# Babies, babies and MORE babies!



## samssimonsays (Apr 14, 2015)

Hopefully anyways... 

I have 9 breeding french lop does currently in my barn and have not gotten anything all spring so far... usually i have a litter from between 50 and 75% of my does by now but the wacky weather changes have really caused some issues over here. But after palpating they all seem to palpate positive. I have been breeding regularly and all does have been receptive so anyone is fair game on who could be first! Now it is just a waiting game... 



Georgia -BRKNGold Tp'd Stl      Lilly -BRKN opal     Colby-black
 
Tally -blue                                        Maggie -Chinchilla                        Roxy-REW
   
Kit-Kat-BRKN Squirrel                            Jazmine-BRKN black                   Honey-Chestnut


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## samssimonsays (Apr 14, 2015)

So that they do not feel left out, The possible dads of the bunch are: 
 
Charly-chestnut
 
Titan-blue gold tp'd stl
 
Ruben-brkn gold tpd stl
 
Arnold-REW
 
Nash-Fawn
 
Buster-broken fawn​


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## Hens and Roos (Apr 14, 2015)

Good Luck  cool colors of the parents- it will be neat to see what color the kits look like!


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## samssimonsays (Apr 14, 2015)

And my up and coming babes are as follows:

 
Jackie Frost-Frosted pearl doe born in november
 
Baby Blue-blue doe born in september

Picking the following up this weekend at lop nationals:
 
Theodore-broken cream buck born in december
 
Evey-blue doe born in december
 
Phoebe- broken orange/fawn born in december

I am also looking at a broken opal doe also born in december... Not sure why all of them were december babies but it just turned out that way I guess!


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## samssimonsays (Apr 14, 2015)

Hens and Roos said:


> Good Luck  cool colors of the parents- it will be neat to see what color the kits look like!


Thanks! I am hoping a variety, I LOVE variety if you cannot tell LOL! I don't really have any colors in my does that double aside from blue now and maybe opal... and non in my bucks either.  Exactly how I like it hehe! Chestnut is so darn dominant that EVERYONE has them and the colors, with show type and size, are impossible to find around me! I have michigan, wisconsi, north dakota and illinois rabbits mostly now. Hope to add one from ohio as well


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## Hens and Roos (Apr 14, 2015)

It's funny how rabbit math is just like chicken math  , how many will you have with the new additions?


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## Hens and Roos (Apr 14, 2015)

Samantha drawz said:


> Thanks! I am hoping a variety, I LOVE variety if you cannot tell LOL! I don't really have any colors in my does that double aside from blue now and maybe opal... and non in my bucks either.  Exactly how I like it hehe! Chestnut is so darn dominant that EVERYONE has them and the colors, with show type and size, are impossible to find around me! I have michigan, wisconsi, north dakota and illinois rabbits mostly now. Hope to add one from ohio as well



Yep, Chestnut is very dominant- we bred our FA Chestnut buck to our FA Fawn doe and now have to figure out the colors for 4 of them....the 1 black kit was easy!


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## samssimonsays (Apr 14, 2015)

I have 11 does now, adding in for sure the two maybe three. So 14 does and then adding one buck, so 7 bucks BUT I sold one buck and another potentially. So I will be down to 5 bucks and then as soon as I determine if Colby and Tally took or not, about April 27th as the last due date, they are going to a friends home to help her get some colors into her barn. So It will only be 12 does which is what I had until I lost my other broken opal doe. 

Let me take a peek I may be able to help   I know a lady who knows her angoras as well I can always ask her.


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## Hens and Roos (Apr 14, 2015)

That's not too bad , we are currently at 23 between the Californian and FA's(10 of them are FA kits)- we are getting ready for fair here in July so the kids will have rabbits to show.

I have 1 picture of the group posted on my FA thread, it is hard to see the exact colors- I need to get individual pictures as to show the colors better.


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## samssimonsays (Apr 14, 2015)

Yes, I have to get babies to be able to have rabbits to show this year but french don't show well until they are about 4 months old... Sigh. maybe by Minnesota state convention this fall I will have something LOL


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## Hens and Roos (Apr 14, 2015)

ours will be around 5 months when the kids show- our fair only has jr and sr for FA's


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## samssimonsays (Apr 14, 2015)

Are they a 6/8 breed? I thought they were... But I could be wrong. Our fair is middle of August so if I get babies starting now, I may have some for fair to show at. It is an ARBA sanctioned show at ours so it is nice that I can show at it and gain points.


