***PLEASE READ*** Culling rabbits for quality is necessary in improving the breed over time. Please bear in mind that my rabbits are meat rabbits - they do get lots of attention and care, but they are ultimately livestock (sometimes spoiled and treated as pets). Many people are wondering why I didn't decide to SELL Nitro as a pet. By letting him go as a pet there is always a chance that he would have been bred again. I don’t think that he is going to improve the genetics of anyone’s herd, so I did not want to let that happen. There are others asking why I didn't NEUTER and sell him. If I neutered and sold all of my culls, I would be contributing to overpopulation and I don’t want to be responsible for rabbits that end up in the shelter (there are already too many!). Of course I always tell anyone that if they want a rabbit strictly for pet purposes to adopt. But my rabbits are meat rabbits, and nothing is wasted here. I prefer not to sell my rabbits as pets unless they are retired breeders. It’s not about money to me. It is a hard decision, but necessary.
As a fellow breeder, you aren't being honest with yourself. You culled him to improve your program because you want to win. That's really all it comes down to. You're improving your stock that you started with, but you cull animals that either don't perform the way you want them to, have poor SOP characteristics, DQs, or faults, or simply because a nicer animal comes along. All this is done with a single goal in mind, you want to win, you want grand champions, you want recognition of your hard work. And as a breeder I can tell you this, you are not separating yourself from the emotional attachment of the animals. Either pull the trigger yourself when you cull, or don't cull. You're just going to be miserable in the long run and get burnt out if you continue viewing rabbit husbandry the way you do, meaning you say and do one thing, but feel a different way. If you can't cull the animal yourself, you really should reevaluate your program. Emotionally, if you can't handle it, you may want to invest in the best animals possible, they'll cost a ton of money, but if they produce BOBs and Grand Champions consistently, then you won't feel that sadness and guilt. Or, toughen up and do it yourself. There really isn't alot of middle ground here. If you don't change, get burnt out, your animal's quality of life will suffer.
@@Redhotandblue89 this is a very assuming and ignorant comment to be honest. I’m not really sure what you’re even saying. I have culled many animals myself (named and unnamed... we raise meat rabbits here). Nitro hit me a bit harder than normal because I had high hopes for him. The opportunity arose that he could be used in a butcher class, so I took it. Had that opportunity not arose, I would have brought him home and done it. We do not rely on cull buyers. So again, I’m really not sure what you’re saying.
Please don’t stop posting the rabbit shows on CZcams. I can only imagine how hard it is, but it’s the only exposure many of us have to go on. I hope to start with rabbits in September and need all the information I can get.
If you have Instagram or Facebook I will be posting stories on both! I might also go over different terms at shows. It’s just really hard to vlog it with my camera, but a phone would be much easier 😊
I really liked seeing the rabbit show side of raising rabbits. It’s interesting. I appreciate your transparency in this video. Honesty is Best!! Truly. I also really admire your care for quality in breeding. It’s so important to have people who take pride in breeding to the standard! Thanks for being brave enough to be honest and for sharing!! Keep up the great work! 💜
Thank you for showing us a clip of your youthful enthusiasm with your Dutch buns. I appreciate your words as a reminder to focus on the 'why' of why we breed rabbits.
This was one of your best videos. I am thinking strongly about getting I to meat rabbits but this topic is one of the things that I'm still struggling with. I agree I want the rabbits to be loved and live a full life while they are with me but I also don't want to get so attached that I can't do what needs to be done. I appreciate your perspective on the topic.
Thank you for sharing with us your life your light and your passion Your rabbits are beautiful and are a asset to you I agree that people have to be told what its really like to be in your world and to make the decisions you have to make on a recurring basis You have followed your dream and you have come out stronger for it Thank from the UK
1 - Thank you SO much for taking us on a tour of the show! Getting me excited to watch my current grow outs develop and see what we've got cooking. 2 - Tundra is ADORABLE and when i tell you my jaw DROPPED at that fur!!!! 3 - I am so proud of you for making tough choices and I think that you made an excellent decision in where he went. If it were my rabbit that's how I'd want it to go, too.
