A Surprise Package

I was very excited and surprised to find a package on the table from my husband when I got home the other day. He said he researched and thought I would enjoy what he found. Here is what was inside:

Needless to say, I am thrilled! This book is amazing! It is all about learning to live in harmony with the land under your feet and covers topics like natural energy, raising crops and livestock, preserving foods, making beer and wine, basketry, carpentry, weaving, financial independence, home repairs, foraging, and the list goes on. The table of contents reads like a list of things I daydream about every week. I've only read the introduction and flipped to a couple of sections, but it seems well-written, detailed, and thoughtful. Literally FILLED to the brim with tons of helpful information, how-to guides, and insights.

So back to the package. Underneath the book above, I found another tucked behind it! It looks like this:

I haven't even opened this one yet because I am obsessed with the first book, but it says it covers topics such as growing and preserving foods, raising chickens, having a successful garden, buying land, catching pigs, making sausage, etc. My husband said it came very highly recommended by other homesteaders, so I can't wait to get started on it. I expect it will take me a while to read them both cover to cover because I am taking my time to really grasp the information, but I will plan to post a book review on them in the future.

Basically, my husband is a magnificent specimen of a man and I am so fortune to have met him half a lifetime ago. He is my soulmate, partner, and best friend and I couldn't thank him enough for these unexpected and thoughtful gifts while we look ahead to whatever the future might hold. I wonder if the books say anything about Nebraska? :)

8 Week Evaluation Part II

I'm back! Also, this is the coldest late February I can remember. It was 11 degrees when I last looked and we have winds up to 28 mph. I ran the water overnight, but it looks like only the hot water is working and the cold pipe is frozen. Hopefully not cracked!

In the meantime, here we go! This is the black Japanese doe. She has brindled up, which I don't like, but ain't too shabby as far as type. Kind of has a reverse Dutch thing going on from this side:

Shoulders are a little bit low and long, but nothing compared to the blue buck. See how her HQ chops off instead of gently sloping? We don't want that, but she is actually decent overall. Top view:

And one more:

Little bit chopped/pinched, but still very undercut. And so the quest for perfect HQ and shoulders continues.

Here is the runt doe of the litter:

Top view:

And back:

I actually don't dislike her type compared to some of the others and she feels smooth. But she is sooooo little and is almost a full pound smaller than my largest. Unless something dramatic changes, we won't be keeping her.

Another black Japanese doe (who wasn't cooperative for posing obviously):

I like this doe. She is big, smooth, and solid. I don't like her pinched and hippy backside, but she is pretty good everywhere else and is the largest in the whole litter. Another pic of her:

Like with most of the others, the biggest issue is pinched/undercut. I think if I could keep working to improve meat qualities there, these traits would diminish. One more:

And the last doeling:

She has long shoulders, but they aren't very low- do you see the difference? It kind of seems like I am going to have to choose between HQ or shoulders for my keeper does. Most of them have significant faults with one, the other, or both. This one is less pinched than  the previous doe. Another view:

And from the back, where the undercut portion becomes more apparent. Not terrible though:

So I have some decisions to make. Jack is staying for sure. The blue buck and runt doe will not be kept unless something amazing changes between then and 10-12 weeks. I'm on the fence about the rest until we see how they grow. I've read that hindquarter problems are easier to fix and that shoulder problems (ie long, low, and/or narrow) will haunt breeders forever, so I lean towards picking the shorter/deeper does with wider shoulders. Do you have a favorite or one you really hate? Decisions, decisions.. and thanks for looking!

8 Week Evaluation Part I

I am not sure if I will have time to post all of both litters today as I may need to pack to live at work for a few days thanks to the winter storm rolling in tomorrow. I decided to start and see how far I get.

This is Jack, one of the keepers:

Although his coat is all weird in the first picture, he is very smooth and wide as you can see from the second. Top view:

His ears are covering his shoulders some, but there is a dip, so they are lower than I would like. His depth is alright, but he has a late rise because of the low shoulders. He is full and rounded through the loin. His hindquarter is lacking as it slopes towards the ground- he is undercut and pinched. His overall shape is pretty balanced and his type is overall an improvement compared to my older Harlies. His temperament and rufus are outstanding. His markings are poor. Overall, my Harlequins need better type and we have elected to keep him as a herdsire despite the fact that Harlequins are judged primarily on their markings.

To contrast, here is the buck from Sunshine's litter that I am not planning to keep:

Gah! What in the world? Okay, okay.. so he isn't quite as awful as the picture above (he had flattened out after I caught him trying to take a leap of faith off the side), but still, he leaves much type to be desired:

And here is a top view also so we can compare apples to apples:

Some of the differences are much more dramatic in person, but things that jump out at me even in the pictures is how much smaller this buck is. He also lacks the depth and width overall that Jack has. His shoulders are more narrow, long, and low. His hindquarters are also very pinched/chopped/undercut. He feels catchy, hippy, and boney whereas Jack feels smooth and wide. While Jack is far from the ideal New Zealand White commercial rabbit, the difference is still pretty durned dramatic between the two:

 

Yikes! There are so many issues with the blue buck's HQ that it helps to remind me how far I still have to go before I get serious about markings. Hopefully Jack can contribute his big booty, improved shoulders, and thicker loin to future generations and we are very happy to welcome him to the herd.

