Rabbitry Updates

Been awhile since I've done a rabbitry update.
Have been to two shows since then. The Washington State Convention was at the end of June. It was a fun weekend for the most part. We had over 100 Dutch, however I can't remember who the big winners were... I think Lisa was BOB with a Gray on Saturday, and Jill being BOS with a Blue... Might have been the same Sunday?
None of my Dutch did anything, since they all decided to blow their coats that week.
For the Martians, I think Arson won BOS both days... Then I think Scott was BOB one day (with an Arson daughter) and Sharon and Larry the next day.
Also had a 4 show weekend this month. On Friday the 16th, we had two Dutch specialties, then Saturday was two all breed shows. We had around 80 Dutch. Jan was the big winner of the weekend! She won all 4 BOB's, and 3 of the BOS, then topped that off with a BEST IN SHOW and RESERVE IN SHOW! She has a gorgeous little Blue jr doe that dominated! She also has a pretty little Black jr buck.
The only thing Jan didn't win was one BOS in one of the specialties, which Lisa won with a Black sr buck.
Most of my bunns were too young. I was happy with how a few of my juniors did. I won best Black jr doe in 3 of the 4 shows, with two different does. The one who won twice also won a BOSV. These are their first legs. Then I had a Black jr buck win first in his class (somehow beating Jan's awesome buck...). Also his first leg.
Arson was the only Martian that we showed, which he didn't do so great that weekend. Not sure who won for the Martians that weekend...
Currently have 2 Dutch litters that are about 5 weeks old, and another 4 that are a week old.
I have two Dutch that will be sold this Saturday, and another leaving next Wednesday. This will leave me with just two junior bucks for sale.
Then for those who were following Bubbly, he's moved onto a pet home :(
With it being fair season, I have no more shows to show at until September. I will be judging at both the Colville and Bremerton shows that month, and will be taking a few to show.
In the mean time, I have several fairs that I'll be judging in the mean time, which will give me my rabbit fix :)

Bubbly Update

7 weeks old

7 weeks old

7 weeks old

7 weeks old

8 weeks old

8 weeks old

8 weeks old

8 weeks old

I left for the weekend for the Washington State Convention, with Bubbly looking like a a Champagne. When I got home, I was surprised to see that his color had started darkening. He looked like a Silver Fox now. With in just a few days, he got so dark, that he looked like a Silver Tipped Steel (Steel Dutch are usually colored more like a Golden Tip Steel, as genetically, we have no way of getting the ST without the Chinchilla being bred in). Within a week, he was almost all Black. He is almost 10 weeks old now, and only has a bit of very light ticking on his legs, and some silver hairs in his tail. Up on the crown of his head, is the only area he has any Champagne color, but that's slowly disappearing also.

I'll admit, I am sad that he didn't keep his Champagne color, as he was really pretty. It's probably for the best, as I really do not have the room/time to be working on a new variety. Bubbly is available to a good pet home. Because of being an oddity, he's been handled a lot, and is very calm.

Bubbly the odd Dutch

Bubbly, my odd little Dutch, turned 6 weeks old last weekend. I took new pics of him last week, and have posted them on facebook, but figured I'd post them here too. To me, he still looks just like a Champagne colored rabbit. An overly ticked Steel could maybe explain him also, even though I've never seen a Steel this ticked (for any breed). Also, the fact that the color is silver, whereas Steel Dutch have no way of being silvered with their genetics, unless you throw Chinchilla into the mix (which there is no Chinchilla in the rabbit).

I have had two judges call him Magpie, which I don't agree with. I think there would be bars/bands over the back if he was. Another judge has said that he looks like the latest mutation, as it's through mutations that we've gotten all of the colors that we have today.

I have compared him up against a friend's Silver Fox, and he's very similar to that, other than the fact that he's a lot more silvered (as a Champagne would be).

I was wanting to take him to State this weekend, but don't want to stress him out. I will be taking him to the GNW show with me though. I have taken him to a NWRB meeting with me, where he was a big hit.

Updates

State Convention is in a week. I only entered 5 Black Dutch (no Blues :( ).

Maverick- Sr buck
Casanova- Jr buck
Rogue- Sr doe
and 2 little jr does, it'll be their first time out

Just went through them yesterday, and all but Maverick are molting :( Not expecting anything with the Dutch. Just hoping Casanova's coat comes in for the GNW show a few weeks later. We'll be having a double dutch specialty the night before, making it a quaduple show for us Dutch breeders. Mattering on Casa's weight, I will most likely bump him up to senior that weekend, in hopes of granding him, as this will be my last show until September. We normally have a Dutch specialty in August, but we moved it to the GNW show to save our club money. Only thing that sucks about that is that I had a bunch of litters bred for it...

On the Martian front, Nicole and I are only showing Arson and Coal at state.

I will have several rabbits for sale at state, both Dutch and Silver Martens. Four of my Dutch were suppose to go up to Canada, but the buyer had to back out. Here's whose available, more info can be found on both websites:

Dutch for sale:
Maverick- Black sr buck- 1 leg (BOS)
DDLEP- Black jr buck (not on my website yet, email me for details, really nice buck)
Ladybug- Black sr doe- proven brood doe- RGC/6 legs (2 BOB's of 80, 1 Reserve in Show win)
Trelawn Delta- Black sr doe- proven brood doe- Reg
Diesel- Blue sr buck- 1 leg (BOS)

I have been breeding both Maverick and Diesel to my does, and am getting some nice rabbits out of them. I just have too many bucks. Also trying to cut my brood doe number down, which is why Ladybug and Delta are available. Any of these rabbits will go nicely as a pair or trio.
I might have a Black jr doe available also...

For the Silver Martens, Coal and Maddy will both be for sale, along with our Maddy and Pyro litters. Phoenix also has a litter, that will be available a few weeks later.

I've also been updating my website a lot more lately, working at getting all the articles from my old site updated/posted. Several are now up, keep checking back for more updates!

http://doubledutchrabbitry.com
http://silverstreakrabbitry.homestead.com

Champagne Dutch?

I was a bit surprised yesterday when going through all my 2 week old litters... I came across this very oddly colored baby. It's coloring is just like what you'd find on a Champagne D'Argent. Champagne's are born all black, and get all of their silvering as they mature, with the head being the last to silver. This one is a lot more silvered over the back, than what a Champagne would be at the same age. The back is very evenly colored. However on the face, it's still patchy with black, and the belly is more black. Makes me wonder if it'll silver in these areas as it matures.

It's not an agouti (no ring color), and not any kind of Steel. It's out of two Blacks, with nothing but Blacks and Blues in it's background for 20 generations. We're thinking it has to be some kind of mutation.

Will be interesting to see how this little one developes. I'm planning on keeping it to experiment with breeding it. Will post more pics of it here and on my facebook as it grows up.

Davenport Show

Double Dutch's Casanova

Last weekend was the Davenport show. It was my first time going to an Inland Empire show, and my dad and I enjoyed it. It was a long drive (4 1/2 hours), but was in a different part of the state that I haven't been to before. Basically nothing but crops for over an hour of driving.
Friday night in the specialty, Lisa won BOB with her Gray buck. Rogue won BOS for her 5th leg. Casanova was beaten by Jan's senior buck, as the judge said he was still a bit young. However when he has something really promising, he likes to nickname them. Casanova was one of two Dutch nicknamed that night, the judge called him "Sharp". Jan's Blue jr doe was the other one that got a nickname.
In show A on Saturday, I think Rogue was BOSV... (hard to know the results when you're judging!). If so, that is leg 6. Casanova again got promising comments, but was said that he was too young. BOB went Jan's Black buck that's done quite a bit of winning these last few months! BOS was Jean's Best in Show winning Tort doe.
In show B, Casanova won Best of Breed! BOS went to a cute little Tort jr doe of Vicki's (different one than what's been winning for her). Her Tort doe went on to be Best of the Best Opposites!
For the fun of it, I stuck Casanova in the Breeders Choice competition during lunch. He end up winning it!
At the end of the show, my dad and I were talking, of the three shows-- 3 BOB's and 3 BOS's, it was 6 different rabbits to win, owned by 5 different breeders. State Convention next month is going to be extremely competitive!

NWRB Show

Last weekend was the NWRB show. I had two Black jr bucks who made their showing debut. They are both just 11 weeks old. Both are nice, but one of them I've been very excited about. That one, Casanova was Best Opposite breed in both shows! In the first show, under Cliff, he ranted and raved over him. During a break in my judging, I had gone over to the Dutch table, and it was funny, cause he was telling me to go and look at his BOV Black. Had to keep a straight face, so he wouldn't know it was my rabbit.
BOB in show A went to Jean's gorgeous Tort doe, who went on to win BEST IN SHOW! Very nice rabbit!
Show B, Vicki's nice Tort doe that's been winning lately was BOB. Torts have really been doing great lately in this area!
In the Silver Martens, Coal was BOS in show A, with Arson being BOB in show B. Scott won the other BOB and BOS.
Next show is Davenport in two weeks. We'll be leaving early Friday morning, as there is a Dutch meeting that night, and a Dutch specialty. Then Saturday, I will be judging. I'll be showing the same 5 Dutch as last weekend (Maverick, Rogue, Jewel, Casanova, and another Black jr buck), and then Arson and Coal for the Martens.
That will be the last show until State Convention, in June.