I totally understand. It’s the social anxiety that gets me sometimes. It’s so much easier when you have friends to help show you what to do. You can do it! 😊
So well stated...loved riding along with you on the show. We had a big day here in Maine- my son helped kill a bill here in Maine for selling rabbits at 6 weeks rather than the standard 8. Such an awesome thing to watch him. He has learned so much with this hobby- taking care of animals, learning about their needs/ nutrition/ genetics, and public speaking. You have beautiful rabbits and their standing fur for your Fox’s is beautiful! Keep up the good work and hoping sometime we meet in the rabbit world. Thanks for such a fun video!
Thanks for sharing my friend. It is hard to make those decisions and you made a business decision you felt was right. I am surprised that there are not more negative comments, but for those in the rabbit business, chickens, goats, or whatever, tough choices have to be made. many blessings to you and your family.
Thank you for sharing the rabbit community needs to grow more on spreading experiences so we all can improve and respect this beautiful animal Happy New year!
Thank you for showing the show aspect of things. I'm pretty new to rabbits and we innitially started with just meat mutts and we recently Invested in show quality Californians whose pedigrees has champions in their backgrounds. So I've been really thinking of getting into showing with their offspring but I have no idea where to start.
so my litter is almost 5 weeks now. There is one brown kit (I think female too!) that is sooooo sweet. She loves being handled and does squirm away. It will be so difficult to sell her as meat/cull. Wish I had the room for her to stay.
Thanks for the vlog, I was so hoping to go but last minute had something come up. Sushi sounds like a great way to end a show. Tundra is beautiful, so glad you got to pick her up. People don’t understand how important culling is, without it you’d have an extreme overpopulation with some very unhealthy animals. (Like with how people irresponsibly breed animals and then encourage unhealthy traits and breed genetic malformations into animals which only leads to more suffering, much more suffering than a humane butchering.
I am new at rabbits but not chickens. The same decisions have to be made for any farm/homestead when it comes to livestock. I give my animals the best life possible so they will never have but one bad day. You obviously love your animals but you are absolutely correct. They are not pets. Enjoying your channel. Great job.
I understood your comment about how you wouldn't want to sell him and have him end up in an animal shelter, but isn't that better than being dead? He still could've gone to a new home. Just a thought
I really appreciate your videos, thank you for sharing your knowledge! I would like to suggest a topic for another video..... could you please go more in depth about how to pose and evaluate a rabbit, so that newer people can make better decisions about who to keep or cull. Thanks for considering!
I appreciate your videos. Been looking at raising rabbits as livestock. My father did that and beef when I was young. It is hard to not make a pet out of animals you raise so I understand how hard it is to cull one.
Yep, he fellfield his end goal, which sadly was food and teaching. he produced offspring. he was treated VERY well and Loved.. Don't become numb.. he had more of a life then those chicken nuggets you got at the fast food joint..
Really enjoyed this video! Especially seeing you when you did Dutch rabbits. When I was a young teen I got interested in rabbits and specifically Dutch but was never able to do it. Now I’ve got my first silver fox and am excited to have the opportunity to finally do rabbits. 🥰
I appreciate all the information about what a show/commercial rabbit should look like. It would be great if you could have a video explaining more about that. Just an idea for you! :) I bought some bunnies but after hearing about depth and shoulders I’m thinking....wow I have some scrawny bunnies I should have learned a little more before I got them. Oh well! You have to start somewhere!!! 🤣❤️
Sometimes it just takes them a while to fill out! And without being posed almost all rabbits can stretch out and look scrawny lol 😆 I will definitely be going over this in the future! It might be part of my series I’m doing.
