Tag Archives: homesteading

Muscovy Ducklings at Six Weeks

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The ducklings have been with us for for almost two weeks now and are settling in very well. Today, much of the coop floor is being excavated by the hard-working boyfriend and we’re going to lay at least a foot of woodchips down. This should help cut down on the mud. Bonus is that all the manure-rich material that was dug out went straight into my tomato and tomatillo beds.

If all goes as planned, we’ll have more Muscovy ducklings hatching out the beginning of July. It’s going to be very ducky around here!

Hybrid Kit Weights – 3 Weeks

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ImageAlthough I’ve been breeding rabbits for awhile now, I’ve never done weekly weigh-ins. Since I may keep one of the hybrid does, I’m curious how they compare to other rabbits, so I’m going to try it with this litter.

Esther’s hybrid kits are a day shy of three weeks old today. The recorded weights are 240g, 289g, 227g, 240g, 212g, 300g, 253g and 268g.

You can see the variation in coat color very well now. The kits from this litter are less consistently colored as her previous ones, and I quite like the lighter, reddish ones.

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For Sale

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I sexed all the older kits today and so now they’re up for sale. Rosalind the Silver Marten decided she didn’t like me this time and threw seven bucks, two does and one I’m pretty sure is a buck, but not positive. One doe has already been sold. The other doe is the runt, who survived despite everything. One buck is reserved and the other six are for sale for $20 each.

Tuna likes me more and gave me four does and four bucks. I don’t need any Standard Rex bucks so they are all up for sale. I have one Self Black, one Blue Otter and two Black Otters for $20 each. I’ll be holding on to the does for another couple of weeks or so until I make my final decision on who will be staying on as a brood doe to replace Io.

Delicious Little Quails

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My hard-working boyfriend will be visiting me tomorrow, and I know he’s been itching to try some quail.

My last hatch was about 55% males and so today the extras had to go. They will no longer be calling out for pumpkin pie, as I like to interpret the Coturnix crow. I also have fresh rabbit and Muscovy duck breast resting in the fridge so I’m hoping to satisfy some gustatory lustfulness this trip. I hope he’s hungry! I’m not too worried…

With quail this fresh, it’s hard to do much more than add salt and fresh pepper and saute in butter. The taste is like juicy, tender filet mignon wrapped in bacon with just a touch of gaminess. I know someone’s mouth will be watering as they read this, see you tomorrow Stew!

Sexing the Short-Listed Rexes

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ImageHere you can see my cage with the six potential Standard Rex keepers. I am planning to keep one doe, although I’d love to keep more. Standard Rexes are really lovely rabbits, personality-wise. Not to mention their beautiful, unique fur.

I sexed them today, and to my delight I have four does and two bucks. The Self Black is a buck, and so is one of the Blue Otters. The other two Blue Otters, including the largest, and friendliest with the best markings is also a little doe. Jackpot!

So basically, unless something happens I will be keeping this little girl. I’d love to keep the black buck, but who am I kidding, I already have plenty of bucks. That’s the problem with having too many different breeds and wanting to keep them pure.

I did a little posing with them and they all seem to have fairly good body type, although some look a little long in the shoulder. Tuna, their mom is a very nicely-proportioned girl but their sire Timmy is kind of a mess in that department. He’s just a pet store bunny after all.

So now I have to think of a fitting name for this lovely girl. Ideas?

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Week Two – Hybrid Kits

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ImageEsther’s hybrid kits are all doing very well. I haven’t lost any and I don’t plan to. I’ve been giving them lots of fresh blackberry bramble, dandelions and grass like I did with the last two Rex and Silver Marten litters, as it seems to have done them all good despite fears of introducing greens to kits too early. Esther has been eating greens regularly throughout her pregnancy so I’m not too worried. It saves me food costs and helps to tame the babies as they look forward to my opening the cage every day for treats. These babies are a bit young for that yet, but they’ve already started nibbling on leaves. I also just really like to stick it to the blackberries since they think they own the place.

ImageThe kits are all agouti, as usual, although some are darker and some are more reddish than others. I can tell they’re well fed and happy because they are very complacent about being held.

One Less Rabbit

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ImageIo was culled today, just a week shy of her first birthday. This is the first time I’ve had an empty cage since I can remember… Tomorrow it will have rabbits in it.

Not sure why she couldn’t conceive, but her brother was infertile too. She looked pretty normal inside, maybe a bit fatty around the organs but I never overfed her. Who knows. She was a very skittish rabbit anyway so I don’t mind replacing her with a new doe, especially since I have such a beautiful and friendly batch of Standard Rex kits right now.

One thing I love about rabbits is that even when things go wrong, you have at the very least a nice rabbit dinner.