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## Hens and Roos (Apr 14, 2015)

according to the rabbit SOP(which our fair follows) Juniors are under 6 months of age-min-3.75 lbs and max 7.5 lbs; Seniors are 6 months of age and over-7.5 lbs to 10.5 lbs ideal being 8.5 lbs


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## samssimonsays (Apr 14, 2015)

Oh ok   I have a 6/8 breed so I have an entirely other class to worry about age and weight mins and max's sigh.


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## Hens and Roos (Apr 14, 2015)

Our Californian's are divided into Junior, Intermediate and Senior classes with weight min/max.  we wont have any intermediates this year unless we get juniors that go over weight- wont know until the does hopefully kindle in May...


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## samssimonsays (Apr 14, 2015)

Yep, I am in the same boat. But I enjoy showin gJr's and that is what I sell mostly. I hope to keep some back until intermediate age before selling but we will see what I get. Never guaranteed an amazing show quality rabbit no matter how great the parents are in French lops or any breed really...


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## Hens and Roos (Apr 14, 2015)

that is very true


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## samssimonsays (Apr 16, 2015)

And Georgia was the first! 
Georgia had them today, on her due date, and there was 1 DOA and either 9 or 10 healthy babies. Not sure yet. It was too chilly to take them out of the nest this morning and they were still pretty wet. Lilly and Colby, not due until the end of the month, were nesting as well. Lilly did this last time when she was 2 weeks into her pregnancy and Georgia was due she nested then too. Didn't have anything just made a beautiful nest like she was going to.

 
Any guesses on who will be next? My bet is still Jazmine... LOL!


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## Hens and Roos (Apr 16, 2015)

Congrats on the new kits


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## samssimonsays (Apr 16, 2015)

Hens and Roos said:


> Congrats on the new kits


Thanks!!!  I am super excited! First of the year and first since October!


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## samssimonsays (Apr 21, 2015)

And drum roll please.....

MAGGIE was the second to go!! 6 healthy and beautiful, well fed babies in the box! She delivered yesterday afternoon 9 bbaies, 3 DOA and one I didn't think would make it but low and behold, I can not tell which was the weak baby from yesterday born out of the nest box! I am very proud of my girl and for her first time she did amazing and continues to do amazing


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## Hens and Roos (Apr 21, 2015)

Congrats! A mix of colors in that nest


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## samssimonsays (Apr 21, 2015)

Hens and Roos said:


> Congrats! A mix of colors in that nest


Thank you! Yes, I am super excited! The breeder I got the buck from has been waiting for a baby back out of him for 1.5 years and I may finally be able to give it to her!


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## Hens and Roos (Apr 21, 2015)

that you get at least 1 buck in the group!


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## samssimonsays (Apr 22, 2015)

A beautiful litter of 5 was born to Jazmine yesterday! She is doing an amazing job so far as a first time momma  A broken to broken breeding resulted in 3 broken and 2 solids? Also from Ruben!


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## Hens and Roos (Apr 22, 2015)

Congrats!  Looks like you will have lots of kits to hold


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## samssimonsays (Apr 22, 2015)

Hens and Roos said:


> Congrats!  Looks like you will have lots of kits to hold


Yes! FINALLY LOL! still waiting on the girlies who have pulled hair but who knows... they nest when other does are about to have litters , just usually not this much hair? Only time will tell. they could still be due later on this month yet. the 27th is a next due date for them.


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## Hens and Roos (Apr 22, 2015)

It's always exciting when a new litter is born- especially if you have been waiting awhile!


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## samssimonsays (Apr 23, 2015)

Litter #4 from Colby brings us to 21 babies in a weeks time....


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## Hens and Roos (Apr 23, 2015)

Wow  that's great- what colors are in that nest- black and blue?


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## samssimonsays (Apr 23, 2015)

I forgot to mention that I still have 5 more does potentially due?   What in the world happened?! I went from 0% litter rates and now I am at 4 of 9 does due the 21st have delivered, another IS pregnant but I have another due date  for monday for everyone as well.


