# Any babies this week?



## TinysMom (Feb 19, 2006)

I'll start off this week's kindling thread with the announcement that my Best of Breed (homegrown) doe - Anissa - had FIVE babies shortly after midnight this morning....

I'll try to take photos today - all babies (and mama) are healthy!

Anyone else having babies this week?

Peg


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## bojay (Feb 19, 2006)

Congratulations! Way to go Anissa! Who's the proud father?


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## TinysMom (Feb 19, 2006)

*bojay wrote: *


> Congratulations! Way to go Anissa! Who's the proud father?


 The proud father is my favorite harlequin DOE...who turned into a buck at 9.5 or 10 weeks of age. I pulled "him" out of the doe cage - along with two other bucks who literally dropped their boy parts from one day to the next. (I had been checking them every 3 days to a week...and I had checked the day before. Suddenly one morning... two of them were "practicing" mounting - so I went through the does cage one more time.). 

There are days when I HATE the gender fairy! But he is a gorgeous buck with nice type and he actually has a body that corrects many of her faults - so I'm looking at this litter and going "oh my!". I have one harlequin, two blacks, one chestnut (I think) and one that is all pink so far. 

I think I'm going to have more does due this week too...thanks to this little buck. 

I am going to groom him and tajke photos of him hopefully later today!

Peg


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## Akkatia (Feb 19, 2006)

I'm not having kits THIS week, but next week! 

The daughter of my Best of Breed Dutch/ ReserveGrand Championis giving birth onMarch 1st. My BOB is in charge of producing the meat pen for show this year, and I'm going to a show in March to get a new breeder. I also have to sell my BOB's babies sometime soon. I have a busy rabbit monthnext month. How many rabbits do you have, and how often do you breed? Maybe we could be friends!


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## TinysMom (Feb 19, 2006)

*Akkatia wrote: *


> How many rabbits do you have, and how often do you breed? Maybe we could be friends!


 I'd have to do a headcount as I have some babies I'm about to sell...but I have over 50 rabbits all together - I can tell you that much.

I breed year round - but I don't like to breed my does back to back. I breed for show quality rabbits - although some are pets because they aren't showable under ARBA due to their colors (like harlequins, brokens, otters and chocolate). 

I'm very proud of my lionheads and they are getting to the point now where I'll be competing at Nationals in May in Columbus, Oh. I'm still trying to decide who goes and who doesn't go - and I already have orders for some of my babies - so that is nice.

How long have you been breeding? I started last year and I love it. I do try to treat my breeding animals as pets - they get toys and exercise time and treats.

Peg


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## Rhapsody (Feb 19, 2006)

I have babies due on the 23rd!:bunnydance: My 1st ever lionhead litter!!! My mommy-to-be started making her nest today!!! Heehee! So excited!


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## TinysMom (Feb 19, 2006)

You have to share photos after she has them (ok...you can wait a few days). Its so funny looking at lionheads though because if they're double mane - they don't have fur on their hindquarters for a bit....


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## Kadish Tolesa (Feb 20, 2006)

Hi everyone , well my opal netherland dwarf had 5 kits early this morning , all are healthy and about the same size, except one smaller baby ( not a peanut, though ) . :bunnydance:

Peg, I have a question for you...in browsing past posts, I was unable to find your topic on lionhead breeding and genetics.

good evening/morning !

Kadish Tolesa urplepansy: :stork:


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## TinysMom (Feb 20, 2006)

*Kadish Tolesa wrote: *


> Peg, I have a question for you...in browsing past posts, I was unable to find your topic on lionhead breeding and genetics.


 When I was banned last year - many of my topics and posts got deleted and I went from over 1400 messages to around 400. It is possible that is one of the ones that got deleted.

Feel free to start a new topic with any questions you might have!

Peg


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## Rhapsody (Feb 20, 2006)

LOL. OK i will definatley post piccies!!!! I'm sitting here patiently waiting for he babies to come.....who am i kidding i want the babies NOW! Lol. I'm so excited!Congrats Kadish Tolesa on your babies!!!!


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## Kadish Tolesa (Feb 20, 2006)

Thanks, Rhapsody Hope all goes smoothly for your expected kits.

Good and bad news today.....the opal (Beatrix)n.d. doe's 5 kits are all fat and sassy:colors:; but my other opal (Emma)n.d. doe ATE part of one of her babies before we were up.........and she also just delivered a stillborn .This is her firstlitter, though. A breeder I called said to try and give them a very small bit of raw hamburger before they kindle .:?Not having tried this, though, I'm not sure if it works.

