#rabbitry2019

[continent-of-wild-endeavor]

This baby was napping with its face smushed between the bars. The blue one came and woke it up so it could flop down there, too.

@nyctra

[continent-of-wild-endeavor]

I stole this picture from ... somebody on google images (sorry) and have been thinking on it. It's a rabbit tractor from Polyface Farm, a design I intend to more or less copy. The slatted floor is the key: allows for grazing, doesn't mash all the great down when you move it, prevents escapes. 2x2s for the base frame, but what can I use for the slats? What's thin but sturdy enough, and easily obtainable without having to rip down larger lumber?

[continent-of-wild-endeavor]

Today's lesson: No, you *can't* actually hold the rabbit still, hold his fur out of the way, fend off excited dogs, and spray Blu-kote, all at the same time with only two hands, without getting it on yourself.

Now I've got a purple hand for a few days, and there's some in my other hand, too. Next time, put the dogs inside, wear gloves, and get an extra set of hands.

[continent-of-wild-endeavor]

Tried to breed Daffodil and Lily today, but they were not having it. Will try at least one of them again in a couple of days...I only really want 1 litter at a time in the summer heat, esp. now that all the young does have proven they know what to do with babies.

In other farm news, we got a Craigslist rooster today. Not a free dear-god-get-him-out-of-here jerk, but a nice sweet 12 week old Orpington dude I paid 15 bucks for. I'll try to get a picture of him tomorrow. He's black, basically, but with that green sheen like motor oil on water. I know nothing about chicken color genetics, but he's a buff/chocolate cross. We like our buff Orpington, so we hope we'll get a similar temperament with him. He's been handled a fair bit, and both his parents are nice. His father was fucking MAJESTIC, so I'm looking forward to that. No name yet, but then our bird naming is slack.

The coop *should* be done tomorrow, then once the paint fumes air out we can go get our teenage hens from our friends' house, and integrate them all into one big flock.

[continent-of-wild-endeavor]

We've got baby bunnies! 5 live in the nest in cage 3, and the doe in 6 is trying to dig a hole to China so I'm betting she'll pop tonight. Bunnies!

Now I need 2 new doe names (we name them once they produce, rather than coming up with names for every potential keeper). We've been doing a flower theme, and the one that's already kindled is a Snapdragon daughter. The other is out of Dixie, I believe. Both these does began preparing their nests well in advance, so I'm thinking of flowers that bloom early (Daffodil?) or plants that do a lot of growing before they bloom...or I'll just let J name them. He did the last few, and chose well.

[continent-of-wild-endeavor]

Silvery feets!

Silver Fox rabbits are born solid (most are black, but they can also be blue, chocolate, or lilac, and rarely a few other colors), and the characteristic silvering comes in later, as they get their first adult coats. The feet are always the first to silver up.

[continent-of-wild-endeavor]

Daffodil is MAD AT ME because I messed with her babies again. Yep, that's like her mother! But I found that the one that had been a little chilly is now cozywarmwiggly like the rest, which is good, and also at least one is blue! Or potentially lilac. We'll see!

[continent-of-wild-endeavor]

New rabbit barn features:

- Work table with water, possible processing area?

- Feed room! Very well insulated, very dark.

- Enough space for probably 5 more cages.

- Mud.