Finally!

Finally got a Netherland Dwarf bred on Sunday! Sheesh! Stubborn little things!

Ahh, Friday!

Well, this week went by super fast! I was going to blog the day after my last one but I honestly don't remember what it was going to be about. So I'll just go with what's on my mind right now. Being that its, again, Friday, that shouldn't be too much.

There's a buck out in the barn that I really like right now. He was one of those bucks I got and I was like "Ehh, you're alright." But now, he's like whoa. Is it possible to be jealous of my own rabbit? Well I am. He's a black otter import buck and I can't wait to use him.

Too bad all of my does are in no shape to breed or the bucks don't feel like getting it on. *Rolls eyes*. I'm switching to Big Red so I'm hoping that'll put more flesh on the does.

February 5th is the first show of the year for me. PaSRBA Convention. Have lots of rabbits leaving to their new homes then. After that I probably won't go to anything until ANDRC Nationals in April. Have to save my money since it'll be a big trip. Plus I plan to pick up new stock then so I have to have all the money I can get. No that doesn't mean I plan on snatching up what I can find. It means that I already know who I'm buying from and have to make sure I can still buy from them :P I have to wait until February to find out what I'm getting. Eek! Such a long wait.

I do for sure have one new rabbit coming. A Netherland Dwarf buck. Color to be announced! Don't want to ruin the surprise! It's exciting. So stay tuned.

I'm redoing the Naragon's Xena x Roseart's Grizz breeding. There was a buck in the litter that I didn't pay attention too and the night he went to leave for his new pet home I posed him up and my jaw dropped. So that's in the works.

In news unrelated to rabbits, well. There is none. Oh the life of a rabbit breeder.

That's all for now.

First breeding of the New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!

I started the year out with a breeding...but not just any breeding. My first time breeding a Locket's doe! Locket's Brooklyn (Spring Lake's Eva x Roseart's Grizz) was bred to Stew's Bristol last night. I'm hoping to get orange and broken orange.

This is a big milestone in my rabbit life. I've waited

almost five years for this and I believe that I actually have the parts to be breeding with my own stock!

In other news, all the hangers from the barn have been removed and I am now officially transitioned over to stackers! Check out the new look:

I'll be adding more stackers soon because with my goals for 2011, I'll need all the space I can get.

That's all for now!

Rabbitry Resolutions

My horoscope is usually right about my life but I was not happy when I woke up to "complete some mundane chores". Instead, I've been spending the day (and the past week) thinking up some rabbitry resolutions for the new year. I wasn't planning on it but with all that's happened the past few months and where I plan to lead myself...I think it's a good idea. I realize that this blog is left unattended for long periods of time so that makes rabbitry resolution #1:

-Update the blog more often!

I did a quick read through of my last post and well, I guess a lot has changed. It was brought to my attention that each time I post the herd has changed in some way. At least that means there's progress! Rabbitry resolution #2:

-No more new projects!

That is, after all the current new projects make it under my roof. THEN there will be no more unplanned projects. No new breeds, no new colors. Which leads me to rabbitry resolution #3:

-BREED, breed, breed the Netherlands!

Oops, that's right, unless you've been on my facebook or website...you didn't know I had Netherlands! Which also means you don't know that I sold out of Holland Lops. Geez, I really do need to do some more updating. I'm leaving my self with 3 breeding does and 2 breeding bucks for the Hollands. Still working on agoutis, that plan hasn't changed. And in fact, it's doing quite well. Out of all my agouti litters and the sell down, I kept one orange doe. I also have a second generation Locket's doe that I am keeping and her half sister who is first generation. With so few Hollands, a switch from hangers to stackers, and an increase in cage space, I hope to keep a running herd of 20-30 Netherland Dwarfs. Eek! So exciting. Rabbitry resolution #4

-After I pick up my new additions at ANDRC Nationals, no more buying!

I am putting a lot into picking up some new stock at nationals from a/some top breeder(s). This is tied to the previous one as once I finish my foundation stock I'm going to force my self to breed as much as possible! Which means rabbitry resolution #5:

-Learn to cull.

That's going to be a hard one to fulfill since I promised myself that I'd cull hard with the Netherland to increase quality faster. Culling not just in the sense of selling the ones I don't have to keep but culling pet quality if they don't sell fast enough. Rabbitry resolution #6:

-Make a name for myself in the Netherland Dwarf community.

Easier said than done. Hopefully by proving I'm passionate about the breed I'll be able to do so. Culling hard, selling quality, showing the best, keeping juniors, etc. is how I plan to do this. Rabbitry resolution #7:

-Keep a max of 5 Hollands, keep breeding to a minimum, and work on my line.