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## samssimonsays (Apr 23, 2015)

Hens and Roos said:


> Wow  that's great- what colors are in that nest- black and blue?


Yep two blues and a black, she had three blues and 2 blacks but two DOA.  I love me some blues! and their daddy is a grand champion, their mom's dad was as well so these three will be held back a bit longer


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## Hens and Roos (Apr 23, 2015)

Looks like you will need more space for them!


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## samssimonsays (Apr 23, 2015)

Hens and Roos said:


> Looks like you will need more space for them!


Hahaha! a little bit... I have 8 open cages in there now... and 9 out in the yard...  :/ but I am selling four adults as well so that adds 4 cages. and that is 21 cages bahahaha! dang that is perfect! but I can leave a couple together until the pets go to homes and such. So I am not in as much of a bind as I thought I was


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## Hens and Roos (Apr 23, 2015)

that's good- I told my kids this morning that they need to decide who they were be holding back as far as the FA kits for fair so that we can see about getting a few sold.


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## samssimonsays (Apr 23, 2015)

You do have to sell some... sadly! I sell waaay more than I keep back now. But I also sell to keep back better now as well.  Good luck on choosing LOL!


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## samssimonsays (Apr 24, 2015)

Lilly welcomed 7 babies yesterday. Sadly there were 3 dead, not sure if they were DOA or not, one barely hanging on and 3 very cold but feisty babies. I removed the 3 live ones and Placed them with Colby's litter of three in hopes they have a chance, even a small one, at surviving. Poor Lilly is so sad my heart breaks for her. My nicest show quality AND temperament/personality doe and she can't figure out how to be a mom... this was try #5. Usually it is something different each time with her and yet again, it was.  Heavily weighing retiring her and petting her out as she is such a sweet and loving girl with a character that'll keep you laughing to boot. Then the few babies that have survived thanks to fosters and/or bottle feeding have her disposition and personality as well as her type so it sucks because I am torn... This time she is just so broken up over the losses that I don't want to put her through it again. That and I have no one to breed at the same time as her if I did rebreed her...   I just think it was a sign that she is done.



Lilly's babes are the ones about half the size of Colby's that were born only hours before Lilly's...


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## BlessedWithGoats (Apr 24, 2015)

Congrats on the new babies!! So sorry about your loss too! Dear Lilly... she sounds so sad.


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## Hens and Roos (Apr 24, 2015)

Sorry about the difficult choice you have to make, hope that the kits do good with the foster doe


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## samssimonsays (Apr 27, 2015)

Thank you so much. We ended up losing all of Lilly's babies. They were well cared for but I found them out of the box Saturday morning.  Just not sure what happened. All 21 others are thriving and healthy at the moment though.
11 days old

7 days old
 
6 days old
 
4 days old


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## BlessedWithGoats (Apr 27, 2015)

Aww.  Sorry you lost all of Lilly's babies!


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## Hens and Roos (Apr 27, 2015)

Sorry about losing Lilly's babies


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## samssimonsays (Apr 30, 2015)

A few photos I took yesterday. we are at the stage with the baby bunnies that is the most fun to take photos of LOL. Eyes are opening and they are starting to explore everything.


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## BlessedWithGoats (Apr 30, 2015)

Cute!! Thanks so much for the pictures!


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## samssimonsays (May 7, 2015)

Updated pics of the babies! ranging between 2 weeks and 3 weeks old as of today


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## samssimonsays (May 11, 2015)

We had quite the mother's day surprise yesterday with a litter of frenchies that were over due by 6 days... Usually if the babies are more than 3 days over they will not be alive upon arrival...  BUT somehow... I went outside and found she had moved ALL over her nest material from her nest box and build a nest with hair and all in the back corner of her cage . I had a flashlight and looked and looked and looked for babies that would have fallen out of the cage or wiggled out and came up empty handed. THEN I saw them!  something moved IN the nest box. The cold, empty nest box. Yep.  she made the nest on the other side of the cage and still had them in the nest box. One was dead, she didn't clean the sac off its head, one was almost dead and one was almost almost dead. I scooped up the frozen babies and brought them into the house with me. Warmed them up as the one was squealing, they do that when they are dying along with a big, purple, swollen tongue. Usually it is extremely difficult to get them back after that so when he quit squealing I figured he was gone. Lifted up the blanket and to my surprise, he was alive and well! Due to our temps that dropped below freezing I opted to bring mom in and hold her on her back to let them nurse last night and today and will continue to do so until it warms back up again.  As of when I left for work today they were both doing well. .

