Bad Feed..........Dead Rabbits.

[grumpy]

Just got finished with the State Inspector filling out a complaint form.
She took my statement, took pictures, and a sample bag of the feed.

NOW....I cannot "return" the unused bags until they finish their investigation.
So, I've got to jockey them around and find a safe place to store them.
Hopefully, it won't take a very long time to find out what is happening.

Here's a pic of the ones I lost today....4 nice does and a fryer.
That table's 24" wide and 36" long.

From the looks of things, I'll have two or three more by tomorrow.
They're not doing well at all.

grumpy.

 

[Schipperkesue]

What a sad blow.

 

[Marinea]

So, so sorry to read this, Grumpy.

If I know one thing about you, it's that you will find the reason for this, and correct it.

I suppose the hay is a possible culprit, but with your experience, I doubt it. Moldy hay is a lot easier to catch than something wrong with processed feed. In any event, please don't beat yourself up. This is a hiccup.

*hugs*

 

[MamaSheepdog]

 

[the reluctant farmer]

Grumpy, I'm so sorry. Nothing to add that's useful, just wanted to add my support and prayers.

 

[grumpy]

:indy-jones: This about says it all.....LOL.

Thanks so much everyone.....

Yes, Marinea..........come Hell or High Water....I will find out..and fix it!!

Reluctant, MSD, Sk..sue.... It's been a day, several days actually, that
will remain long in my memory.

The "hay" smells as sweet as the early spring....don't "think" that's it.
I've dealt with questionable hay in the past. Some..lol..I wouldn't
even feed to my horse.

I've ran a thousand scenario's through my mind and I'm still baffled.
"MONEY" is an issue...it has been for the last couple of years. However,
I may well contact my vet and find out the costs of a necropsy. I'm quite
sure I'll have one or two suitable corpses by in the morning.

Work on the additional five cages being installed came to a screeching
halt when this manure hit the fan. I've got the "bait" for the mice. I'm
fixin' to pump out the tanks and sanitize them and the lines. Got new
feed in front of all the stock.

I'm going to have a hard time fostering that many babies out to other
does. Every doe that's died has had a litter between 7 and 10.

This day has been pure.....####!!

:gnight:

 

[Dood]

Ugg - it's so frustrating and sad when the cause cannot be figured out but if anyone can pull through this I'm certain it's you Grumpy

If the rabbits are all on the same water system please check that as well.

A drowned baby raccoon in a dog kennel well nearly wiped out a friends pups. Everything else was ruled out by fecal testing and so they tested the water which turned up a high bacterial count and a switch to trucked in water cleared up the problem. The well was drained and the little skeleton and rotting fur found, and they never figured out how the little guy got in there. Thankfully the house was on a seperate cistern so no people got sick.

 

[Demamma]

Michael the feed you got from Buckys what brand was it? I get my feed from the Mill in Artois. I feed mix grains and pellets. I've only bought feed a few times from Buckys.

Grumpy I'm sorry this is happening to you. I hope your other rabbits recover.

-- Wed Apr 02, 2014 10:56 pm --

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

this is to bad... I hope you find out what is doing it. It is always a gamble when you feed commercial pellets as you never know what the quality of the hay ect that they are using to make the pellets.

 

[michaels4gardens]

Michael the feed you got from Buckys what brand was it? I get my feed from the Mill in Artois. I feed mix grains and pellets. I've only bought feed a few times from Buckys.

Grumpy I'm sorry this is happening to you. I hope your other rabbits recover.

-- Wed Apr 02, 2014 10:56 pm --

It was feed that Bucky's made for my farm, it was not a "Name Brand" They delivered it to the farm in a bulk truck, and augered it into my bulk bin.
I should probly have not said anything,because "Karma" paid the debt, and it has been over 20 years- Bucky's lost a lot of business when the feed test results came back to verify my complaint, , and Jack Bucky still refused to do anything at all to try to make it right. I know of at least 4 other farms who dropped them and went south with me, a few miles to where Curt Hubbard and friend, had just set up a mill {at Artois } I got great feed at Artois,- so-- never set foot in Bucky's again.

 

[Prisma]

I'm so sorry to hear you're having such problems. I had the same issue with Purina rabbit feed years ago, killed off all but a very few of close to hundred (included old pets to weanlings/breeding/show stock in several breeds from large to small). Company said it wasn't their fault and nothing would be done even with proof otherwise that there was an issue with the feed. So I wouldn't suggest them either if considering it not just because of that issue but about 2 years after and no other good quality around tried again as figured no place is perfect etc...that following winter after an excellent summer and spring they started again and luckily I just lost a handful instead of all but a few. It really does sound like your problem is the feed though. I hope they come out of it and they do produce, older does that survived didn't produce kids for me again. I hope some thing comes out of it for you.

 

[DogCatMom]

How awful. I hope the deaths stop STAT and the reason is found also STAT. Lots of little kits needing feeding, very sad about the mamma does.

 

[grumpy]

Today wasn't quite as bad...I lost another doe with a litter and a couple
more fryers. I "think" I may have turned the corner on this. The state
inspector was out once again to finish up on the paperwork. The sample bag
of feed is already at the labs in Jefferson City, Mo.

I even got a call and a visit from the Company's District Sales Manager.
I held my temper and was quite cordial...LOL. My response to his question,
"Why" I didn't call the company "FIRST?"

It was easy: "Historically, corporations automatically assess responsibility to
the customer's lack of expertise in the area they are having difficulties in."