Peg, my question is....I've read that some lionhead breeders cross a netherland dwarf into their lionhead herd ....I suppose this is done to try to make the lionhead smaller ?( I read about this in Bob Whitman's "Rare bits and Pieces -- history of the lionhead " ) The next question is , how many generations of breeding back into the lionhead breed does it take to have a purebred lionhead ?

I was imagining about 6 , because most pedigrees have generations going back that far.

Kadish Tolesa inkpansy:


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## DustyBegginings (Feb 20, 2006)

My doe had her first (and last) litter last week! 

The babbies are around 5 days old and getting some hair, I will have to get some pics up soon. There are 3 blacks, one with a touch of white) and then 4 that are still deciding, the look brownish grey right now but are adorable! The runt is getting so much bigger! Momma is doing great, I have been able to watch her feed! The babbies are getting pretty active now, crawling around and yapping at each other if one step son their head :?

Daddy just got nueterd and he did great, I was worried about him but he is fine!

These babbies are going to be huge! You should see the feet on some of them!

It is so exciting having your first litter ever! :colors:

And thanks Peg, you were great help getting me ready for the first litter! :thanks:


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## Rhapsody (Feb 20, 2006)

Hey, i just figured I'd go ahead and TRY to answer your question since i'm here. Yes, people breed purebred lionheads with ND to bring down the size. When they do that they get F1 babies. You have to have 4 generations to have a purebred(or an F4) Hope that helped some. lol. O and i'm sorry about your other litter...:cry2


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## Rhapsody (Feb 20, 2006)

CONGRATS DUSTYBEGGININGS!!!!!!:bunnydance::elephant:


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## TinysMom (Feb 20, 2006)

*Kadish Tolesa wrote: *


> A breeder I called said to try and give them a very small bit of raw hamburger before they kindle .:?Not having tried this, though, I'm not sure if it works.
> 
> Peg, my question is....I've read that some lionhead breeders cross a netherland dwarf into their lionhead herd ....I suppose this is done to try to make the lionhead smaller ? ( I read about this in Bob Whitman's "Rare bits and Pieces -- history of the lionhead " ) The next question is , how many generations of breeding back into the lionhead breed does it take to have a purebred lionhead ?
> 
> ...


 Hi! I'm late getting on the board this morning. First of all - your question about the hamburger. I've never heard hamburger suggested - but I have heard of bacon being suggested. Most breeders that I know of who "know their stuff" and have been breeding for many years - have told me (and its been more than one) to use a bit of bacon if a doe tends to cannibalize their young. Mind you - you're going to hear an outcry from some folks saying, "Oh no...that is wrong....rabbits don't eat meat!" So you are going to have to ask yourself if you're going to trust breeders who have YEARS of experience....or naysayers who don't breed. I've never had to use bacon and I'm not real sure how I would feel about it - but after hearing it mentioned before on this forum and checking into it more....and the logic behind it - I've heard that it works! I just can't suggest it from personal experience. However, I do know that the doe eats the placenta....and that isn't vegetable matter......just something to think about!

As far as the pedigrees - Rhapsody is right. The offspring of a ND and a lionhead breeding would be labelled "F1". The offspring from that baby being mated with a lionhead (purebred) would become "F2". Do a breeding with the F2 and a purebred lionhead and you have what is called "F3". One more breeding with the F3 and a purebred and you now have a purebred lionhead. I think this is because ARBA wants 3 generation (4 generation?) pedigrees when they register rabbits.

You can find out more at the bottom of this webpage:

http://www.lionhead.us/talk_lionhead.htm

I hope that this helps!

Peg


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## TinysMom (Feb 20, 2006)

*DustyBegginings wrote: *


> My doe had her first (and last) litter last week!
> 
> It is so exciting having your first litter ever! :colors:
> And thanks Peg, you were great help getting me ready for the first litter! :thanks:


 I still remember my first litter - what an awesome experience. I'm so glad everything has gone well for you - and that is a nice sized litter too! I can hardly wait to see pictures.

Poor Mona Kea - her babies are three weeks old today - they've been out of the nestbox for a bit. She used to lunge at me if I put my hand in her cage - now she is begging me to let her out and get her away from the babies for a bit. She's taught them how to drink out of her water bottle - and how to eat solids (ok - they didn't really need help with that). But the funny thing is that today she turned over the nestbox and sat on top of it to keep away from the babies - who were all trying to run around and figure out how to get to mama. 

