Alasguns Hopper Haven

[heirloomgal]

Everyone got a spring treat today and are shown here “branching out”.

Those are just the CUTEST

 

[Alasgun]

Anybody remember these dinosaurs? After buying this thing years ago, it never was “used to it full potential” and has been residing under the house for over 20 years.
Now i finally have a use for it. Wednesdays are cleaning day in the Rabbitry and between the 4 different fans, they capture quite a bit of dander. A plain ole shop vac is pretty loud and the hose too short to reach it all.
Now i can do a better job without annoying the bunnies too much and reach all the top’s and sides of the cages as well!
Vivi la bunny Wabit!

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[Alasgun]

Quite a while back i built a cerebral dislocation tool to dispatch bunnies. Nothing too revolutionary, i simply adopted the current technology and added my own twist to it. At the time folks asked how it worked and i had no answer for them as no bunnies had met they’re maker via, “the double lucky”.
That changed today during the culling of a year old buck. Nice enough rabbit, just got too many.

i discovered placing him in there facing me is the best way to go and im very confident this will work for the juniors when i start processing them in a couple weeks.

With just one rabbit to report on, i realize it may be way different next time but i believe this will be my go to in the future. No thrashing what so ever and very user friendly!

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[Alasgun]

Couple big things happening in the rabbitry over the last few days.
The outer pen area is complete now. French drain for roof run off and seeded to mini clover in the small “yard”. i keep a variety of clover seed on the place for various reasons but have never grown the mini stuff. A no mow clover will keep both me and the bunnies peacable

Ever since my feed supplier had a “bobble” i’ve been working a more reliable source. i’m pretty firm on the Organic thing and just grin and bear the price, so i was quite pleased to have a local vendor start carrying this line AND save me $15.00 PER BAG along the way.
I’ll pick up my first order of 15 bags tomorrow or friday!

I like it when things come together nicely!

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[Alasgun]

Being pretty new in the Rabbit game, im now at a point where i want to “re-structure the herd” for my long term goal. My senior buck will time out yet this year and im saving a very nice one from Miriams liter to replace him. Miriams Mercury should be service age by Christmas in time for the next breeding.
Both of the current doe’s were successfully bred this week so it will all begin again next month
In the next couple weeks, i’ll cull one doe; leaving me 2 young, proven bunnies to carry on.
After 6 months or so “in the business” i can see poop and rabbit meat will abound with 2 doe’s and a buck. No need to add extra expense or chore time to the project.
The rabbitry is configured to allow several additions so that i can save replacement‘s going forward without any hardship’s due to cage space!

 

[Alasgun]

Belle gave us 8 or so kits last night, everyones alive so i wont be too intrusive for a bit.

 

[Alasgun]

A little over a week later; I took a better look and discovered Miriam with 13 kits and Belle with 12!! I culled them both to 9 each.

the original poop slide inside worked pretty well but after seeing how much better i liked the outside slide; i decided to upgrade. This one will work better, is easier to clean and with all that white looking up; lightens the room a bit.

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[Alasgun]

First family outing, and they’re world just got twice as big when i opened them up to the outside today.
cuteness abounds. The all black one is still inside. Belle always has 1 all black, a couple near Charlies and the remainder a mix of either black or blue broken pattern.

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[Alasgun]

Bunnies got an “upgrade” today! The long boring winter was probably bothering me more than them; but my conscience feels better knowing they’ve now got some Christmas music to listen to; on the same timer as the light too.
Local F.M isn’t bad and as long as they haven’t clawed they’re fur all off by morning; i’ll assume, they dig it!

 

[Alasgun]

The last pair from our recent litters will be delivered in the morning. I was pleasantly surprised at the number of and variety of interested respondents. Except for one buck which went to another rabbit breeder, the remainder all went to folks just starting in “the sport”. Several young families, with children. That part would normally make me nervous as im not a “pet breeder” but by patiently listening to they’re stories and weeding out a few, i was able to put these bunnies in places with like minded folks as myself!
We only breed the does twice a year and one of the litters is for our own consumption so we’re not a high production operation. However, our stock is first rate, 100% Organic feed, bla, bla, bla; fresh green fodder in season and pretty nice digs!
Each of the customers are concerned about food sustainability and see the rabbits as a helpful and quite possibly necessary component to they’re own “homesteads”. I well remember the difficulty i had breaking into the rabbit business and am committed to doing what i can to make it a casual endeavor; for some at least.
They’re gown up some now but this was the graduating class!