Hi! Been watching your channel for months now. GREAT content 👏👏👏 I REALLY LIKED your show VLOG! Thanks for including it! I myself have never shown though the interest has been there so this VLOG was nice to watch and see since there have been no shows in my area yet and seeing the inside scoop takes the intimidation down a notch! I chose American Chinchilla, which I LOVE! SF is beautiful too 🙂 My rabbits are livestock too. I completely understand and side with you on your decision to cull what wasn't moving your program forward... that isn't wrong, it's necessary. I APPLAUD YOU for your choices and for standing behind your choices, no one ever enjoys that part. That is one of the downsides to livestock of any kind. Some people are just too far removed from their food sources (especially rabbits)... You are doing amazing things! Keep it up!!! #knowyourfarmer #knowyourfood
@@TealStoneHomestead ABSOLUTELY 💯 🙃 I have been homesteading and hobby farming for a few years... wasn't raised in it, just something I was always drawn to and am lucky enough to have been able to dip my toes into 😁 I will find you on Instagram to watch for more show tidbits too... you can add me on Instagram if you like, hixchick, I'm not a blogger or anything like that, just my own personal journey here on the East Coast, in beautiful Nova Scotia Canada 🇨🇦 🐇 🐓🐣🦆🦃 🐖 🥰
Yes I love the merchandise!!!! I’m in Canada hope I can buy some. I have a lionhead buck abs foster giant Flemish which had 8 bb bunnies !!! They are 7 days old 🐰💓
Thanks for posting this! Ive been trying to find videos on the shows, and they're kinda hit or miss. Yay for Cricket! I just wanna say.....Starbucks, Rabbits, and Sushi. I have found my peoples LMAO! Sorry to hear about Nitro. It's never easy with this lifestyle, when you have to do the things that we all know need done, when the time comes. It sounds like he is going to well serve others, in an educational way. He lived a productive life and a good life, and even in his death he's giving back to others. You can tell in your voice, the level of heart you have with what you're doing. It's a side of homesteading that I think a lot of people need to see, and it's OK to be sad when the time comes. Awesome video, thank you!
Excellent video! I’m sorry about Nitro...but I understand your decision and feel you made the right decision for your rabbitry. We had to cull a breeder a few months back and it’s hard...but necessary if you want to better your rabbitry. Thank you so much for your honesty!!
I live in Georgia and I don’t know of any shows in Georgia. I don’t know enough about rabbits to be a judge. My question is how to start an rabbit association thru local schools we call it FFA ( future Farmers of America) . They show beef cattle,dairy cattle, hogs and goats.
Where do you get your bowls? Do they ever have problems with tipping them? Are they good for winter when water is freezing? I love how everything is so pretty.
My water bowls twist on to the wire bottom floor so they do not tip. They are okay in the winter, but if they’re completely full during a hard freeze there’s a possibility that they can crack. You can get them from All Things Bunnies.
I took the heat lamp down off my baby buns like u said and I I that yesturday also my one deo is breathing shalow and her belly dropped but she has made nest but nothing is coming out or she pulling fur
We went to the show hoping to meet you and see the showing of the Silver Foxes but we must have looked like outsiders, LOL, because we were told no spectators were allowed and we were kicked out! We made the loop of the building a couple times first but it was VERY crowded and everyone looks the same with masks on.. oh well, I DID decide I don't think I will ever show Rabbits because it was so crowded and a lot of jostling and, well, I don't do too good in crowds. Culling is never easy and it shouldn't really be. We only raise meat rabbits so we know from the start where they are going to end up but that doesn't stop me and the kids from playing with them and naming them and loving on them! My kids know where their food comes from and what goes into making healthy/whole food. Not everyone agrees but that's the beauty of the USA.
Oh no! I’m so sorry 🤦♀️ shows are all so different right now. Some of them allow spectators and some of them don’t. Crowds aren’t my junior either, but i like that I can kind of disappear in a sea of rabbits 😂
I’m sorry you don’t understand it. Ultimately we are proud to produce our own meat instead of relying on factories to do the job for us. Many people get upset just because this one has a name. But he was never a pet. Imagine the same situation with a chicken and people would care way less.
At first I was annoyed by that judge pulling on ears, then I realized how much more flesh she had in her hand. Not as mean once you notice that! Two of my breeds are for show, not just meat, so seeing that is helpful! Maybe all three breeds will show.
So I have a question so I had my first litter of holland lops she had 5 but one was DOA and than yesterday another one died and there were around 4 days old and it’s stomach was super huge and overgrown when it died and it wasn’t like that until it died and we don’t know if it had a heart attack or something like that....