Well, I think I'll stop typing and go let her out of her cage for some exercise time....but congrats on your litter.

Peg


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## Kadish Tolesa (Feb 21, 2006)

Congrats, DustyBeginnings ! I've only been able to catch mama nursing her kits when they were older . 

Thanks Peg,for the link to lionhead info. , and also for the info on the bacon......."Emma"--who lost her litter of two, ate up a "blob" of placenta,later today . :disgust: At least it looked like placenta.

Thanks Rhapsody and Peg for your help with the lionhead + netherland dwarf combination.Wow.........I have a litter of 5 F1 babies. Both parents are pedigreed back to5 generations . The sire is a double-maned lionhead and is rather small himself.

Have to go now ....our toddler is getting cranky :bed:.

Kadish Tolesainkpansy::runningrabbit: inkpansy:


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## Rhapsody (Feb 21, 2006)

MY BABIES WERE BORN THIS MORNING!!!!:bunnydance::elephant::bunnydance::elephant:

5 pink and wrinkly lil buggers! How can ya'll tell what colors they are this early?


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## TinysMom (Feb 21, 2006)

*Rhapsody wrote: *


> MY BABIES WERE BORN THIS MORNING!!!!:bunnydance::elephant::bunnydance::elephant:
> 
> 5 pink and wrinkly lil buggers! How can ya'll tell what colors they are this early?


 First off - what are mom and dad?

And here is a site I love...

http://geocities.com/hoppinherdofhares2003/kitcolorguide.html


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## TinysMom (Feb 21, 2006)

Life is so exciting here today....

Nestboxes have gone in cages. Some does are sitting in the nestbox just thinking. Some have knocked their nestbox over and are trying to get it where they want it. Summer is giving birth in her nestbox right now.....I can see her from here and she's pulled her fur already. Other gals are arranging their hay and carrying it around in their mouth......and I'm off to the feed store as soon as Summer is done because I desperately need more hay.

That is what "kindling day" is like in our house....I try to breed does together (per several books I've read) so that I can foster if need be.

How is everyone else doing today?

Peg


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## SunnieBunnie Rabbitry (Feb 21, 2006)

I've still got 2 does due anytime....





But of course, they're just sitting pretty in their cages with the "I'll do it when I'm good and ready" look on their faces.





PREGNANT RABBITS! Why do I put up with them?!


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## Rhapsody (Feb 21, 2006)

SUnnieBunnie, u know u love this! lol. QUick question, when can you take the kits out of the nestbox and hold them? Mom didn't realy seem to care when i was moving the fur around to get pictures, she's a pretty laid-back doe, though. ANyways, Tinysmom, the dad is a REW and the mom is a smoke pearl!


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## TinysMom (Feb 21, 2006)

*Rhapsody wrote: *


> SUnnieBunnie, u know u love this! lol. QUick question, when can you take the kits out of the nestbox and hold them? Mom didn't realy seem to care when i was moving the fur around to get pictures, she's a pretty laid-back doe, though. ANyways, Tinysmom, the dad is a REW and the mom is a smoke pearl!


 Ok...the genotype calculator I use online can't predict for those because we don't know what is behind the REW on the pedigree (parents)......but I'm guessing you will have REWs and not BEWs.

Peg


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## SunnieBunnie Rabbitry (Feb 21, 2006)

I know, I do love it though! 

I hold & handle them from the minute they're born - I just make sure my hands are warm first...lol... don't want to give them a rude awakening to Ice hands! I haven't had any issues with does rejecting the babies after being handled... it's so cute though - when I return the kits to thier nestbox in the cage w/the mom, she goes in and investigates, sniffs around, then hops out and goes about her business. That's typical routine.

I like my girls though - other than making me WAIT, they are nice enough to deliver during the daytime hours so I get to watch the birth. I've witnessed most of all my litters be born since my very 1st litter (I got that one on VIDEO!) I just need to figure out how in the world to transfer it to the computer so everyone can see too.


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## Rhapsody (Feb 21, 2006)

LOL. Yea, my girl had here's someti,e between midnight and 3:30...:shock:lol. I she wasn't due for 2 more days either? Oh well, im happy their here! Thanks Tinys Mom! What online calculator are you using anyways? j/w! OH! I just tought about this, the lady that we bought my REW buck from had 2 litters by him that had a BEW each. The mom of one litter was a frosted pearl and the othe was a Broken Orange. So maybe he throws them? IDK. That'd be kinda cool tho...lol. Oh well, REW are really cool too!!!


