*Warning*. Long rambling post. I split it up and put part of it in the hopping mad section as it was not appropriate for this thread.
I'm typing this quickly out on my phone, so it may not be well written/edited
You can message me if you like Sue.
My frosts haven't really darkened up with too much ticking. Some have more frosting then others. That white has a darker nose then some of my post ones. So he might darken more then the ones i've had so far. I have a full grown frosted doe that should kindle soon....so that will be interesting.
Yeah.....My line is not pure somwhere back there... I've been heavily working on my guys each year but my litters still vary greatly in size etc. In the same litter i will get a kit that grows to 13 and it's litter mate will be 16. 16..Still small. But getting better. But as of this spring i might take a big step back on improving and just switch to enjoying them personally.
I think there is Standard Rex or something else in my guys in more then a few rabbits i've purchased. Not intentionaly with me...and i believe their was no ill intent with the sellers either. Just pure lack of experience on both sides.
I believe a couple does I had/have (still have one) that were purchased originally from Southern Manitoba from an established Flemish meat line have rex in hidden in there.
Also, i used my buck, Butters....a crap ton....and he threw lots of colours. Whats weired is I seemed to get those whites and fawns pop up in numerous does that weren't related to each other or him. Butters always seemed to give me a few fawns and whites each year, scattered throughout the litters. When I started playing with those strange colours...the colours got more weired. Then the Astrex fur thing really thru me for a loop. I originally thought it was from a Checkered giant buck. But Butter's kits, when bred siblings to each other produced the fur too. As did the Checkered. I dont know....
I've gotten funky hair and funky colours. It's fun, yet all kinda disheartening at the same time!!
I started with purchasing Flemish from breeders rather then auctions. I thought that would be safer. But, My mistake was purchasing from breeders whom they themselves were pretty new to the Flemish breed...so we were basicaly a bunch of newbies staring at a "biggish" lookin rabbits.
Maybe i gotta flip my attitude towards this. I could be having more fun if i gear it that way. Some of my worst rabbits (type wise) are actually my favourites...mother skills and personality...i cant bring myself to butcher such well serving girls. So maybe i should relax and change my outlook.
You are right Sue, about the red eye thing. Sooo many people hate them. Which is partly why I stopped with the New Zealand Whites. Personally i think red eyes are really pretty. But many find it creepy.
I find in this coat colour that their fur and skin to be more fly-back and the hide thickens (matures) a tiny bit faster in a fly back coat ...making them ever so slightly harder to peel. But we also end up with less hair on the carcass. The roll back fur gets everywhere.
If I do get more of those whites popping up in litters I could always give you a heads up, Sue; You could give them somwhere else to go other then my freezer? ...even if they ultimately only make it to YOUR freezer...lol.
Or if i could contact you if i decide to rehome my adult frosted doe? This will be her first kindling. I might decide to keep a baby and not use her. I would rather rehome her then butcher her.
Maybe we could get a more established line going. I don't mind supplying any little frosted dudes i happen to get if you wanna play around with them. You and that other person.
It will be interesting to see what the adult frost i have now kindles. I butchered my two original Flemish bucks last fall. So I am using their sons this year. If i ever get my arse in gear.
Jess