Oh no! I’m so sorry 😔 it’s pretty common to have a DOA kit every once in a while. As for the little one that just passed away, it’s really hard to say. So many things can happen to baby rabbits, they are so fragile! I hope the other 3 are okay 😊
So if a rabbit earns “x” number of points or wins, does the ARBA award championships or grand championships? Could there one day be a Ch. or Gr. Ch. Cassia?
I wish we could see Cassia win something!! 😊 Here’s how it kind of works (I’m not the best at paraphrasing). But basically, rabbits win “legs” in shows when there are 3 or more breeders showing 5 or more rabbits. For instance, if there were at least 3 breeders showing 5 junior does (in Creme d’Argents), and Cassia got first in junior does, she would get a leg from that. But if there were only 4 total junior does showing, she wouldn’t. There have been many silver fox shows where there are at least 3 breeders and five or more total rabbits, but not enough rabbits in each class (junior doe, senior doe, junior buck, senior buck, etc) to win a leg. The only way to win a leg in those shows is the win Best of Breed, and sometimes Best Opposite Sex. Once a rabbit has earned 3 legs, and at least one of those legs was earned in either intermediate or senior class, then you can “grand” the rabbit. I will finally get to grand Onyx this month! It is at this time that I will register him and he will get a G.C. number. I really hope to make some sort of visual explaining this at some point - but hopefully this kind of makes sense! 😊
Hey :) I know that you really love your rabbits and proper care is important for you. This is why I am taking the effort to write all this. Rabbits are amazing little creatures, full of affection, joy in doing zoomies and hopping around, hyped for fresh food. They need space - a lot of it. Preferably indoors, where they are not at risk for predation. They need the right flooring (no mesh) so their feed don`t get infected. They need warmth to really feel comfortable. They need unlimited hay. They need enrichment. They need fresh food every day, especially leafy greens. And they need other bunnies without wire between them, to get kisses and cuddles. Rabbit body language is quite simple and easy to learn. And I swear to you, it will melt your heart seeing them be really happy, doing zoomies, coming up to get cuddles from you and licking you every time they see you. They can be so incredible affectionate. Rabbit breeding - it is something you do for yourself and not for your rabbits. Especially the does are extremely prone to cancer in their ovaries. Getting them fixed gives them years more to enjoy their life. And there are so so many rabbits in the world that need homes. Do they have the perfect silver fox fur - no. But are they capable of feeling immense joy and giving you joy - yes, yes, yes. The world does not need more bunnies. It needs people to give bunnies the proper care. And I promise you, they give so much in return. My bunnies follow me around like little dogs. They even know some tricks. They want to be cuddled all the time and sleep next to me. They are such a gift. ❤
You made the right decision. Nitro was lacking in what you are trying to achieve with your herd. Not that it helps you right now, but culling does get easier with time.
Thank you ❤️ it is extra hard when you see potential and hold onto it, but it fails to meet expectations. I get close to these guys. But I don’t regret the decision!
I enjoy naming them. I don’t typically anticipate terminally culling rabbits I name. Also, Teal Stone’s Nitro looks better on paper than Teal Stone’s TS034.
My rabbit would take the fingers of that hiya mine hate there ears been touched let alone been handled like thay nothing against you but don't like that judge he could have been mutch nicer to them than that xx
you know there are other options. I have 2 rescued rabbits from the city that are neutered and will live their lives out with me and help grow my soil and garden. You could neuter the inferior rabbits and sell them as neutered pets. A neutered tame rabbit is worth at least whatever it cost to get it neutered, don't you think? If you want to do right by your breeder rabbits, then do right by your rabbits. Of course you didn't do wrong, but it sounds like it felt bad. Seems to me there is a less heart wrenching option.
I understand what you’re saying. There is a conflict of interest because in reality, if I neutered and sold all of my culls, I would be contributing to overpopulation and I don’t want to be responsible for rabbits that end up in the shelter (there are already too many!). Of course I always tell anyone that if they want a rabbit strictly for pet purposes to adopt. But my rabbits are meat rabbits, and nothing is wasted here. I prefer not to sell my rabbits as pets unless they are retired breeders. It’s not about money to me. It is a hard decision, but necessary.
