Friday, March 9, 2012

breedings by the moon

One and two day old nubians at My Enchanted Acres Farm
This is what we're hoping for five months from now! Cute kids from Jersey.  We went back for the fourth time to get Jersey bred, the last 3 breeding's haven't taken, well two haven't taken, one she had just gone out of heat so wouldn't stand for him, and the two before didn't take.  Kim and Tony, owners of My Enchanted Acres, and the original breeder where Jersey was born, own 40 plus nubians, and have bred them for over twenty years, said this has been a weird year for breeding's with the weather and other factors.  So this time around we tried another buck, his name is Reign, and his genetics are real dairy, which is what we're looking for, he also has a band around his middle kind of like a belted galloway, so is unique looking.  This time around, she also gave Jersey a shot to help her egg burst to aid with fertilization, this will be our last chance this year, so I'm staying hopeful.  Jersey seemed to like him and it was a full moon, maybe that will help too.  The moon was so spectacular to look up at as we drove home with her.


Jersey and Reign

Some of her nubian does inside the barn.
Everyone was curious about what was going on.


In the rabbitry, Hazel our Champagne d'argent doe that I thought was pregnant was not or she would have had her kits by now.  She was the one I never did actually see mate with Filbert, after watching them for fifteen or twenty minutes I just left her in the cage with him for the day, thinking they would.  Well, in her natural instinct she must have known better than I and wanted to wait.  Our outdoor rabbitry isn't like a burrow that wild rabbits can have their kits in that is cozy and warm, while they have protection on the top and sides, the air from the front and below, at thirty degrees is cold for babies, even with lots of hay, and a nest, kindling in cold weather can be deadly for them.  From now on I'll wait until March for any rabbit breeding's, so they can kindle in April when it's warmer.  Yesterday Hazel and Filbert had a full moon rendezvous, she  should  kindle  around the next full moon.

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5 comments:

  1. goatgirlMarch 9, 2012 at 4:00 PM

    This has been a tricky year for getting the does bred for some reason. I've had several I have had to breed over and over. Some bred and then didn't come back in for several months then were right back in again after I thought they had settled. Usually if they stand to be bred they are...not this year. I do think I finally got them bred but now we are expecting babies even into July.
    Good luck. I know how much you want her bred.

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  2. JewelMarch 9, 2012 at 10:05 PM

    Thanks goatgirl, I wonder what causes these things to happen, one more good reason to own a buck! Goodluck with your does, I'm looking forward to seeing pic's of your kids this year.

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  3. goatgirlMarch 10, 2012 at 1:03 PM

    One thing you could do if you can't get her to the buck is use your Nigerian buck and sell the babies as 1st generation mini-Nubians. That way you would at least get milk.

    Hopefully though that is a mute point and she is settled:)

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  4. JewelMarch 11, 2012 at 4:18 AM

    I did think about this, more than once. Especially this last time around, but I wanted to give it one more try for a purebred. The nubian bucks are going out of rut until fall, and this will most likely be Jersey's last heat cycle until September. We'll see in 3 weeks if she comes back into heat, I'm crossing my toes and fingers for her to have settled!

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  5. Kim PuzioApril 2, 2012 at 6:19 AM

    Hi Julie, have been trying to call you to check on Jersey. It's been over 21 days. At 30 days post breeding, I would suggest drawing blood and sending it off to Bio-Tracking. They can confirm if Jersey is bred or not. I will be anxiously waiting to hear.

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