December Ramblings.

Well hello there.  As always it has been awhile.  Here are a few updates.

Convention has come and gone.  Mom and I were very happy with our placements!  We won the solid junior doe class with Lil' Bit Farms Bailey!  I have no words for how thrilled we were!  We also placed 9th and 17th in that class.  17th was Lil' Bit Farms Bella the litter sister to Bailey.  We made the hard decision to put Bella up for sale and we are thrilled with the home she went to.  A very nice family who I hope does well with her and her offspring!

An interesting story on Bella.  At least I thought so, or maybe I'm still miffed.  I had her for sale for $50 dollars more than another doe.  I really liked them both but obviously thought Bella was a better doe, hence the higher price, right?!  I had an inquiry on the cheaper doe and in the email they 'raved' about our rabbits.  In a second email they asked who was better Bella or the other doe, to which I of course said Bella.  I never heard a word back from them.  I don't know if they were just 'spamming' or if they thought I was being dishonest and only wanted to sell the doe that was $50 more.  Again, maybe I'm still miffed.  It all worked out because Bella proved her worth (at least IMO) and placed 17th in the largest Holland class AND went to a very wonderful family.  Maybe this is just a nanner nanner nanner on my part. 

Back to convention.  Zeke 2 was 4th and Sabotage was 27th solid senior buck.  I am so happy to have Sabotage back, I missed him greatly in the short time he was gone.

In baby news, we gave 9 nest boxes Sunday so barring any freak cold snaps we should have a very big baby boom come Wednesday.  This will lead to a 'cage space freak out' on my part and probably a sales list in a month or two.  A repeat breeding of Bailey/Bella is in this mix.  !!!! 

In a very rare occurrence our junior doe growing off cages are FULL but we only have 5 upcoming junior bucks!  I probably shouldn't have put that in writing and have cursed myself to litters and litters of bucks. 

We granded Bailey with a BOB in Duncan and she's now retired to breeding!  We bred her to Lil' Bit Farms Jason.  He is the junior buck that thrilled me with a BIS under Scott in Nebraska!  I cannot wait to see how he produces!  CANNOT WAIT! 

One of our best producing doe CN's JB2 has two by Absolute Zero.  The goal was to try and improve the muzzle/head on JB2's kids and hopefully keep that wonderful body she throws.  I refuse to think about her head on his body.  Again, did I really put that in writing? 

Enjoy this warm weather while it lasts!
Melanie    

Convention and Looking Back.

I am in full convention mode and can't stop thinking of evaluating our herd.  What should stay, what should go, are the new buyers going to be happy with their new stock?  Will rabbits finish their molts?  Will juniors molt their heads now or next month?  Why isn't this litter two months older so I can show them?! 

In the process of the almost every day going through the rabbits I have been taking pictures and updating the website, slowly and finally.  One of the bucks that got new pictures is Mom's Koda. 

Lil' Bit Farms Koda, senior picture

 

Lil' Bit Farms Koda, senior picture

 

I was looking at his junior pics and thought I'd post them to show his development.  These were taken about the same time last year.

 

Lil' Bit Farms Koda, junior picture



Lil' Bit Farms Koda, junior picture





He has filled in and out so much.  Pictured below is his son.  I am anxious to see how he looks in a year!

 

 

--Melanie

Personality.

A loooooong time ago there was a local commercial that featured a young woman interviewing for a job (I believe). During the course of the interview several questions were asked to which the woman repeatedly replied, "Well no, but I have a BRILLIANT personality" with a big cheesy grin on her face. No skills or useful qualities for the job that she was applying for but by golly she had a BRILLIANT personality. I'm not sure why I thought of this commercial from long ago. It was very annoying.

My rainbow Zero litter is coming out of the nests and getting to that cute age. Well, all but one. The broken sable point. I don't remember if it's a buck or a doe. He/she seems to have a narrower body and touch longer ears than the other three CUTIES. This one, of course, is the one that already comes to the door BEGGING for his/her head to be rubbed.

"well no, but I have a BRILLIANT personality"

Of course I am in love with the little gal/guy. I am hoping it is at least a doe. Sigh.

-Melanie

I survived.

Spring is so close and I survived another winter. I say survived like it was a big deal, but we had the mildest winter I can remember.

Kizmet (3rd BJD '11 Convention) had a litter of 4 by Zeke (2nd SSB '11 Convention). This is her second litter. Her first she had one peanut a week early so we were thrilled to see 4 (+ a peanut) this time around.

