10-4 Ranch

Like I needed more rabbits!!! 😂🐇

But hear me out...

1) I had a couple of does that hadn't proven themselves well enough yet, and I didn't want to feed them all summer just to find out in the fall that they were poor producers.

2) And y'all know... you can't just breed a couple! 😂

So, I bred 6 does, and the results are in!

🐇 Ghost x Brixx — Rex — 10 kits

This is Ghost's 2nd litter. She had been difficult to get bred and had a rough start with her first litter, but she did a bang-up job raising 9!

Since Ghost is a REW (red-eyed white), my goal with this breeding was to learn what colors she carries and, more importantly, what her underlying color genetics might be. (Bear with me—I’m still learning! 😂)

From her pedigree, I already knew she could carry chocolate and castor, could possibly be a Vienna carrier (an unshowable color pattern), and could genetically be either solid or broken.

Her litter came out:
• 5 REW
• 3 Chocolate
• 2 Black or Seal

It's hard to confirm with only 5 colored kits to look at, but it looks like she may genetically be solid, likely chocolate, and there are no Vienna markings. Yay for me—I don't need any more unshowable colors! 😂

It will take a few more colored kits to really confirm her genetics, but man... that REW is so dominant! 😂

🐇 CC x Otter — Rex — 6 kits

My little side-color project: Magpie (an unshowable color).

CC was another doe that had been difficult to get bred. She also didn't make the best first impression as a mother with her first litter of 5, plus 2 fosters.

I also didn't breed her to the right-colored buck that time, so there were no Magpies.

She definitely didn't make the best first impression with this litter either. She had 6 and didn't do a very good job cleaning up her nest box.

I would normally like to foster kits, but after her last performance, I think we're better off letting everyone raise the kits they have this time.

As for CC, she'll likely be slated for the slaughter list once this litter is weaned. I'm crossing my fingers that there's a keeper in this litter, because otherwise, the Magpie project may be coming to an end.

Of the 6, it looks like 3 are magpie, 2 black/orange brindle and 1 blue/fawn brindle but they're still young, so we'll have to wait and see!

🐇 Clematis x Thistle — New Zealand — 9 live from 11

I wanted to get one more litter out of Thistle before replacing him.

This is their 3rd repeat breeding, and this pairing has produced some gorgeous kits in the past. I'm crossing my fingers that there's something extra special hiding in this litter! I really like my keeper 38P, but maybe she has an even prettier little sister! 👀

🐇 Columbine x Thistle — New Zealand — 8 kits

Another repeat breeding before replacing Thistle.

Their first litter produced a lovely 7D/1B litter, so I'm hoping this one is just as good—or even better!

🐇 Gypsy x Fleetwood — Flemish Giant — Unsuccessful

Strike 3- Between a rough last litter and a pretty meh first litter, Gypsy is now on the list for the next slaughter day.

🐇 Betty x Fleetwood — Flemish Giant — 8 live from 9

This is their 3rd repeat breeding, and this pairing has produced some really nice-sized and good looking kits.

It has also produced quite the assortment of colors: Sandy, fawn, grey, gold-tip steel, chestnut AND looks like there is a white in this litter, WHAT?!

Please don't come at me for mixing colors! 😂 I'm working with what I was given, and my first focus is type and weight.

Since Betty is a gold-tip steel, which is an ARBA-unrecognized color, I'm hoping to get a replacement that is a showable color.

I think I already have my keeper from the last litter, but I'm definitely going to keep my eye on this litter in hopes of finding another option.

So... 6 does bred, 5 litters, 41 live kits, and a whole lot of information to learn from! 🐇❤️ Now comes the hard part... watching them grow out and deciding who actually gets to stay! 😅

Video of Clematis' and CC's litters!

The army of piglets fighting for breakfast!!!
🐖 🥓🍳🍼