Yesterday was the Southeastern Dwarf Fanciers Triple Crown in Spartanburg, SC. This is a triple open specialty show that only sanctions 3 dwarf breeds - Netherland Dwarfs, Holland Lops, and Mini Rex. In a departure from previous years, some other breeds were included but the 3 sponsor clubs didn't sanction them. The exhibitors had the option of sanctioning them for themselves. I'm not sure what we'll will do about that in the future as it did slow down the show a little. There was a system in place to keep 3 breeds moving along to 3 judges. I'm sure it will be discussed at our club's meeting & Rendevous in June.
Actually, the show was just real slow for some reason, and I don't think it was the extra breeds. I didn't get out of there until after 6pm which is very unusual. I had a jr up for BOB but I knew she wasn't going any further so I booked after my last group was finished. Didn't get home until almost 9pm and I was whipped.
The weather was wonderful. A cold start but it warmed up real nicely with plenty of sunshine. Some exhibitors and judges came from much colder states, and we were pleased we could give them a taste of spring. The turnout was very good and other than being so tired as the day dragged on, we all had a good time.
How did I do? I think I pulled a few legs on my brokens but didn't keep written track so I'll have to wait until the report comes to say for sure. Most of my entry was young jrs so not really competitive. Otters and/or Silver Martens took the day across the board. The tan pattern group was huge, and judges were hard put to choose from the top half of the classes where the quality was so close. That could be a factor in the slowness of the day.
I brought home a new herd buck. Ford's Roc is a very nice black that I hope will add some things I need for the brokens, and he'll get himi does, too. I love an all-purpose buck! I was a bit frustrated in not knowing where to get what I need without resorting to otters which I really don't want. I'm pleased I spotted him in the carrier and the price was right.
So, in keeping with my perpetual herd reduction (and not wanting otters), I've put LB92 up for sale. I've got what I needed from him and it's time to move him on.
For Sale - Lil' Bit Farms LB92
Mostly Darkside's import lines and some Bond's. He's a big guy (3-4 oz over) but he is a true dwarf (throws peanuts). He meshes better with true dwarf does than BUDs, and I have some real nice get from him. He even covered my smallest does and they had live litters without a hitch. Did good things for bone, HQ, and head/ear. Carries self and dilute, throws more selfs than otters, and throws his great pattern consistently. It was never my intention to have otters, I bought him for his type, pattern and self/dilute genes. Earned a BOB leg the first time I showed him, but the 2nd judge that day DQ'd for weight. Decided to sell him after getting the new self buck yesterday. Price is what I paid for him.
I'm feeling hungover today. And no, not due to alcohol. Probably overly tired although I slept pretty hard last night. Maybe it was that heaping plate of dessert I indulged in. Lunch was pot luck and the sweets to be had took up most of the buffet table. There was the best cherry cobbler I've ever had! Yeah, feeling kinda wimpy today. Looks like a lazy day for me. Maybe a long overdue photo shoot.
48 days until Spring!
tnt
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Happy 2011
This is also the Chinese Year of the Rabbit. Best of luck and happiness to all bunny breeders born under this sign. I was born in a Year of the Snake. Specifically the Water Snake (I just learned there's more than one kind of Snake), which coincides with Pisces in making me a double water sign. What does that mean? I don't know, and this blog isn't about astrology so it's just a thing.
It's been a rough new year here in the south. Many of us (myself included) were stricken by the "Taylorsville Flu" after that show Jan 1. Some unusual storms the past 2 weeks kept us covered in snow, and some areas hadn't seen snow in decades. It snowed here almost every day last week, and it was so cold, none of it melted. It just kept piling up. I had 7" or more on the ground by the time it was over, and some of it still lays there. A lot of southerners get off on the novelty of snow, but I moved down here to get away from that kind of winter. I didn't appreciate it. Well, maybe a little for a short while. It was very pretty.
It's finally warmed up to more normal temps in the 40s. I hope it stays that way. I'd hate to miss the Triple Crown at the end of the month. Again. Last year, we had to cancel it due to a threatening snow storm.
The first news for 2011 is that the website has been overhauled with a brand new design and layout. Some pages were left as is (with some fine tuning) because I like their current layout, but the main pages are the new design. I'm still working on the Articles. I've added some new ones, and have a couple more to rework or create, but most of that section is up to date now.
I eliminated a couple pages that I decided were unnecessary. One of those being the Nestbox page. I'm aware that some of my regular visitors kept up with it to see what I'm breeding and getting in litters, but it was a hassle to maintain. From now on, nestbox news will be posted here in the blog. Without further ado....
Nestbox News:
There's really not a lot to report. I lost some, and am down to just the 1 litter from Shadowland's Honeycomb x Raspberry Run Messenger. 2 blacks and 1 tort. They're going on 4 weeks, and so cute. I revisited the "teat sexing method" for this round of litters. I had all 3 as does, but it now looks like 1 black is a buck. I believe I was tentative about one of them, and maybe this was the one. I hope I'm right about the tort being a doe. I really need her to be a doe.
Teat-sexing method? This is a way of determining sex in the first days of life. You look for teats before the fur comes in and this is supposed to indicate doe. Whether it's reliable is still up for debate. It's been pointed out that male animals also have teats, and this is true. I've used it in the past with fair accuracy, so my new theory is that does have bigger easy-to-see teats. The kit I was tentative about upholds that theory.