The only other kit in Tacoma's litter besides Jack is a doe that you've met before- Pancake. Unfortunately she is not as nice as her brother, but still nicer than the blue buck. She is also the largest of all of the kits born around that time. The thing is- she is super comfortable being hauled around and totally not interested in posing. Most of my attempts came out like this:

Hi Pancake! Not exactly what I was going for though. Let's try again:

Pancake! You aren't an English Spot. After approximately 134, 621, 210 attempts, I finally had one where she didn't pop up for a split second. Not perfect, but I didn't have time to keep trying:

We can see right away her shoulder is long and low contributing to a late rise. She has better depth than the blue buck (thank goodness she doesn't actually look like a pancake!). Here is another (sorry about my hand):

Her hips lack roundness over the top and she is a bit hollow through the loin, though still better than the blue buck. She is also very pinched and a bit chopped when her legs are actually where they should be. I am on the fence about her. Type needs improvement, but she does have traits that are important to me like being the biggest, having fast growth, heavy muscling through the loin, great rufus, an outstanding temperament, and is my only doe from this litter. We will consider her carefully at 10 weeks and go from there.

And that's all for now! Feel free to comment on what you like or hate so much you can't stand it. :) I think I have pretty realistic expectations that it will take generations for consistent improvement and in the meantime, we will eat like kings. I hope everyone further North made it through the storms okay and continues to stay warm!

8 Week Weigh In

I can't believe it has already been 8 weeks! Here are today's numbers:

Sunshine's Litter-
1. 3lb 1.8oz (black runty doe)
2. 3lb 13.4oz (black eye patch doe)
3. 3lb 3.1oz (blue shoulder buck)
4. 3lb 5.2oz (lilac banded doe)
5. 3lb 8.2oz (black banded doe)

Tacoma's Litter-
1. 4lb 3.8oz (Pancake- black doe)
2. 4lb 1.7oz (Jack- black buck)

Here are comparisons to other 8 week old breeds I could find:

Silver Fox:
3lbs 8oz
3 lbs 14.4oz
3lbs 11.4z
3lbs 9.4oz
3lbs 7.4oz
3lbs 1.2oz
3lbs 7.2oz

Cal/NZ:
3lbs 7.4oz
4lbs 1.4oz
4lbs 5.8oz
3lbs 14.6oz
3lbs 13.4oz
3lbs 5.2oz
3lbs 11oz

All of the weights taken today are consistent with the 6 week old findings except that Pancake weighs slightly more than Jack. The smallest kit from birth is still the smallest now by more than a full pound difference. The two biggest kits also were the pair with no other competition, which makes for an interesting discussion about litter management and maximum litter size for optimum growth vs. genetics. Overall, they still seem to be hanging in there compared to other commercial breeds in terms of scale numbers, but some of my kits feel more thick and solid (like Jack), while others are starting to get that long shouldered/hippy/pinched look that many Harlies have. I would imagine that would mean the dress-out for some of them would be sub par as compared to other meat rabbits.

We are going to weigh and eval again at the 10 week mark, but Jack will be staying here as a future herdsire. Our favorite does are Pancake and the eye patch doe from Sunshine's litter. Our least favorite for structure is the blue buck. The runty doe actually has nice type, but she is so small that I doubt she will be able to stay. Everyone is weaned as of this weekend and are currently zooming and binkying around the grow-out pens. Pictures and critiques to follow once I get them uploaded (probably tomorrow).

I have a HUGE crush..

..on this funny little doe. I thought she might be interested in going back inside to her toys (and sibling).

"Nah, it's cool. I'll just hang out with you."~ Pancake

Life and Death

We lost Valkyrie's black Japanese doeling unexpectedly today. When I checked on them last night, there were 5 fat and happy kits. When I went out to take care of everyone this morning, the doe kit was separated from the others in the nestbox, which is not a good sign in rabbits. Most kits this age still sleep in a pile together, particularly when it is cool out like it is here. When I picked her up, she was chilly and quiet. Her color was poor and she was breathing fast, which are usually signs of shock or impending death (in rabbits and in people incidentally). She passed away shortly after. I will never know for sure why she suddenly declined, but I think the most likely reason is that she was probably stepped on when mama popped in the nestbox to nurse.

Death is natural and inevitable, but never easily accepted, even by people more exposed to it, like those of us that raise animals or work in healthcare. I found this comic a while back and I think it beautifully and artistically illustrates the natural cycle:

Life and Death have been in love

Many people wouldn't understand, but I know you guys do. So, thanks. 

10 Days

New pictures at 10 days old!

Hikari's black Japanese kit (probable buck):

 

Valkyrie's black Japanese kit #1 (probable doe):

Valkyrie's blue Japanese kit #2 (probable doe- this is the wild one of the bunch):

Kurayami's blue Japanese kit #1 (probable buck):

Kurayami's black Japanese kit #2 (probable buck and largest of the 5):

I found two of 'em out of the nestbox this morning, but they are a little young and it was pretty cold. I plopped them back in and I haven't seen anyone again yet so they probably came out with mama while nursing. So far so good otherwise!