The last of my first rabbits is gone

[GBov]

I processed my very last starter rabbit today. He was a gold tipped steel New Zealand buck, somewhere between 5 and 7 years old.

Talk about mixed emotions :roll: glad to have the cage empty, have the BIG body resting in the fridge and the beautiful hide stretched and drying nicely but, awwwww, he was such a nice boy, its odd to see his cage full of a mama rabbit and 7 kits.

But his genes go on, have sold many of his kits through the last few years and have two of his daughters still in my program so its a bitter sweet thing.

How do y'all feel when the last of your first is gone?

 

[JDWest]

Oh wow! Both a hand shake and hand on the shoulder to you. What a milestone! I'm not at that point in my rabbitry yet, but i'm sure i'll feel much the same way when that day comes.

 

[Truckinguy]

Yup, when I built my colony a little over a year ago (Fall/2012) I downsized and process four adult rabbits, one of which was my first buck Adam. He was a blue NZ and such a nice, calm, friendly fellow and I felt terrible processing him but I didn't have a choice, I had nowhere to put him. His son Fred is my buck in the colony, he is from my first litter I ever had from Adam and Scarlett, he is a big solid Steele buck, friendly and calm, all the characteristics of his father but a bit bigger in size. He's healthy and him and Morgan are still producing good litters, so good so far!

I got my first rabbits on March 1/08 and Fred was born not too long after that so he is coming up on six years old. I'll be very upset when he's gone.

 

[skysthelimit]

It's pretty much a revolving door around here. I only have one rabbit left that was here when I started breeding for show. Just Elmo, all the others have been culled. He is only still here because he does not carry REW. I'm not sure if I will ever have any old timers. In order to show, I have to keep producing new buns every season.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I processed my very last starter rabbit today.

Talk about mixed emotions :roll:

Tell me about it! The last of mine went to FC quite a few months ago.

It was not an easy thing to do, and I had put it off time and time again, giving Feather way more chances to start producing well again than the usual three strikes. Poppy had developed sore hocks, so she was a bit easier to do as I knew she was uncomfortable.

After the initial oddness of having them gone was over, I just felt relieved that I had finally done it.

Having the cages occupied by productive animals feels really good.

I'm not sure if I will ever have any old timers. In order to show, I have to keep producing new buns every season.

Same here. Plus once the next generation is producing, most of the prior ones have to move along to make room. Only a really stellar doe or buck will probably make it anywhere near two years old here.

 

[michaels4gardens]

At first it was hard to kill does and bucks i had bred for years, -
- but eventually I made the decision that raising rabbits was a business and not a hobby, [I could not afford to keep them as a hobby]-- after that there was no question about what needs to happen, and sooner is better then later, when it comes to cutting out rabbits that are costing me money, or can be replaced by more promising breedstock. I try to cull the bottom 1/3 each year even if they don't "strike out"

 

[arachyd]

My oldest went a few months ago. She was an adult when I got her about 15 years ago. I really miss her.