Post by annclaire on Jun 18, 2012 0:31:32 GMT -5
Last time I posted, my does had just kindled in March ... since then, I have sold all 11 of the meat rabbits, and had 5 of the pedigreed angoras coming on ... 3 of which were show quality conformation and the other 2 with show quality fiber, but disqualifications in conformation.
My senior meat rabbit doe kindled 12 on 5/11 with one DOA and the Angora kindled 8 on 5/12, but lost one runt 2 days later.
I also finished the adult chainlink runout pen and the adults enjoy their time in the pen. The junior angoras have been doing fine in the moveable pen which is made from 1/2" x 24" hardware cloth.
On Memorial Day Sunday, I came inside to get a refill on my tea and some jackass let his pit bull female run and she jumped into the baby's runout pen and slaughtered 3 of the Angoras. I came outside and saw a black cockerspaniel running in my back yard, so I grabbed the pellet gun and shot for behind the ribcage. It yelped and took off and then I noticed the female in the pen. No time to reload, so I ran out and grabbed the shop hammer (small sledge hammer) that I had set down by the pen and when the dog came at me, I hit her as hard as I could. She came at me again. I had to keep her carcass overnight until Animal Control could come and get it, but he came in on his day off to do it. I had also found the male laying in the alley way ... evidently the pellet gun is at the high end of the power scale, so neither dog will be a danger to anyone or anything again.
Of the 2 survivors, one had been in one of the dog's mouths as the fur on it's back end was slobbered <blech> and his name is now Lucky, but the other seemed to be ok. The next day, I sheared both and didn't find any open wounds, but noticed that Lucky was favoring his left front paw. Within 2 days, the other one was having problems with his eyes and we started Crying Eyes. Friday, I took them to the vet when I took the new pound puppy in for her spay. Lucky had a seperated shoulder and Crying Eyes had a bacterial eye infection.
I bred the junior meat rabbit doe I kept back from the first litter and she kindled last week ... had 3 but one had a cleft palate, so I had to put it down. The senior meat rabbit doe also kindled last week and she had 5 from the junior buck's first breeding.
At this time, I have 2 junior Angoras that might still make it to Nationals in October, 9 6-week old meat rabbits and 7 6-week old Angora babies, with another 7 meat rabbit kits in the nest boxes that are a week old.
One of the reasons that I was able to get so much done in the gardens and around the property is because I am outside all day, every day watching over the bunnies. Even so, the dog attack was so fast ... I was only 20' away in the kitchen refilling my tea glass and walked back outside ... maybe 5 minutes at the most.
I still need to build the permanent rabbit hutches, and put up the second runout pen, but things are going fairly well.
Here is where I am when I take a break from working around the property:
My senior meat rabbit doe kindled 12 on 5/11 with one DOA and the Angora kindled 8 on 5/12, but lost one runt 2 days later.
I also finished the adult chainlink runout pen and the adults enjoy their time in the pen. The junior angoras have been doing fine in the moveable pen which is made from 1/2" x 24" hardware cloth.
On Memorial Day Sunday, I came inside to get a refill on my tea and some jackass let his pit bull female run and she jumped into the baby's runout pen and slaughtered 3 of the Angoras. I came outside and saw a black cockerspaniel running in my back yard, so I grabbed the pellet gun and shot for behind the ribcage. It yelped and took off and then I noticed the female in the pen. No time to reload, so I ran out and grabbed the shop hammer (small sledge hammer) that I had set down by the pen and when the dog came at me, I hit her as hard as I could. She came at me again. I had to keep her carcass overnight until Animal Control could come and get it, but he came in on his day off to do it. I had also found the male laying in the alley way ... evidently the pellet gun is at the high end of the power scale, so neither dog will be a danger to anyone or anything again.
Of the 2 survivors, one had been in one of the dog's mouths as the fur on it's back end was slobbered <blech> and his name is now Lucky, but the other seemed to be ok. The next day, I sheared both and didn't find any open wounds, but noticed that Lucky was favoring his left front paw. Within 2 days, the other one was having problems with his eyes and we started Crying Eyes. Friday, I took them to the vet when I took the new pound puppy in for her spay. Lucky had a seperated shoulder and Crying Eyes had a bacterial eye infection.
I bred the junior meat rabbit doe I kept back from the first litter and she kindled last week ... had 3 but one had a cleft palate, so I had to put it down. The senior meat rabbit doe also kindled last week and she had 5 from the junior buck's first breeding.
At this time, I have 2 junior Angoras that might still make it to Nationals in October, 9 6-week old meat rabbits and 7 6-week old Angora babies, with another 7 meat rabbit kits in the nest boxes that are a week old.
One of the reasons that I was able to get so much done in the gardens and around the property is because I am outside all day, every day watching over the bunnies. Even so, the dog attack was so fast ... I was only 20' away in the kitchen refilling my tea glass and walked back outside ... maybe 5 minutes at the most.
I still need to build the permanent rabbit hutches, and put up the second runout pen, but things are going fairly well.
Here is where I am when I take a break from working around the property: