Monday, June 14, 2010

Feed and Other Stuff

It is continuing to be busy around here with new litters born and new breedings being planned and carried out. Last week Spang's Margaux gave birth to a litter of 8, and Juno (surprise, surprise!) gave birth to a litter of 6. Over the last several days I re-bred Etienne (this time to Diego), and Diana (to Beauregard), and also took 3 or 4 does to my black Giant buck Milo, so we will see how everything goes over the next couple of months as these babies are born and the existing ones get weaned:).

Out of the lack of anything better to say (I am totally strung out on kid activities this month and have little to no brain matter left:-)), I figured I would post a picture of my feed storage corner in the basement, since this type of thing always fascinates me in other peoples' rabbitries:).

Anyway, once every month or so a friend of mine from our local rabbit club coordinates a one ton order of Heinold feed for several breeders in the area. I drive out to the next town where it is stored in another guy's hardware store (a guy who is the president of the rabbit club, LOL), and I pick up enough to last me for 3-4 weeks.

In a corner of my basement where it is clean, cool, and dry, my dh put a wooden pallet next to the ramp we installed to make it easy to roll dollies loaded with feed in and out. I store my feed in two piles---one for the Wool formula (used for all adult rabbits including those over 14 weeks old), and one for the General formula, which is used for babies up to 14 weeks. Next to my feed piles I have three large rubbermaid tubs that hold 'Adult feed', 'Baby feed', and 'Grain mix', consecutively, and on top of those closed tubs are the buckets and containers I use to haul the feed and supplements in and out (luckily, my rabbitry is located right outside the basement door, LOL).




There are lots of efficient ways to store feed, but the main requirement is always that it is kept in a cool and stable environment in airtight containers to keep everything fresh and palatable to the bunnies.

More again next week when life calms down and there is more time to snap pics and do other interesting bunny work:). I hope everyone out there is enjoying a mild summer so far with tons of litters and LOTS of promising new herd dams/sires:).

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