This & That

Here it is, the end of August and the end of summer. It's been such an easy summer weather-wise, I hate to see it end. But I love fall almost as much as spring, so I'm looking forward to that.

I got the new Raspberry Run himis this week. I met Darrell in Sevierville. He and his wife were vactioning in Gatlinburg. Very pleased with the buns, and it was fun talking with Darrell.

Unfortunately, the doe ripped a nail off the first night so I can't show her for a while. Maybe the last show next month if the nail has grown out then. I'm going to try and finish the buck. He came with 2 legs.

That was really startling! I had looked in on the doe when I did feeding chores the next morning, but other than checking to see that she had eaten, I didn't look at her closely. Later, as I watered, I found bright blood spattered all over her water bottle! Oh no! I then saw a lot of blood under her cage. I pulled her out and looked her over. My first fear was her face or a tooth or something. Not a speck anywhere! Then I found the missing toenail. Whew! It's amazing how much blood can come out of such a small toe! There is a nub of nail left so it will grow back in time.

This is the most I've EVER paid for rabbits so I worry about them.

Another himi doe I had bought earlier this year died before I ever got a litter out of her. I don't know what was going on with her. I suspect she was retaining kits from one breeding to the next. Very weird and nothing I'd seen before. She was a rather big girl, and seemed built for brood, too. She died 4 days before her due date. If the retained kits were happening each time, I'm guessing some sort of toxic reaction. I didn't pay a lot for her but had high hopes as this breeder had really nice himis.

I had thought to get out of Sable Pts, but it turns out the buck is carrying it. So I pulled Angeni off the market to use with him. They got together this week and she is due late Sept.

The herd reduction has gone very well. Most are pending delivery to Murfreesboro. What's left will go to the Knoxville Fair next month as pet sales.

The babies out of Ford's Ranger are looking soooo gooood! I love the brokens and even the unexpected chin is lookin nice. I think I have a buyer already for him. I'm not messing with chin unless I get a really nice broken chin. That could be rather pretty.

Got a few does bred this week. It's been real nice that the summer hasn't been too hot. I haven't had to suspend breeding due to excess heat like I usually do. It's really nice to not worry about kits dying of cold if the doe doenn't handle it well.

The fall shows are firing up, and I don't have much to show! Srs are too molty, or trying to finish their coats. I've culled so hard, I don't have a bunch of jrs and even those are at the rough coat age. I may have to pass on the longer distance shows for a while. It will depend on what I show, sell, or buy.

tnt

Dog Days

Ah August. Actually, it's been a real easy summer. Not too hot, enough rain. Oh I said that before. Well it's still true!

As I said before the new chestnut buck is proving very interesting. I'm learning a whole new set of genetics here. There were 2 mystery kits in his first litters. The solid looked like a smoke pearl marten but has turned into a chinchilla. Hmmph...and it seems to be shaded chin. I'll toss that as a pet. The broken in the other litter really had me stumped, but it now looks chin, too. Again, lookin shaded but maybe it won't be as noticable on the broken pattern for show. Judges don't seem to notice slight anomalies in color on the brokens. I won't keep the solid chin, and not sure how to use the broken chin. It wasn't my plan to have chins.

This makes me rethink the entire shaded program. If broken is to be my focus,and it is, should I even bother with shadeds any more? Other than the BEWs, I kinda need everything else to work with the brokens. Yeah, shadeds might have to go.

So what am I doing? I'm currently making arrangements to have a pair of himis from a superior line upnorth brought in. I said before that doing himi AND broken is a bit self-defeating, but I do like himis for their simplicity. Not a lot of color issues once you get all the correct modifiers in place.

tnt

Summertime

Once again it's been a while. Not a whole lot to talk about but I'll try and find something.

Litters are coming here and there. The new Chestnut buck is proving to be an interesting addition. So far, he is carrying self and dilute, and has even thrown what appears to be shaded. I'm very glad he's carrying what I need for the brokens so they won't be all agoutis. Now keeping my fingers crossed there will be type improvement.

My focus has changed a bit again. I decided the Sable Point program is not working that well with the brokens. I've put all the Sable Pts up for sale. While I've got some very nice patterns out of the Sable Pts, Broken Sable Pt is not great for showing. I do like Broken Tort, and almost all the brokens carry it. I'll see how that goes.

I'll still have shadeds, but will mostly limit it to the Smoke Pearls. Himis will still be around which will make Siamese Sable useful, but I won't keep many of those. In a way, it doesn't make a lot of sense to do himi and broken b/c I would be competing against myself in the same group. Thinking out loud here.

It's been a real nice summer! Not too hot, plenty of rain. It's been raining all week! I've hardly had to run the fans for the does in the shed this year and the Summer House buns are very comfortable.

tnt