Lil' Bit Farms Zeke 2

Karma and her daughter, Kylee, also had litters this week. 2 and 3. Small litters but I'll take it!

Right when I had decided to let Slim go I found out he carries the 'cute sable point' gene. Not just sable point but cute sable point. I guess I'm glad I waited to see what his litters looked like. They are still to young to really evaluate but 'cute' is all that keeps me going sometimes.

I am currently in a dilema on moving out a buck we don't use that often. He throws tremendous round bodies but slipped crowns. We've tried so hard to cut that from our herd but I am so attached to this buck that it's hard to let him go. My biggest fear is that he'd go to a breeder that uses him once, determines that he 'out produced himself' and moves him on to someone else. I don't want to see him in a string of random short term barns. I hate these types of decisions.

--Melanie

Going into Winter.

Here we are already in December!  I will readily admit that I hate winter.  I wish I could hybernate until March, really I do.  I am dreading the season of kitcicles. 

We have 8 does due the first of next week, all very exciting litters.  Mostly unproven does though *shudder*. 

I am very excited to announce that we were asked to donate a holland for this years Convention trio!  =D  I believe this trio will consist of:  Ivy Crescent, Washburns and Lil' Bit Farms. 

Mom may attend the Cleburne show next weekend, not sure.  I can't go due to a work function (PARTY) that I'm the chair of.  They would probably tar and feather me if I skipped another one (I missed the Thanksgiving one due to Duncan).

I've been wanting to redesign and update our website but my first attempt resulted in finding out the software upgrade didn't include the graphic editor I wanted to use, sigh.  Anyone want to design a new one for me?  Darn, I didn't think so. 
  
It'll probably be another couple of quiet months from me, so hunker down and stay warm!

--Melanie

Colorado Show

Below are the results for the Colorado show

Show A:
Best of Breed:  Kay Miller, SSD  (RIS too!, congrats)
Best Opp of Breed:  Us with Slim, pictured below, BSB

Lil' Bit Farms Slim, a Sabotage son

Slim was hard to get a picture of, he was constantly rotating to face the camera. This is a buck that I've loved since he was an ugly junior. I don't know if it is the resemblance to his sire Sabotage or what?

Show B:

Best of Breed:  Us with Koda, SJB

Best Opp of Breed:  Us with Kizmet, BJD

Koda was on the specialty show table and did not get put up for BIS  :( 

Specialty Show:

Best of Breed:  Us with Kizmet, BJD

Best Opp of Breed:  Kay Miller, unsure of variety

Mom's van died on the way home so it's a good thing we only entered 8 rabbits at Convention.  They all should fit in the bug if worse comes to worse.  It'll be a tight fit, we just got used to the luxurious room of the van, but the 40mpg will help ease the pain.  Hopefully Mom will be able to get a good used van soon! 

Lil' Bit Farms Levi went to a new home.  We hope his new owners do very well with him.  He will be greatly missed  ;( 

Mom and I made the mistake of forgetting to quit breeding for babies during the time of Convention.  I guess we'll have to cross our fingers and hope for the best!  Rooky mistake, dang it.

Melanie

Some things are meant to be.

We have put Lil' Bit Farms Kolby up for sale a few times. He's been spoken for/sold a few times. For different reasons it has never worked out and he ends up not sold. Every time Mom and I question ourselves and what he's thrown. Eventually he goes back up for sale. The only reason I can think of is we are not emotionally attached to him like we are our other bucks. Kolby doesn't have a coat, ever. He has a tight crown and pulls his ears back when you first pull him out. These are probably the other considerations when we need cage space and someone has to go.

Despite his tight crown he's earned around 14 ARBA legs, a few BOS and BOB even. Given time his ears do settle and his body speaks for itself, short and compact.

Kolby's daughter Karma has 13 ARBA legs, 2 BIS, 4 BOB and 5 BOS. Karma was #3 top lop for awhile before retiring to breeding. His daughter Keri has 6 ARBA legs, 1 BIS and 2 BOB with limited showing as a junior only.

Pictured below is his last litter with Lil' Bit Farms Shanna, Wynn's BUD sister. And I mean BUD.

Lil' Bit Farms Koda

Lil' Bit Farms Koda

Lil' Bit Farms Kizmet

Lil' Bit Farms Kizmet

I think Kolby has earned his cage here with us. I'm sorry but he's no longer for sale :)

Melanie