up when I don't meet my ideal. It is easy to fall into a
guilt trap but nothing really changes that way.
I think a important thing is finding balance but balance is not stagnant, it is a constantly changing and shifting thing. So you don't "achieve a balanced life" and get to hang out there, it is something you actively work at constantly, by making adjustments . You balance when you ride a bike or a horse, why would daily life be any different?
Also no person is going to be able to be awesome in every area of their life, so you have to prioritize. For example I'm sure my husband would like it if I was more into cleaning but I am not so the house is usually fairly messy, not really dirty but messy. Cleaning is boring so gets a lower priority, feeding everyone is important to me so I always have good meals planned.
In addition to the bare minimum of things I have to do on a daily basis I'm also drawing up a list of monthly goals to work towards so I feel like I am accomplishing things, this is not a thing to beat myself up over but something that encourages me. Some days are harder (today kiddo will not be put down) but I have also found if I am having a reeeeeeeeally hard time doing my chores it is usually because I am not making time for myself, often if I meet my needs (or just some of them) then everything else becomes easier.
I'm also learning to listen to my cravings, for example I recently got obsessed with expensive lingerie, like spending hours lusting over things I can't afford. I spent sometime thinking about it and came up with the word "luxury", I am craving luxury and my daily life isn't providing it, so I am making it a priority to do the things that make me feel beautiful and glamorous.
I think a important thing is finding balance but balance is not stagnant, it is a constantly changing and shifting thing. So you don't "achieve a balanced life" and get to hang out there, it is something you actively work at constantly, by making adjustments . You balance when you ride a bike or a horse, why would daily life be any different?
Also no person is going to be able to be awesome in every area of their life, so you have to prioritize. For example I'm sure my husband would like it if I was more into cleaning but I am not so the house is usually fairly messy, not really dirty but messy. Cleaning is boring so gets a lower priority, feeding everyone is important to me so I always have good meals planned.
In addition to the bare minimum of things I have to do on a daily basis I'm also drawing up a list of monthly goals to work towards so I feel like I am accomplishing things, this is not a thing to beat myself up over but something that encourages me. Some days are harder (today kiddo will not be put down) but I have also found if I am having a reeeeeeeeally hard time doing my chores it is usually because I am not making time for myself, often if I meet my needs (or just some of them) then everything else becomes easier.
I'm also learning to listen to my cravings, for example I recently got obsessed with expensive lingerie, like spending hours lusting over things I can't afford. I spent sometime thinking about it and came up with the word "luxury", I am craving luxury and my daily life isn't providing it, so I am making it a priority to do the things that make me feel beautiful and glamorous.
Monday, October 15, 2012
fallfallfall
Getting ready for winter, lots to do this time of year such as getting the coops winterized, fixing horse fence, weed whipping fence line, plasticing windows and cleaning up every outside that we don't want buried in snow. I have a list.
We lost some chicks last week, very sad, there were a couple smaller ones in the outdoor coop that got chilled and didn't make it, hazard of starting chicks so late in the year but still hard. Pretty sure my special Silkies and Marans will be inside for ages.
And getting ready for Halloween of course! Smooshy is supposed to be a dragon, I'm making his costume and so far have a bunch of sequins glued to a onesie. We have a Halloween party this weekend and are hosting another next weekend. Uhoh, I guess in a pinch he could be a disco ball.
Smooshy and I just got back from a super fun trip to Ohio, it was a girly trip + one little one, we had a great time adventuring and playing. Plus Mr. Mama and Big Son painted the kitchen while we were gone, hurrah!
It is Smooshy's Half Birthday today! I can't believe he is already six months, wow does time roar by.
We lost some chicks last week, very sad, there were a couple smaller ones in the outdoor coop that got chilled and didn't make it, hazard of starting chicks so late in the year but still hard. Pretty sure my special Silkies and Marans will be inside for ages.
And getting ready for Halloween of course! Smooshy is supposed to be a dragon, I'm making his costume and so far have a bunch of sequins glued to a onesie. We have a Halloween party this weekend and are hosting another next weekend. Uhoh, I guess in a pinch he could be a disco ball.
Smooshy and I just got back from a super fun trip to Ohio, it was a girly trip + one little one, we had a great time adventuring and playing. Plus Mr. Mama and Big Son painted the kitchen while we were gone, hurrah!
It is Smooshy's Half Birthday today! I can't believe he is already six months, wow does time roar by.