I know I want to focus on the Dwarfs more than anything so I need to make sure the Hollands have a spot on the back burner. Rabbitry resolution #8:

-Make it to as many shows as possible.

Part of resolution #6. Get my name out there, get points, put legs on homegrowns etc. Rabbitry resolution #9:

-Buy more stackers

Any money that I make off sales will, instead of being used to buy more stock, will be put towards buying more stackers and/or replacing old ones. It's my dream to have all matching cages. And finally, rabbitry resolution #10:

-Win BIS with a homegrown.

I can dream can't I?

So hold me to it. Ten resolutions, 12 months.

That's all for now.

Title here

Wow, have things gotten behind lately. I can't believe the last time I blogged was in February. Maybe I should catch everyone up...

We just moved. Only about 20 minutes from our old house but nevertheless, it was quite the move. The new barn that the landlords so graciously let us built is more or less better than the last one. it's 8 1/2' by 22' as far as usable cage space. I have a 6' x 5' shed that extends the back of the barn for storage (what a God send!). Then there's about a 2' overhang that I plan to use as a patio once we get some stones down. It's pretty nice. I do plan to switch to stackers however much I hate to. It'll save me space and give me more holes eventually.

I'm overwhelmed with babies, juniors, and pregnant does. My total baby count right now, I believe, is 14. All under 5 weeks. I have about 5 keepers as far as my spring juniors go. A handful of pet rabbits that need to leave as well as some seniors. Somewhere around 6-7 does bred due on August 4th..and they all took! Don't know if I mentioned this on here or not but I'm working with agoutis now. That project is going really well. I have one agouti buck from Roseart rabbitry who has produced Chestnuts, Opals, Oranges, and Creams so far! I plan to slowly move more into this project since the Hollands are starting to get stressful. I figured if I'm gonna breed them it might as well be fun. I'm possibly considering selling down to a small amount of blacks and torts and keeping majority agoutis. Lionheads are leaving unfortunately because they aren't priority right now and they are just using space I need.

Have a small project underway that I don't plan to release until it's established. How exciting!

Other than that...there isn't really much going on. Rabbits have been set back on my priority list especially since I've had such a busy summer. With me going back to High School I'm sure my numbers will decrease majorly until I'm sure I can handle it all. Just the one downside to it all is that I can't seem to sell anything. Really makes it complicated and frustrating.

Recent show results worthy of mentioning: Taylorsville, NC (not sure of the date, sometime in early June maybe?) ANR's Brianna granded out with a BOSB leg, DRU Mary's Alice picks up her first leg as a junior for BOSB, and Gavin's Jukebox picks up his first leg for 1st SSB. Don't remember the judges but I was really happy! I received the legs for Juke and Alice but nothing on Bri yet..still waiting!

I have my first batch of homegrowns to show in the fall season. Looking forward to seeing how they'll stand up against the competition.

That's all for now.

Spring is coming and I'm really hoping to be able to step up production for the next few months! I hopefully have a few does due to kindle that will get me going and then I want to bring in some more does.

Locket's Woodstock is turning out better than I could have EVER asked for. He's by far one of the best, if not the best, I've ever produced. His first show will be at the NC State Convention in March. He'll be a hardy 4 months old and ready to compete!

I am sad to say that we lost ANR's Kellen due to wool block/bloat. It was a very sad loss for the rabbitry and he will be greatly missed.

That's all for now!

Long time no talk!

Well it's been awhile, and this will be a short post. But just to prove to everyone that I'm still alive....

More changes! American Fuzzy Lops are leaving unfortunately. Still trying to sell the last three. I realized that there is no market for them around here and that there isn't any competition. I don't know what made me want to get them anyways. Just so cute I guess!

Out with the old...in with the new. The Locket Lops family welcomes two new breeds! Castor Mini Rex and BEW and VM Lionheads! We will be keeping a trio of each breed to produce pets and support the pet market. We love these breeds and are happy to have them!

Finally, my Holland Lop herd reduction is complete and I finally have the basis of my new herd. I have brought in three new bucks (ANR's Tait, ANR's Kellen, & Gavin's Jukebox) and two new does (ANR's Brianna and PJ's Athena). I am very happy to have them to restart my herd. I also have some very promising juniors that I hope to use as well. I still have Elliot, Trixy, Eva, and Xena. Everything else has moved on.

Really quickly, I am ever so please to announce that Locket's Evolet (Spring Lake's Eva x Naragon's Elliot) took 1st place Solid Junior Doe in Open at PaSRBA Convention!!! What an accomplishment for my rabbitry! Unfortunately, I did not show her but regardless her placement is outstanding and as an award.....her first leg!!! She took 2nd place in the speciality show and 3rd place at her very first show at the Wade Memorial Show. I can see that this girl is going to go far.

That's all for now.