and now for a video!

Bunny nursery

I seem to have sussed out a set-up for my bunny nursery. Hopefully the pics say it all. Today I cleaned all the bunny cages again. With kits at hand and new litters due I want to keep everyone as clean and healthy as possible. And it was easy peasy.
Now I just have to figure out a nice permanent set-up for the studs, as they don't like to keep each other company and I want them to have "happy" singles accommodation.

Oh, and btw, the babies are SOOOOO cute right now: 20 days old and now jumping around and starting to nibble grass and hay.

 

Babies!

Ok, last week Brownie gave birth to her third litter, and her daughters Ginger and Lavender didn't. Unexpectedly her litter was only 4. But as I found out from others later on, to be expected from an unsupervised "mating". Obviously he didn't get to do the job properly with either of them.
So, after the max waiting time had elapsed the daughters got mated again on Monday, and this time properly. Well, as far as I could tell.

In the past week Brownie, the mum of four, has been behaving like an utter tart. And last night she managed to undo the boy's latch and they spent the night cavorting. AGAIN. I have to padlock his cage! Way to early for her: the does are supposed to have a recuperating time of 2-3 months between litters, but hey, let's see what happens in 30 days!

The babies, because there's only four of them, have been thriving and putting on weight and fur very quickly. Eyes are still closed, and should be for another 3-7 days, but that doesn't stop the kids bringing them in and giving them oodles of cuddles.
This bunch of babies is the leakiest we have had so far. EVERY time we pick them up, they piddle! I always make sure not to wear anything "nice" and even the kids are learning to keep their distance after the first one managed to squirt them in the face!!

 

Uno, the boy, has had a bit of a big snoz for quite some time. We had decided once we knew if he had lead in his pencil, we'd take him to the vet and get it sorted out. Well, while playing around with Ginger, she did the vets job, without anesthetic: she lanced one side of his nose and the most disgusting amount of gooey thick puss came out. Trying to keep it clean so it doesn't get affected, and hopefully the abcess will go by itself. Otherwise a visit at the vets is still on. We got him in for a check-up and he had a good nosey around, watched suspiciously by the dog!

The snow storm, which prevented me from watching two movies and a highly anticipated gig on Sunday night, was exciting at first. But now that we've been having mainly rain, hail, sleet and WIND we're over it. Could Spring please make an appearance soon?

The goats have been coping so far okish, I had to put coats on them twice, but feeding them hay twice a day seems to have been alright for them.

And we've been getting 3-5 eggs a day from the hens, so this week I'll be doing some baking again.

Oh, and speaking of baking, I've decided to start another blog!!  Only about food, recipes. No raising, butchering etc there. And the name?? Hehe, Pounui Resort Restaurant and Cafe!  PRRC for short.

see you soon,
here or there,
or ANYWHERE!

Yay

..one messy job out of the way:  bunny enclosures all cleaned up, and all three girls set up in their individual spaces. They were starting to fight a bit, and with only 9 days to go I don't want them scrabbling over space! And now Brownie is running around with a hay moustache too. Just waiting for her to start pulling the fur out and my week will be all good!

Goat's minxy, especially Tui is again behaving like a cheeky cow and constantly trying to attack Poppy. The wind we've been having isn't helping, but I bet somehow Riley gone is worse.

Chickens locked up, as I have not been getting any eggs. No more Mrs.Nice Lady.

Bread baked, firewood chopped and brought in, and the new spot for the vege garden planned. Now I just have to go out and start digging.

Getting ready for the Southerly to hit again tonight, at least we know our electric blankets are working! 

TTFN

My poor Girls!

Yesterday we took Riley back home. Last night it was strong gales and they had to huddle in their shelter all by themselves! This morning they were decidedly slow to get off the mark and greet me. But I'm sure they will survive. Now it's marking the calendar for the potential kidding time, middle of November til the end of December. Just to be on the safe side.

The bunnies have started pulling their fur out, not sure which one of the girls, but I'm not going to upset them by taking them out and flipping them over to check. 12 days to go, theoretically.

Lemon slice baked and frozen, Cheesecake next. 

nitey night all,
Peace and out.

Good times ahead?

This morning I noticed one of our rabbit girls with a hay moustache running up into the nest box!!
She's making a nest. Fantastic, hopefully she knows best and in 18 days we'll have some babies.
And not to be outdone her sister started just at lunch time to copy her. So now I've got a couple of maiden does who might have babies soon! As a precaution I've set up a second nursery to make sure they don't start fighting over space!

And on the goat front: the girls seem to be getting used to Riley doing his thang, even though I still have to hold them in place. BUT, Tui has started squeezing between me and the box, and Riley's been standing next to the box looking at me expectantly. I seem to have created kinky goats! Anyway, twice a day it's playtime until Riley is not interested anymore, and then hopefully back to normal grazing routine.


Tha', tha', that's all folks!

Wow....

.... it's been exactly four weeks today that Riley the buck has come to visit!
Yesterday and today, despite my assumption that last week both girls' heat had finished, he showed an extraordinary amount of interest in Poppy! So, even though I hate to interfere, I helped him getting a leg or two up. Today I think he might have done it, but I'm way tooo close to the action already and didn't really want to get any closer, so I'm not to sure.
And Tui is feeling left out! She seems to be coming into heat again too, as he was interested enough in her to do a job when she was held.

This is just all WAY TOO hands-on. I'd like to leave nature to itself and take its course, but on the same token, as Mr.10 poignantly told me: " If you want milk you need to help Riley make babies!"

Well, in 4-5 months I might see how successful this date has been.

Have to remember for next season to get a boy in earlier, and maybe one bigger than the girls: they are just to tall and stronger than Riley and just walk or run away from him. But then again, next season they might remember him and be ok?!

On the plus side, the hens have started laying again, instead of one every second day, we're now getting 3-5 every day!!!

Now I just have to keep an eye peeled for any hens going AWOL and sitting on nests. But that'll be fine too, chickies!!!!!!!


TTFN, peace and out.