Monday, October 1, 2012
chickchickchick
Our last batch of chicks hatched out!
Since I have had several successful batches of chicks, I thought I would do a little post on how I incubate. Successfully incubating eggs varies a lot depending on factors such as your climate and incubator. I am using a Little Giant Foam incubator, which works fine but I saw a comment online about incubators saying the foam incubators had to be watched like a naughty toddler by a swimming pool, which is funny and true because they require quite a bit of fiddling.
I aim to keep the temperature between 100 and 102 degrees, sometimes adjusting it multiple times a day. I have been using a dry hatch method (outlined here) and it works well, although it can be difficult to keep the humidity low enough during our humid Michigan summers. I tried to keep the humidity around 40 to 45% for the first 18 days and around 65% during lockdown.
This forum has lots of helpful info on all thing chicken http://www.backyardchickens.com/f/5/incubating-hatching-eggs
I couldn't find the breeds I wanted so I bought Silkie and Copper Maran eggs online. My eggs came shipped to me through USPS, I originally got 19 Silkie and 12 Copper Maran. I candled them at one week and again at 17 days, 10 Silkie and 6 Copper Maran eggs made it to lockdown.
This is how I set the eggs, I hand turn them twice a day about 12 hours apart. I mark them with a pencil, with an x on one side and the date on the other.
We have two thermometers, a digital one I place on top of the eggs and a digital thermometer/hydrometer to monitor the humidity. One thing I like about this incubator is the window on top makes it easy to see the temperature without opening it.
On day 18 the eggs go into lockdown, which means higher humidity and no turning. I increased the humidity to around 65% by adding water and arranged the eggs for hatching.
We have pipping! after the chick pips it needs to rest, but soon it will hatch.
I use an old metal incubator to dry them off, they need to be totally dry before they go in the brooder. With the high humidity in the incubator I find they dry quicker in here, Also the new chicks have a tendency to crash around and can disrupt the other eggs.You must be careful not to lower the humidity for the remaining hatching eggs if you take out the new chicks.
cute little things, they are sooooooooo awkward at first.
This is our brooder, they are on pelleted pine bedding, the cover is to keep the cat and dog from messing with them. Since it is so late in the year they will need to be inside for a couple weeks, usually we let the chicks into the outdoor play cage around a week and a half to two weeks old.
Closeup of a Silkie chick, they are kinda ridiculously cute
Yay for chicks :)
Since I have had several successful batches of chicks, I thought I would do a little post on how I incubate. Successfully incubating eggs varies a lot depending on factors such as your climate and incubator. I am using a Little Giant Foam incubator, which works fine but I saw a comment online about incubators saying the foam incubators had to be watched like a naughty toddler by a swimming pool, which is funny and true because they require quite a bit of fiddling.
I aim to keep the temperature between 100 and 102 degrees, sometimes adjusting it multiple times a day. I have been using a dry hatch method (outlined here) and it works well, although it can be difficult to keep the humidity low enough during our humid Michigan summers. I tried to keep the humidity around 40 to 45% for the first 18 days and around 65% during lockdown.
This forum has lots of helpful info on all thing chicken http://www.backyardchickens.com/f/5/incubating-hatching-eggs
I couldn't find the breeds I wanted so I bought Silkie and Copper Maran eggs online. My eggs came shipped to me through USPS, I originally got 19 Silkie and 12 Copper Maran. I candled them at one week and again at 17 days, 10 Silkie and 6 Copper Maran eggs made it to lockdown.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Morning Chores
I thought today I would take pictures while Smooshy and I did morning chores.
First thing, I turned the eggs in the incubator, they seem to be doing well.
Next I checked on the baby chicks, most of them hatched out on Monday, they are pretty sensitive for the first couple weeks so you have to be careful the temperature is good and they don't run out of food or water.
Sadie loves them! She is super gentle with the poultry.
Nice, healthy baby.
After breakfast I put Smooshy into the Mei Tai, I would never get anything done without it.
We fed and watered big chickens first, here are some pictures of our laying flock. We just added a bunch of new pullets so the mix is quite eclectic, we have Silver, Golden and Blue laced Wyandottes, Ameraucana (Easter Eggers), black Autralorps and some crosses.
Here is one of the Ameraucana roos, he is cool but I don't think we are going to keep him.
These are the new Blue Laced Red Wyandottes, I really like them. The big chickens stay in their pen for the morning to keep them (the bad Ameraucanas mostly) from laying eggs in the barn, I let them out in the afternoon so they get to free range most of the day.