I am sorry you feel that way. I love my rabbits and choose to not turn a blind eye to my food source. Instead of buying meat from the grocery store that someone else has slaughtered, I am able to assure that my animals lived happy lives, got to run in the grass and play, and was never mistreated. I am so thankful for what they provide to me.
***PLEASE READ***
Culling rabbits for quality is necessary in improving the breed over time. Please bear in mind that my rabbits are meat rabbits - they do get lots of attention and care, but they are ultimately livestock (sometimes spoiled and treated as pets).
Many people are wondering why I didn't decide to SELL Nitro as a pet. By letting him go as a pet there is always a chance that he would have been bred again. I don’t think that he is going to improve the genetics of anyone’s herd, so I did not want to let that happen.
There are others asking why I didn't NEUTER and sell him. If I neutered and sold all of my culls, I would be contributing to overpopulation and I don’t want to be responsible for rabbits that end up in the shelter (there are already too many!). Of course I always tell anyone that if they want a rabbit strictly for pet purposes to adopt. But my rabbits are meat rabbits, and nothing is wasted here. I prefer not to sell my rabbits as pets unless they are retired breeders. It’s not about money to me. It is a hard decision, but necessary.
As a fellow breeder, you aren't being honest with yourself. You culled him to improve your program because you want to win. That's really all it comes down to. You're improving your stock that you started with, but you cull animals that either don't perform the way you want them to, have poor SOP characteristics, DQs, or faults, or simply because a nicer animal comes along. All this is done with a single goal in mind, you want to win, you want grand champions, you want recognition of your hard work.
And as a breeder I can tell you this, you are not separating yourself from the emotional attachment of the animals. Either pull the trigger yourself when you cull, or don't cull. You're just going to be miserable in the long run and get burnt out if you continue viewing rabbit husbandry the way you do, meaning you say and do one thing, but feel a different way. If you can't cull the animal yourself, you really should reevaluate your program. Emotionally, if you can't handle it, you may want to invest in the best animals possible, they'll cost a ton of money, but if they produce BOBs and Grand Champions consistently, then you won't feel that sadness and guilt. Or, toughen up and do it yourself. There really isn't alot of middle ground here. If you don't change, get burnt out, your animal's quality of life will suffer.
@@Redhotandblue89 this is a very assuming and ignorant comment to be honest. I’m not really sure what you’re even saying. I have culled many animals myself (named and unnamed... we raise meat rabbits here). Nitro hit me a bit harder than normal because I had high hopes for him. The opportunity arose that he could be used in a butcher class, so I took it. Had that opportunity not arose, I would have brought him home and done it. We do not rely on cull buyers. So again, I’m really not sure what you’re saying.
So true culling for quality is so important to keeping the rabbits happy and healthy!.
@@Redhotandblue89 you are very very reaching with your opinions
Please don’t stop posting the rabbit shows on CZcams. I can only imagine how hard it is, but it’s the only exposure many of us have to go on. I hope to start with rabbits in September and need all the information I can get.
If you have Instagram or Facebook I will be posting stories on both! I might also go over different terms at shows. It’s just really hard to vlog it with my camera, but a phone would be much easier 😊
I really liked seeing the rabbit show side of raising rabbits. It’s interesting.
I appreciate your transparency in this video.
Honesty is Best!! Truly.
I also really admire your care for quality in breeding. It’s so important to have people who take pride in breeding to the standard!
Thanks for being brave enough to be honest and for sharing!!
Keep up the great work!
💜
Thank you so much Monica! This means a lot to me ❤️ I try to be as honest as I can. It’s tough sometimes but usually worth it 😊
Thank you for showing us a clip of your youthful enthusiasm with your Dutch buns. I appreciate your words as a reminder to focus on the 'why' of why we breed rabbits.
Thank you so much! 😊
This was one of your best videos. I am thinking strongly about getting I to meat rabbits but this topic is one of the things that I'm still struggling with. I agree I want the rabbits to be loved and live a full life while they are with me but I also don't want to get so attached that I can't do what needs to be done. I appreciate your perspective on the topic.