I had a few litters due this week, but all failures. Foxy Lady x LB92 delivered a live litter of 4 brokens (1 good pattern), but they were dead of cold by the time I got to them. I'm going to rebreed her to Whiskey Mac to see what happens. There's a good chance she carries non-extension and that could make orange. Not that I want to do orange, but broken orange is so pretty it could be a fun addition to the broken program.
Nova x Messenger failed. Not surprising for a 1st-timer. I'm confident she'll do fine eventually. The litter of 2 was DOA but she built a lovely nest. In any case, I decided to pare the himis down, and she is now for sale.
Nyx x Dot.com (also 1st-timer) also failed. She didn't build a nest although she carried hay around. She just didn't figure out what she's supposed to do with it. She had 2 DOA in the box with no nesting material. 1 was broken with a nice spotty pattern and the other was a peanut.
Don't have any more litters due until around Feb 2.
Food for thought:
A friend posted about this in her blog a while back, and I think it's worth repeating.
Sell-Out vs Herd Reduction. There's a big difference. Sell-out means selling off the entire stock of a breed or variety. Keeping 1 or 2 as pets is one thing. Keeping a breeding pool is another and that's not a sell-out, it's just a herd reduction. Calling a reduction a sell-out is false advertising, and it really annoys other breeders. Call it what it is.
In fact, why label it at all if it isn't a complete sell-out? Breeders are constantly reducing their numbers. It's a perpetual herd reduction that doesn't need a fancy title. Now, if it really is a large special sale list with reduced pricing to move quickly, then yeah...it could be called a "herd reduction sale". Such a sale implies good deals are to be had as in the retail business. If lower prices aren't offered, it's not really a "sale", is it?
59 Days Until Spring!
tnt
It's been a rough new year here in the south. Many of us (myself included) were stricken by the "Taylorsville Flu" after that show Jan 1. Some unusual storms the past 2 weeks kept us covered in snow, and some areas hadn't seen snow in decades. It snowed here almost every day last week, and it was so cold, none of it melted. It just kept piling up. I had 7" or more on the ground by the time it was over, and some of it still lays there. A lot of southerners get off on the novelty of snow, but I moved down here to get away from that kind of winter. I didn't appreciate it. Well, maybe a little for a short while. It was very pretty.
It's finally warmed up to more normal temps in the 40s. I hope it stays that way. I'd hate to miss the Triple Crown at the end of the month. Again. Last year, we had to cancel it due to a threatening snow storm.
The first news for 2011 is that the website has been overhauled with a brand new design and layout. Some pages were left as is (with some fine tuning) because I like their current layout, but the main pages are the new design. I'm still working on the Articles. I've added some new ones, and have a couple more to rework or create, but most of that section is up to date now.
I eliminated a couple pages that I decided were unnecessary. One of those being the Nestbox page. I'm aware that some of my regular visitors kept up with it to see what I'm breeding and getting in litters, but it was a hassle to maintain. From now on, nestbox news will be posted here in the blog. Without further ado....
Nestbox News:
There's really not a lot to report. I lost some, and am down to just the 1 litter from Shadowland's Honeycomb x Raspberry Run Messenger. 2 blacks and 1 tort. They're going on 4 weeks, and so cute. I revisited the "teat sexing method" for this round of litters. I had all 3 as does, but it now looks like 1 black is a buck. I believe I was tentative about one of them, and maybe this was the one. I hope I'm right about the tort being a doe. I really need her to be a doe.
Teat-sexing method? This is a way of determining sex in the first days of life. You look for teats before the fur comes in and this is supposed to indicate doe. Whether it's reliable is still up for debate. It's been pointed out that male animals also have teats, and this is true. I've used it in the past with fair accuracy, so my new theory is that does have bigger easy-to-see teats. The kit I was tentative about upholds that theory.
I had a few litters due this week, but all failures. Foxy Lady x LB92 delivered a live litter of 4 brokens (1 good pattern), but they were dead of cold by the time I got to them. I'm going to rebreed her to Whiskey Mac to see what happens. There's a good chance she carries non-extension and that could make orange. Not that I want to do orange, but broken orange is so pretty it could be a fun addition to the broken program.
Nova x Messenger failed. Not surprising for a 1st-timer. I'm confident she'll do fine eventually. The litter of 2 was DOA but she built a lovely nest. In any case, I decided to pare the himis down, and she is now for sale.
Nyx x Dot.com (also 1st-timer) also failed. She didn't build a nest although she carried hay around. She just didn't figure out what she's supposed to do with it. She had 2 DOA in the box with no nesting material. 1 was broken with a nice spotty pattern and the other was a peanut.
Don't have any more litters due until around Feb 2.
Food for thought:
A friend posted about this in her blog a while back, and I think it's worth repeating.
Sell-Out vs Herd Reduction. There's a big difference. Sell-out means selling off the entire stock of a breed or variety. Keeping 1 or 2 as pets is one thing. Keeping a breeding pool is another and that's not a sell-out, it's just a herd reduction. Calling a reduction a sell-out is false advertising, and it really annoys other breeders. Call it what it is.
In fact, why label it at all if it isn't a complete sell-out? Breeders are constantly reducing their numbers. It's a perpetual herd reduction that doesn't need a fancy title. Now, if it really is a large special sale list with reduced pricing to move quickly, then yeah...it could be called a "herd reduction sale". Such a sale implies good deals are to be had as in the retail business. If lower prices aren't offered, it's not really a "sale", is it?
59 Days Until Spring!
tnt
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