Parks Homestead/Meat Rabbits

Although I didn’t want to get up at 2:30 AM for a flight at 5, it was worth it in the end.

For the first time ever, I was in the air before the sun was. To be able to see the sunrise over the horizon was breathtaking.
Majority of everyone was on their phones and I am guilty of that to, but this time was different.
I’m learning to enjoy the moments in front of me and take in something I might not ever see again. And..if I do, it wouldn’t be for a long time.
With a mind that doesn’t know how to settle, for the first time in awhile I can say I experienced peace. Peace that allowed me to open a book for the first time in a minute and just enjoy what was infront of me.

Learning to love life again and just be present. Doesn’t happen overnight but change can happen. You just have to want it and want better for yourself. You only get 1 life so might as well learn to love it. 💕

✨Temperament✨

Let’s talk about it:

If this picture doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about what a rabbits temperament should look like, especially when breeding, I don’t know what will!
This is Ivar (left) & Reed on (Right).
They just got done breeding and decided to lay next to each other while I was moving another doe. These two are very sweet and are just a glimpse into what I strive to keep in my barn.

People have asked me: “How are your rabbits so chill around you??”
My response: 1. Genetics & 2. I’m out here daily!

Aggressive behavior CAN be passed down to offspring. I do not tolerate psychos. Now…There is a major difference between aggression and being protective (mainly when they have kits).

Protective: Not a fan of being held but allows it,will breed to a buck just fine but doesn’t want to be friends after (likes to be done when she’s done😅), doesn’t like babies to be messed with, feeds her babies without unaliving them, being attentive to kits but not to the point where I can’t check them. Just the overall mothering instinct to guard.

Aggression: Attacks when you open the door, Attacks the male when breeding, bites you or others and more than likely draws blood, kills babies by either stomping on them because you are near “to look protective” or eats them, might kill young when close to weaning, Overall just extremely aggressive and not settling down over a period of time. THIS IS AN INSTANT CULL!! AGAIN, CULL THAT RABBIT!!! DO NOT SELL SOMETHING LIKE THIS JUST TO MAKE A DOLLAR!! Do not be that person!

Breed for temperament. Cull the bad ones! There is too many good rabbits in today’s world to be putting up with crap stock! Learn to Cull hard on things that are not ok.

When you’re on a first date but all you guys want to do is lay around and be lazy… Barton (🤍) is just enjoying the company 😅

✨You earn your space in the barn, it’s not given✨

Let’s talk about it:

This is my first ever doe I held back. Her name is Monsta. Reason for the name is because she quite literally was a monster growth baby at birth. She was 3 lbs at 5 weeks old😳! No lie!
I held her back to become a breeder in the barn.
I was very excited about her from the start and was eager to get her bred. Monsta had a great growth rate, wonderful temperament like her mom, big ears, big body, everything you look for when holding back stock.

Then comes breeding:
Started off strong with large litter but just led to constant disappointment. Almost every litter especially the large ones when they were born, they all looked very small. Almost half of them every time were half the size of a regular kit. A peanut if you want to call it. And also, almost all of the litters, over half of them would die over time.
This is a big sign that she isn’t able to produce enough milk. I gave her everything she needed food wise, hay, supplemented oats, boss, the Lonestar version of Calf mana, and it STILL wasn’t enough. The couple small litters, the kits weren’t even making the minimum weight requirement. I gave her a couple more tries than I should’ve but I kept hoping for better as she was the first I ever held back.

Long story short: I cull hard for a reason. It’s harder on the ones you had so much hope for, especially when they are the FIRST hold back.
They could look like such a perfect fit but if they simply cannot even feed the bare minimum number of kits, they won’t be able to feed the larger litters.
Monsta will be going to freezer camp this next round. Her survival rate on the pics below isn’t accurate as that only accounts for when the babies are born. Her survival rate is less than 50%. She isn’t keeping her babies alive. So I have to move on to one that will.
Remember… If the don’t show improvement within the first 2-3 litters, then the writing is on the wall. It’s time to move on.

I leave my blue collar husband alone for a day while I’m working and this is what he accomplished when he got home…😫😏
I’ll let him have this one ☝🏽