LGBTQ+ Poultry Keepers

[Ihavesomechickens]

Today, and this week, have been horrible for me. I am incredibly tired.


First of all, PMS exists, and I am unlucky enough to have it.

Second, my mother and her boyfriend invited me to go to a food truck gathering event. I have been distancing myself from the two because they have been showing support for the Blue Lives Matter movement which I personally disagree with. They have also become part of some big deeply religious Christian group, which caused them to berate my own different religion more than they already have been. So in general, those two are . So I went with them anyways, just to make them happy, and they talked to me about my religious beliefs being wrong, and how I needed to come to church with them so I could beg for forgiveness. So long story short, I left and am now in a bad mood.

My cockerel has also been super cranky lately, and I am starting to wonder if the pullet’s excessive chatting all night is the cause.

And, I ran out of these plastic tubes filled with honey I get at the farmers market, and am not in the mood to go get more.

So, an overall sucky day for me.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Today, and this week, have been horrible for me. I am incredibly tired.


First of all, PMS exists, and I am unlucky enough to have it.

Second, my mother and her boyfriend invited me to go to a food truck gathering event. I have been distancing myself from the two because they have been showing support for the Blue Lives Matter movement which I personally disagree with. They have also become part of some big deeply religious Christian group, which caused them to berate my own different religion more than they already have been. So in general, those two are . So I went with them anyways, just to make them happy, and they talked to me about my religious beliefs being wrong, and how I needed to come to church with them so I could beg for forgiveness. So long story short, I left and am now in a bad mood.

My cockerel has also been super cranky lately, and I am starting to wonder if the pullet’s excessive chatting all night is the cause.

And, I ran out of these plastic tubes filled with honey I get at the farmers market, and am not in the mood to go get more.

So, an overall sucky day for me.

Speechless in Texas My parents don't get me either on either side. I feel we are self made enough to never beg for the crumbs they will leave us.

 

[Tre3hugger]

Sorry to hear everyone is down in the dumps. I for one m having a pretty grand day! I am throwing a mini festival on my property on the 1st ( https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sweetleaf-retreat-tickets-112387311474 ) and I have surpassed my ticket selling goal! Also booked an 8th band and got my vendors ironed out. This is a first time thing for us so I am super nervous excited. I started building an 8x16 stage today in my backyard and finished all the framing. It's going to be a weekend to remember.

Also, I have 25 birds being shpped to me tomorrow!! A mix of 15 heritage layers and 10 guinea keets all one day old. I can't wait til they come!

Annnnd look what I found on my porch this morning!!

3 live babies. I have seen mom and dad taking turns on the nest. So friggin cute.

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

Speechless in Texas My parents don't get me either on either side. I feel we are self made enough to never beg for the crumbs they will leave us.

My dad is cool, but he moved to Boston a few years ago, but thankfully I don’t have to deal with my mother and her boyfriend that often.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Hey, do you mind if I ask how you go about choosing a good doe for breeding? What do you look for?

Oh, sure. But my goals are going to be different than yours because mine is a project line right now. I don't even start assessing rabbits until 6 weeks old.

My first goal is tricolor rex so choosing a doe starts with a doe that has the genetics I need, especially coat color. I know that a lot of people say "build the barn first, then paint it", and it's good advice, but decently conforming rex are easy to find in my area while the genes for a tricolor coat aren't. So for me it's going to be easier to breed conformity in later after I have a line of the right colors.

Then I eliminate any rabbits that are runty, or unhealthy. I'll raise them as food or pets but not to breed.

Next is, does this rabbit have a good genetic history? Are parents, grandparents, etc good? Are they sturdy, did they have good litters, etc? I will try not to keep a kit from too small of a litter. (5 or less, for me, is too small.) Some people don't like too large of a litter. For example, my rex doe had 11 and has lost two kits. Sometimes a does can't feed that many. Sometimes it's nice to know you have extras. This is more preference.

Then I look at who has good conformation. Conformation will be slightly different by breed, but most commercial rabbits have similar requirements.
http://www.edelweissranch.com/conformation.html
https://minkhollow.ca/rabbits/doku.php?id=rex_standard
https://bharabbitry.weebly.com/selecting-quality-stock.html
Basically you're looking for a big, chunky, balanced shape, like a ball with 1/3rd of it cut off and a rabbit head attached, especially round from the backside. But, this can take some time to grow in to so I would take my time evaluating it. Sometimes I will wait as long as 24 weeks (6mo) before making a final assessment on this. A jr rabbit won't have an adult conformation. This includes overall size and growth rate.

At this age I'm also deciding if these rabbits are crazy or not because they've matured past their terrible teens. I have had rabbits literally try to kill me by latching on to my wrists and ripping them open during feeding time. This is not acceptable, obviously, and crazy rabbits have got to go. You don't want to be looking at your own arteries because of your rabbit. Crazy rabbits gotta go if they don't grow out of it by 6mo.

Then it's time for the doe herself to run the gamut. If I have some good prospects I breed 'em and see what they make for me. First time litters often fail, so a doe has three, MAAAAAYBE four strikes if I really like her. If she can't raise a litter of six or more she doesn't stay in the herd for long. You need a mom with good instincts and there's no replacement for it.