Next we went to the small coop to feed and water the little chicks, they are always happy to get their daily greens and I feel it makes a big difference in their health. The larger Ameraucana is a one eyed bird someone gave to us, she gets to play nanny since the big birds pick on her.
These are some Holland chickens we got in a trade, they are cool but but laying yet and are totally freaked out by people. The roo is supposed to be really mean and aggressive but hasn't acted it yet, they will be transitioned to the big coop soon.
We just finished up painting the little coop, looks nice! especially considering as of this spring it only had three walls.
Joy and Baby Horse waiting for their hay, unfortunately with the drought and paddock stress from having three horses I have had to feed hay much of the summer. They get to go out and graze in the afternoon.
Poppy and Baby Horse saying "where's our bloody breakfast!"
Last thing is feeding and watering bunnies, in the summer they get a large amount of grass and fresh stuff, they always have free choice hay. I feel that is especially important for the Angoras as they can get wool block and die.
This is my cutie pie Silver Fox, she is growing nicely.
So that is it! I let the horses and chickens on pasture during the afternoon and horses get an evening "graining", doing chores in the winter is a little more work.
First thing, I turned the eggs in the incubator, they seem to be doing well.
After breakfast I put Smooshy into the Mei Tai, I would never get anything done without it.
We fed and watered big chickens first, here are some pictures of our laying flock. We just added a bunch of new pullets so the mix is quite eclectic, we have Silver, Golden and Blue laced Wyandottes, Ameraucana (Easter Eggers), black Autralorps and some crosses.
Here is one of the Ameraucana roos, he is cool but I don't think we are going to keep him.
These are the new Blue Laced Red Wyandottes, I really like them. The big chickens stay in their pen for the morning to keep them (the bad Ameraucanas mostly) from laying eggs in the barn, I let them out in the afternoon so they get to free range most of the day.
Next we went to the small coop to feed and water the little chicks, they are always happy to get their daily greens and I feel it makes a big difference in their health. The larger Ameraucana is a one eyed bird someone gave to us, she gets to play nanny since the big birds pick on her.
These are some Holland chickens we got in a trade, they are cool but but laying yet and are totally freaked out by people. The roo is supposed to be really mean and aggressive but hasn't acted it yet, they will be transitioned to the big coop soon.
We just finished up painting the little coop, looks nice! especially considering as of this spring it only had three walls.
Joy and Baby Horse waiting for their hay, unfortunately with the drought and paddock stress from having three horses I have had to feed hay much of the summer. They get to go out and graze in the afternoon.
Poppy and Baby Horse saying "where's our bloody breakfast!"
Last thing is feeding and watering bunnies, in the summer they get a large amount of grass and fresh stuff, they always have free choice hay. I feel that is especially important for the Angoras as they can get wool block and die.
Monday, September 3, 2012
ZOMG!!!!!!!!!!
I HAVE CHICKIES HATCHING.
After fussing with the incubator for 21 days, my babies are hatching.
Hatching eggs is super fun and I'm getting some Silkie eggs in a couple days, squeeeee!
After fussing with the incubator for 21 days, my babies are hatching.
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| first egg pipping |
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| first chick! fresh out of the egg! |
Monday, August 27, 2012
quick update with chickens
Big surprise, but we have been busy :)
Smooshy is teething and very touchy, so that limits my "free" time, hah.
Got eggs going in the incubator, going to do a post on that soon as I looooooove incubating. We are trying to hatch some homegrown eggs from our little flock but I am getting some Silkie eggs next month. They will be my Brood Squad next summer.
We added some Blue Laced Red Wyandottes to our flock, love them! so very pretty. We also let some hens go broody this summer and have quite a few new Easter Eggers and Golden Laced Wyandottes running about.
So that's it for now!
Smooshy is teething and very touchy, so that limits my "free" time, hah.
Got eggs going in the incubator, going to do a post on that soon as I looooooove incubating. We are trying to hatch some homegrown eggs from our little flock but I am getting some Silkie eggs next month. They will be my Brood Squad next summer.
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| cute little thing |
We added some Blue Laced Red Wyandottes to our flock, love them! so very pretty. We also let some hens go broody this summer and have quite a few new Easter Eggers and Golden Laced Wyandottes running about.
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| nice Americuana pullet. |
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| Blue Laced Red Wyandotte |
So that's it for now!
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