I’m so glad I stumbled on your channel. So much information and you’re a great teacher.
Thank you so much!
We’ve totally adopted the Starbucks stop when going to poultry and/or rabbit shows 😂
With every single one of your videos, I get more and more excited to get our first breeders! Thank you for bringing us along
Aww yay!! Excited for you! 😊
one of these days I'm gonna die of cuteness overload
Oh just wait till the next video!! Haha
Ur home looks like heaven 😍 Snow , animals ,and nature 😇
Thank you for sharing with us your life your light and your passion
Your rabbits are beautiful and are a asset to you
I agree that people have to be told what its really like to be in your world and to make the decisions you have to make on a recurring basis
You have followed your dream and you have come out stronger for it
Thank from the UK
I swear, every time I watch your videos I am just amazed at your rabbitry.
Down to the cups on the wire, I love it all!! So aesthetically pleasing
Aww, thank you so much ❤️ it’s the symmetry OCD 😂 I finally got to clean some things out there today so it will look much better in the next video! 😊
1 - Thank you SO much for taking us on a tour of the show! Getting me excited to watch my current grow outs develop and see what we've got cooking.
2 - Tundra is ADORABLE and when i tell you my jaw DROPPED at that fur!!!!
3 - I am so proud of you for making tough choices and I think that you made an excellent decision in where he went. If it were my rabbit that's how I'd want it to go, too.
Thank you so much Justine! Your comments mean a lot to me ❤️ yes Tundra’s fur is so great, I can’t wait to see how she fills out! 😊
The idea of competing with animals gives me anxiety but I love to see your enthusiasm!!
I totally understand. It’s the social anxiety that gets me sometimes. It’s so much easier when you have friends to help show you what to do. You can do it! 😊
Hey, just got you recommended to me-Hiya from the rabbit content pool! Keep it up!
So well stated...loved riding along with you on the show. We had a big day here in Maine- my son helped kill a bill here in Maine for selling rabbits at 6 weeks rather than the standard 8. Such an awesome thing to watch him. He has learned so much with this hobby- taking care of animals, learning about their needs/ nutrition/ genetics, and public speaking.
You have beautiful rabbits and their standing fur for your Fox’s is beautiful! Keep up the good work and hoping sometime we meet in the rabbit world. Thanks for such a fun video!
I bet you are so proud of him. What an amazing feat!! He should be proud of himself 😊 thank you for coming along and watching the video! ❤️
"This road was so bumpy" Lol, Welcome to Ohio!
Good discussion about Nitro and how you came to the decision of culling him. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences.
Thanks for sharing my friend. It is hard to make those decisions and you made a business decision you felt was right. I am surprised that there are not more negative comments, but for those in the rabbit business, chickens, goats, or whatever, tough choices have to be made. many blessings to you and your family.
Thank you so much! I’m sure as time moves on there will be more negativity, but I wanted to give an honest look at the tough decisions.
@@TealStoneHomestead I think your transparency is what brings people back. Blessings to you and your family.
This is Danny Endel I like how you are real with your life story about your rabbits,thanks
Thank you!
I always stop at a starbucks for a hot chocolate before heading to a show.
Omg so precious! That chunky face!!!
Congrats to Cricket!! Hope you got some useful commits!! Great video..
Thanks!
Missed opportunity: "Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha"
Also, Tundra is a cutie! And the blues and lavender babies are so cute!! I miss baby bunnies...
Someday you gotta come back for the baby buns! 🐇😁
Thank you for sharing the rabbit community needs to grow more on spreading experiences so we all can improve and respect this beautiful animal Happy New year!
Thank you for showing the show aspect of things. I'm pretty new to rabbits and we innitially started with just meat mutts and we recently Invested in show quality Californians whose pedigrees has champions in their backgrounds. So I've been really thinking of getting into showing with their offspring but I have no idea where to start.