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## TinysMom (Feb 21, 2006)

Well, Summer is sitting in her nestbox - not having her babies yet. I thought for sure she was.....but it just dawned on me - she almost always has her babies at NOON....and its only 11:30...so we'll see what she does this time!

Peg


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## spitfire (Feb 21, 2006)

Well, as you know, Lara had 6 kits yesterday and this morning Licorice had 4 kits.:yes:


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## DustyBegginings (Feb 22, 2006)

My babbies are so big and beautiful!

They were 7 days old yesterday!

They have the craziest colors, I don't mind them since they are just pet quality.

There are 2 pure blacks, one black with a white spot, and then 4 chocolate greys or somthing, very cool looking, I will have to get pics!


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## TinysMom (Feb 22, 2006)

*DustyBegginings wrote: *


> I will have to get pics!


 Yes....you will have to get pics - and share them with us!

Peg


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## SunnieBunnie Rabbitry (Feb 23, 2006)

So, Ichecked on the rabbits this morning (Normal Morning Routine)... AND..........

1 doe was sitting in her nestbox with a very well built nest behind her (no babies or fur yet.... but she inparticular only does this a few hours before kindling).... AND.....

As I type - another doe is KINDLING!!!!!













As soon as she gets out of the nestbox - I'll post pics


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## TinysMom (Feb 23, 2006)

These babies are 2 & 3 weeks old....but I'm going to go ahead and post the photos in this week's baby thread (since I'm showing them as a baby in this "stage" of life)...and I'll put them in my lionhead thread too...


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## Rhapsody (Feb 23, 2006)

WOW!:shock: And i thought 5 was alot of babies...


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## TinysMom (Feb 23, 2006)

*Rhapsody wrote: *


> WOW!:shock: And i thought 5 was alot of babies...


 Sundae had 6 and Mona had 6 (plus a peanut that didn't make it).

Peg


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## SunnieBunnie Rabbitry (Feb 23, 2006)

Well, she ended up having 2 peanuts... and nothing else

... So I'm going to rebreed her, but I got some pictures anyways....

This is her in the nestbox kindling...















And the babies....



















And here's the proud momma "Element" (notice the fur in her mouth - she was pulling more fur to cover them up)















Here's the other doe "Silhouette" that's due anytime -- She's got a FAT belly!


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## Rhapsody (Feb 23, 2006)

Aw...sorry about the peanuts...


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## SunnieBunnie Rabbitry (Feb 25, 2006)

More babies arrived today! 3 Lynx (1 peanut)









I've got 4 more does due in the coming week... and 3 more that palpated positive today! Finally, my baby drought is over! :colors::bunnydance::colors::bunnydance:


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## TinysMom (Feb 25, 2006)

Wow - that is great about your babies! I'm so happy for you.

Harlie had five babies shortly after 4 am this morning. I stayed up to be around the rabbitry because she is an older doe that had only had one litter before - and it wasn't here. I was concerned about one baby - and I was right - it didn't make it. I just checked a bit ago and it had passed away. The others are looking pink - but not full...so I'm not sure if her milk is late coming in or what. If she doesn't nurse them tonight - I'm going to see if Anissa will nurse them the one time and then try Harlie again tomorrow....but of course, I'll try her tonight first. 

Harlie seems really proud and posessive of her babies - so that is a good sign. She has a very gentle personality and I think she's going to make a great mama!

Mondayis supposed to be the "big day" for me- as most of my pregnant does are due then...in fact, that is when Harlie was due so that's why I'm concerned about these babies and the milk supply....

Peg


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## Akkatia (Feb 26, 2006)

Well, I've been breeding for about three years, all Dutch. I try not to keep many of the babies, though I only keep them if they're show quality like straight saddles and blazes and stuff. I try to only keep ten rabs altogether.


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## TinysMom (Feb 26, 2006)

Well - Ainsley had her babies while I took a nap so I could stay up tonight (I have several does due tonight/tomorrow/tomorrow night). I came out to find her babies on the wire with mama sitting in the nestbox. She looked at me with big eyes as if pleading for my help. 

She had NINE babies - 8 of which were still alive. The one that died might have been stillborn - I couldn't tell for sure. Two of the babies were cold from being on the wire but I think they are warming up - I've been holding them for a few minutes and they feel like they're going to keep their heat now.

I'm really proud of Ainsley - she's a sable point and I mated her to a sable point....so I hope to get.....SABLE POINTS!

Peg


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