The freakiest thing is that they have full control of their necks and legs as well as the fur already coming in. The same as what a 4-5 day old kit would have.... It REALLY freaks me out


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## samssimonsays (May 14, 2015)

As of late this has been my morning and night routine. But because of it, babies are growing and still healthy. Momma is just confused about what to do yet. VERY thankful for my emergency nest I had on hand from a mom who pulls too much fur!


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## samssimonsays (May 18, 2015)




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## samssimonsays (May 18, 2015)

Honey will be due the 23rd it looks like with Theodore's babies! Can't wait to see what that pair brings


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## Hens and Roos (May 18, 2015)

and


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## samssimonsays (May 19, 2015)

My posed photos of the oldest 21 babies here at Milo & Me! Hopefully I will have several new herd members in this years bunch 

    
doe *hold*                                    buck                    doe *hold*                       buck
    
buck                                  buck *hold*                      doe                                    buck
  
doe                                      doe *hold*


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## samssimonsays (May 19, 2015)

buck                                       doe                             buck                                 doe*hold*
    
doe *hold*                          buck*                               doe                                    buck
  
doe I REALLY LIKE                     buck *hold*
and may hold.....


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## samssimonsays (May 19, 2015)

buck


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## JakeM (May 20, 2015)

So many floppy eared adorableness! Congrats on all of the babies and my condolences on Lilly's babies.


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## samssimonsays (May 21, 2015)

Thank you so much @JakeM . She has some grand babies, 7 to be exact, in this years bunch of babies so I am hopeful I will have one to keep back when she goes to her new home. I have her son, daughter and a grand daughter along with a half sister, 2 nieces and 2 great grand nieces as of now. I have another litter due  Saturday from my doe Honey and am excited and nervous at the same time. Her mothering skills have not been tested yet. My REW's two babies are both doing well and eyes have opened and they are fully mobile now. Will already be 2 weeks old on Sunday, wow. They have grown up so darn fast!


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## samssimonsays (May 21, 2015)




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## samssimonsays (May 26, 2015)

On Memorial day we welcomed SIX beautiful and healthy baby french Lops from Honey and Theodore.


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## Hens and Roos (May 26, 2015)

Congrats! Looks like you might have some white ones


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## samssimonsays (May 26, 2015)

Thanks! hoping for either white or fawn, possibly cream  I am not sure yet. I can't wait to see what they turn out to be! I was so hoping for fawns. That is the one color I really want but haven't been able to get to survive for me.


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## samssimonsays (May 26, 2015)

Now all I have to do is get Kat to take and all of my does will have had babies. There is still time for Kat due to some of her relatives not taking until they are close to 18 months old where as she just turned a year in March. French can be so frustrating with their development sometimes lol! Anywhere between 9 and 18 months is possible for a breeding maturity age... She will be ready when she is ready and I will be ready for when that time is.  Just waiting.


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## Hens and Roos (May 26, 2015)

So....how many new additions do you have these days???


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## samssimonsays (May 26, 2015)

I am at a total of 29 babies now! EEEK!!!  I am at an absolute all time high for rabbit numbers in both adults AND babies. I have never had more than 12 babies at one time, usually different ages not all within a couple weeks lol. So far I only have the one litter with two in it who has needed any sort of assistance in raising them  Last year alone I had 5 bottle litters. This year just the one momma with two babes needing me to force feed them on her.  It sounds worse than it is... it is for the babies survival...


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## Hens and Roos (May 26, 2015)

WOW  that's a lot of rabbits!


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## samssimonsays (Jun 2, 2015)

I lost the Twin Chinchilla babies  I was hand feeding over the weekend. the second baby passed away sunday night.


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## Hens and Roos (Jun 2, 2015)

So sorry to hear


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## samssimonsays (Jun 2, 2015)

Thank you, they were 3 weeks old and healthy then gone. Not sure what happened.


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