That’s awesome Kayleigh! I have a video called “How to Enter a Rabbit Show” and that might help you know where to start 😊
@@TealStoneHomestead definitely will look into it. Thank you ♡
so my litter is almost 5 weeks now. There is one brown kit (I think female too!) that is sooooo sweet. She loves being handled and does squirm away. It will be so difficult to sell her as meat/cull. Wish I had the room for her to stay.
I live near Canton! I wish I would have found your channel before the Canton show!
Great video and you had to make a business decision that felt personal but you did what you had to do
Thanks for the vlog, I was so hoping to go but last minute had something come up. Sushi sounds like a great way to end a show. Tundra is beautiful, so glad you got to pick her up. People don’t understand how important culling is, without it you’d have an extreme overpopulation with some very unhealthy animals. (Like with how people irresponsibly breed animals and then encourage unhealthy traits and breed genetic malformations into animals which only leads to more suffering, much more suffering than a humane butchering.
Exactly! Thank you so much, I’m sure I’ll see you at a show in the future! 😊
I am new at rabbits but not chickens.
The same decisions have to be made for any farm/homestead when it comes to livestock. I give my animals the best life possible so they will never have but one bad day.
You obviously love your animals but you are absolutely correct. They are not pets.
Enjoying your channel.
Great job.
I understood your comment about how you wouldn't want to sell him and have him end up in an animal shelter, but isn't that better than being dead? He still could've gone to a new home. Just a thought
I’ve learned more on one of your video than all of the others put together.keep up the good work. Thanks for the hard work
Rabbit Show was amazing for us. We are just starting
I look forward to all of your videos! I cant wait to see the rest of the breeding series!
You’re too kind! Thank you so much. Can’t wait to film cute babies soon! 🥰
I do have a fictional picture that I really like. I don't like pets anyway but my favorite animal is the rabbit.
I really appreciate your videos, thank you for sharing your knowledge! I would like to suggest a topic for another video..... could you please go more in depth about how to pose and evaluate a rabbit, so that newer people can make better decisions about who to keep or cull. Thanks for considering!
I'm sorry you had to let Nitro go, and understand/respect that hard choice
Thanks for watching! Definitely going to do that video, hopefully in a month or so when my Creme kits are older enough 😊
@@TealStoneHomestead Sweet, looking forward to it!
I appreciate your videos. Been looking at raising rabbits as livestock. My father did that and beef when I was young. It is hard to not make a pet out of animals you raise so I understand how hard it is to cull one.
New subscriber here, enjoying your videos so far! Picking up my first bun today! Thank you for sharing!
You ate breeding meat rabbits. It is awesome you are showing them to better the breed. 👌
Yep, he fellfield his end goal, which sadly was food and teaching. he produced offspring. he was treated VERY well and Loved.. Don't become numb.. he had more of a life then those chicken nuggets you got at the fast food joint..
Definitely. And I might be keeping one of his blue sons for a while... we’ll see how they fill out 😊
Really enjoyed this video! Especially seeing you when you did Dutch rabbits. When I was a young teen I got interested in rabbits and specifically Dutch but was never able to do it. Now I’ve got my first silver fox and am excited to have the opportunity to finally do rabbits. 🥰
I love your videos!! 🥰
Hi Tiffany. Greetings from Central London
My coffee cup is supposed to be delivered today. I'm looking forward to my first cup of coffee.
Yay I’m so excited!! I hope you love it! ❤️
And I dont have Instagram, can you also post on your Facebook. I do check that out occasionally.
@@daneeniemeyer1805 yes, I think my Instagram stories also post to Facebook, I will double check! 😊
🐇🐇🐇🐇👍👍👍👍👍🕊🌹
I appreciate all the information about what a show/commercial rabbit should look like. It would be great if you could have a video explaining more about that. Just an idea for you! :) I bought some bunnies but after hearing about depth and shoulders I’m thinking....wow I have some scrawny bunnies I should have learned a little more before I got them. Oh well! You have to start somewhere!!! 🤣❤️
Sometimes it just takes them a while to fill out! And without being posed almost all rabbits can stretch out and look scrawny lol 😆 I will definitely be going over this in the future! It might be part of my series I’m doing.
