Bunnies Growing Up

November Update

We have baby bunnies! The first litter died a couple of weeks ago; mama didn't quite know what to do with them. The other doe is proving to be a better mama. One of the little guys keeps wandering out of the nest though. I found him cold on the wire again this morning. I hope he makes it.  

I got a good deal on some rabbit hutches and cages from a local "Valley Homesteaders" couple. If it wasn't pouring rain (again), I'd try to get some of the rabbits moved around.

Ysabel and Posey on the wall

 

Yesterday, my friends at Simply Dutch Farm helped me trim the bucks' feet and draw blood for CAE and pregnancy tests on nine of the goats. We will do the rest of them in December when the other does are 30 days post breeding. There goes another $100!

Ilona is the only doe I have left to breed. She should go back in heat Thursday or Friday and I think she's finally big enough. I have been stuffing her full of alfalfa.

I also hope Kami settles this time. If she doesn't, I will be taking her to Auburn to have her checked out.

Kat is absolutely enormous! I think she has at least triplets again and I'm beginning to get scared there may be more than three in there. I believe Trixie is having twins. I want to look back at pictures from last year, but she's not giving me any reason to think there are three. That's a relief because I am not sure I could nurse her through another triplet pregnancy.

Gray Day

Rainy days = dirty barn. Everything is a mucky mess with these girls hunkering down out of the rain. They were very happy for a bag of dry shavings. 

Today is 23 days since we artificially inseminated Betty Buttercup. She's shown no sign of being in heat, so I'm hoping my first AI was a success! I've been stuffing the girls full of alfalfa to get weight on Ilona and Buttercup's production has spiked back up. I think we'll do one more milk test on her and Maddy before calling it a year.

Ilona is the only doeling not yet at 80 pounds. The other four are averaging over 90 lbs. Illi will go back in heat a week from Friday and I'd really like to be able to breed her this month. I just keep stuffing her full of alfalfa. She's growing.

All the other girls should be bred now. Kami is the only one I'm having a tough time getting settled. She's been through three heat cycles now. Fingers crossed she's pregnant this time!