If all the stars line up, I keep them in my herd as long as possible and get lots of babies form them. If they don't, well I may cull or sell (with full disclosure) earlier, or just remove them entirely.

 

[AllenK RGV]

My dad is cool, but he moved to Boston a few years ago, but thankfully I don’t have to deal with my mother and her boyfriend that often.

I really should have phrased that differently as DW and I are in our early 50's we do not need anything from them at all at this point in our life or in the future. We are both retired now but they still have 2 young incell (35-40 year old )Commercial pilots screaming for food and resources(yep the this is your captain speaking guys). It is such a complicated dynamic on my DW side, however, I am happy for some reason they all hate me for providing stability and our own home/plot of land. Families are weird.

 

[KikiDeAnime]

Oh, sure. But my goals are going to be different than yours because mine is a project line right now. I don't even start assessing rabbits until 6 weeks old.

My first goal is tricolor rex so choosing a doe starts with a doe that has the genetics I need, especially coat color. I know that a lot of people say "build the barn first, then paint it", and it's good advice, but decently conforming rex are easy to find in my area while the genes for a tricolor coat aren't. So for me it's going to be easier to breed conformity in later after I have a line of the right colors.

Then I eliminate any rabbits that are runty, or unhealthy. I'll raise them as food or pets but not to breed.

Next is, does this rabbit have a good genetic history? Are parents, grandparents, etc good? Are they sturdy, did they have good litters, etc? I will try not to keep a kit from too small of a litter. (5 or less, for me, is too small.) Some people don't like too large of a litter. For example, my rex doe had 11 and has lost two kits. Sometimes a does can't feed that many. Sometimes it's nice to know you have extras. This is more preference.

Then I look at who has good conformation. Conformation will be slightly different by breed, but most commercial rabbits have similar requirements.
http://www.edelweissranch.com/conformation.html
https://minkhollow.ca/rabbits/doku.php?id=rex_standard
https://bharabbitry.weebly.com/selecting-quality-stock.html
Basically you're looking for a big, chunky, balanced shape, like a ball with 1/3rd of it cut off and a rabbit head attached, especially round from the backside. But, this can take some time to grow in to so I would take my time evaluating it. Sometimes I will wait as long as 24 weeks (6mo) before making a final assessment on this. A jr rabbit won't have an adult conformation. This includes overall size and growth rate.

At this age I'm also deciding if these rabbits are crazy or not because they've matured past their terrible teens. I have had rabbits literally try to kill me by latching on to my wrists and ripping them open during feeding time. This is not acceptable, obviously, and crazy rabbits have got to go. You don't want to be looking at your own arteries because of your rabbit. Crazy rabbits gotta go if they don't grow out of it by 6mo.

Then it's time for the doe herself to run the gamut. If I have some good prospects I breed 'em and see what they make for me. First time litters often fail, so a doe has three, MAAAAAYBE four strikes if I really like her. If she can't raise a litter of six or more she doesn't stay in the herd for long. You need a mom with good instincts and there's no replacement for it.

If all the stars line up, I keep them in my herd as long as possible and get lots of babies form them. If they don't, well I may cull or sell (with full disclosure) earlier, or just remove them entirely.

That craziness happened to my older brother a years ago when he was breeding meat rabbits. He was lied to about the second doe he had gotten and she was terrible. She ate any babies she had, attacked anyone who tried to feed her, and was overall terrible. He kept thinking it was his fault up until she died from a health issue. His first doe was perfect, raised so many litters, was very friendly towards anyone who opened the hutch, and was an amazing rabbit to have. Sadly, something had managed to get into her hutch and eat her.

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

I really should have phrased that differently as DW and I are in our early 50's we do not need anything from them at all at this point in our life or in the future. We are both retired now but they still have 2 young incell (35-40 year old )pilots screaming for food and resources. It is such a complicated dynamic on my DW side, however, I am happy for some reason they all hate me for providing stability and our own home/plot of land. Families are weird.

I left my mom the second I turned 18. Half my siblings are still hanging onto my mother for support, and the oldest is 36. I’m in my late 20’s, but my family believes in being very close and seeing each other often. My brothers have come begging for money lots of times, I would rather them hate me for having a decent life to be honest.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

That craziness happened to my older brother a years ago when he was breeding meat rabbits. He was lied to about the second doe he had gotten and she was terrible. She ate any babies she had, attacked anyone who tried to feed her, and was overall terrible. He kept thinking it was his fault up until she died from a health issue. His first doe was perfect, raised so many litters, was very friendly towards anyone who opened the hutch, and was an amazing rabbit to have. Sadly, something had managed to get into her hutch and eat her.

Yike. Yeah, mom rabbits should never eat their babies after they've had 1-2 litters. It's not uncommon for the first litter or two, but three strikes you're out. That's it. If you're not a really nice doe in the first place I might not even bother with more than two, depending on how hard those litters fail. Had a bunny giving me 3-5 kit litters and lost her first two so I don't need to wait to know that's a failure.

And we don't keep crazy bunnies either. If you're too aggressive I'm not risking my limbs anymore. I still have the scar (and probably always will) to remind me not to keep rabbits that you can't feed safely. It's right over my radial artery. That rabbit tried to kill me.

 

[jolenesdad]

I got a shipment tracking from McMurray!!