He seemed somewhat offended by that remark. Frankly, I didn't care
and don't care. I just told him I wanted the facts brought forth by an
independent third party. Hence, my call to the State Inspectors Office.

He brought up the specter of the stock having coccidiosis?

I told him, "Of course, they've got it!! But it's a secondary reaction. Not
the primary." I detest arguing with folks.

I think he then realized I wasn't some rube that was unaware of such things.
Coccidia is present in low numbers in nearly every warm blooded creature.
It's only when the immune system is challenged that the numbers begin to
multiply and cause damage to the host.

Hopefully tomorrow, I'll notice a significant improvement in the stock.

I've got one young buck I'm still concerned about. He's a dandy, weighing
nine pounds at five months.

Keeping my fingers crossed. BTW: I had to put in six nest boxes this pm.
The world continues to turn.
grumpy.

 

[dangerbunny]

sorry for your losses

 

[Miss M]

I am so sorry, Grumpy!!!

I dealt with this once, just last year. I have just a little rabbitry, though, so not nearly on the same scale! I lost one doe I was raising to breed, and almost lost a pet buck.

The feed store had gotten a whole shipment of bad feed. They were replacing it no problems. They didn't know whether it had come from the manufacturer that way, or whether it had gotten damp in storage or transit somewhere before it got to them.

I sure hope you get some answers soon, and that you have turned a corner with this! :clover:

 

[grumpy]

Thanks Miss M.

I know the coyotes' are gonna have a "feast" for the next several days.

I've got a big, "burn-pile" out behind the barn that's littered with the
carcasses of my rabbits. They're usually cleaned up from one day to the
next by the night-time critters coming out of the timber. It's amazing how
much "Burn-Material" a small acreage can produce over the course of a year.
I keep thinking that someday, I can have the burn-pile finished and buried
with my buddy's bobcat. Somehow, more stuff appears that needs to be
thrown away and the burn-pile grows once again.

It's hard to explain, but I can "sense" more than "know" I've started to
turn the corner with the problems the rabbitry is/was facing. But, man oh
man...........I sure hated losing those young does. They were dandy's.
Fortunately, I've got 8-10 young does I've held back for replacements. It
will be another month before they're old enough to breed, but at least I've
got 'em. I've got two trios of well-bred sisters and a pair of sisters out of the
"Sweet-sixteen" litter I've saved.

The "Sweet-16" junior does are out of a young mother that was covered
by two different bucks. That deal sort of screwed up my bookkeeping. LOL.
But, they're too durned pretty......"not" to keep. I've got a couple of bucks
that I know will work well with them.

They say, "Everything happens for a reason." Sometimes, I question that.
But, that's life and we work with the hand we've been dealt. It would be very
easy to lose my spirit and remain "low"... However, that's not my style and
I don't like dwelling in an emotional cellar for very long. I'll just hitch-up
my britches and "keep on truckin". What else.....can I do? LOL.

Grumpy.

 

[SuburbanHomesteader]

Just saw your post and learned of your problems. Really don't know what to say other than I feel bad and hope things get straightened out quickly. Lots of good, positive vibes coming your way from all of us on this site. Take care and keep us posted.

 

[michaels4gardens]

I have been through that before-- and it sucks-- sorry it hapened to you, --
best of luck- sometimes a different batch is OK-- but sometimes it is not --if they use the same tainted feed ingredients in the next batch-
--- I lost a bunch of animals [about $10, 000 worth ] from cheep moldy Milo being used in my feed, instead of the corn I had looked at and we had agreed on. I was never able to get a dime from the feed Company. --so-- to this day I have nothing good to say about Jack Bucky, or Bucky's Feed and Grain, in Orland Ca.

Demamma wrote:Michael the feed you got from Buckys what brand was it? I get my feed from the Mill in Artois. I feed mix grains and pellets. I've only bought feed a few times from Buckys.

Grumpy I'm sorry this is happening to you. I hope your other rabbits recover.

-- Wed Apr 02, 2014 10:56 pm --


It was feed that Bucky's made for my farm, it was not a "Name Brand" They delivered it to the farm in a bulk truck, and augered it into my bulk bin.
I should probly have not said anything,because "Karma" paid the debt, and it has been over 20 years- Bucky's lost a lot of business when the feed test results came back to verify my complaint, , and Jack Bucky still refused to do anything at all to try to make it right. I know of at least 4 other farms who dropped them and went south with me, a few miles to where Curt Hubbard and friend, had just set up a mill {at Artois } I got great feed at Artois,- so-- never set foot in Bucky's again

I wish you the best-- I hope you can come back from this without too much problem, -- I had "hard times" when it happened to me [the time mentioned above] I had to take a high paying job, working away from home for over a year, while wife and kids "managed" the farm, -to make enough money to overcome the damage. -It was a "real Pain"
best of luck--

 

[grumpy]

Well, today was a first in nearly a week.

I didn't have a corpse waiting on me when I went into the rabbitry.

I've got a NZRed buck that sloughed off his lower intestine mucous liner
during the night. He's a question mark on survival. Rolled oats and hay
for him for the next several days...........if he lives.

A lot of the rabbits look like a boxer that's "gone-the-distance". LOL.
Battered and bruised, but still hangin' in there. I believe they'll make it
with some extra care and a bit of good luck.

I'd rather not "endure" this again. It's a bit taxing on my nerves. :x :x

grumpy.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

that's good to know the rest are doing ok.. what are you feeding your herd now?