Hi! Been watching your channel for months now. GREAT content 👏👏👏 I REALLY LIKED your show VLOG! Thanks for including it! I myself have never shown though the interest has been there so this VLOG was nice to watch and see since there have been no shows in my area yet and seeing the inside scoop takes the intimidation down a notch! I chose American Chinchilla, which I LOVE! SF is beautiful too 🙂 My rabbits are livestock too. I completely understand and side with you on your decision to cull what wasn't moving your program forward... that isn't wrong, it's necessary.
I APPLAUD YOU for your choices and for standing behind your choices, no one ever enjoys that part. That is one of the downsides to livestock of any kind. Some people are just too far removed from their food sources (especially rabbits)... You are doing amazing things! Keep it up!!!
#knowyourfarmer #knowyourfood
Thank you so much, I needed this comment 😊 and I’m so glad you are loving the content!! ❤️
@@TealStoneHomestead ABSOLUTELY 💯 🙃
I have been homesteading and hobby farming for a few years... wasn't raised in it, just something I was always drawn to and am lucky enough to have been able to dip my toes into 😁 I will find you on Instagram to watch for more show tidbits too... you can add me on Instagram if you like, hixchick, I'm not a blogger or anything like that, just my own personal journey here on the East Coast, in beautiful Nova Scotia Canada 🇨🇦 🐇 🐓🐣🦆🦃 🐖 🥰
Last time I went too show I in up bring back 3 more .
I'm sorry love.❤️
I was just at stark county yesterday
Good delivery of topic!
P.S. thanks for not showing any of my strange facial expressions I’m sure I make while writing. Ha! 😂
Thank you friend, thanks for talking with me at the show 😊 And it's okay, every time I'm at a show I feel like I look homeless 😆
I hope you will make a video about line breeding
I will try to do that! Our current litter between Chai and Sprig is linebred.
Yes I love the merchandise!!!! I’m in Canada hope I can buy some. I have a lionhead buck abs foster giant Flemish which had 8 bb bunnies !!! They are 7 days old 🐰💓
I am trying to work on getting international shipping set up! Hopefully soon! Those babies sound cute 😊
Thanks for posting this! Ive been trying to find videos on the shows, and they're kinda hit or miss. Yay for Cricket! I just wanna say.....Starbucks, Rabbits, and Sushi. I have found my peoples LMAO!
Sorry to hear about Nitro. It's never easy with this lifestyle, when you have to do the things that we all know need done, when the time comes. It sounds like he is going to well serve others, in an educational way. He lived a productive life and a good life, and even in his death he's giving back to others. You can tell in your voice, the level of heart you have with what you're doing. It's a side of homesteading that I think a lot of people need to see, and it's OK to be sad when the time comes. Awesome video, thank you!
Thank you so much, this really means a lot to me ❤️ and YES! Starbucks, rabbits, and sushi... we try to live our best life while covered in fur 😆
I really want to breed rabbits. My uncle knows how to start a website so it won’t be too hard
I raise rabbits too but do you what breed in specific
Thank you for video
I like it
Can we see the shirt what it looks like from behind ❤
Excellent video! I’m sorry about Nitro...but I understand your decision and feel you made the right decision for your rabbitry. We had to cull a breeder a few months back and it’s hard...but necessary if you want to better your rabbitry. Thank you so much for your honesty!!
I live in Georgia and I don’t know of any shows in Georgia. I don’t know enough about rabbits to be a judge. My question is how to start an rabbit association thru local schools we call it FFA ( future Farmers of America) . They show beef cattle,dairy cattle, hogs
and goats.
Where do you get your bowls? Do they ever have problems with tipping them? Are they good for winter when water is freezing? I love how everything is so pretty.
My water bowls twist on to the wire bottom floor so they do not tip. They are okay in the winter, but if they’re completely full during a hard freeze there’s a possibility that they can crack. You can get them from All Things Bunnies.
i stop drinking Starbucks since the reveal that they put bugs in their drink and did not disclose it...
I took the heat lamp down off my baby buns like u said and I I that yesturday also my one deo is breathing shalow and her belly dropped but she has made nest but nothing is coming out or she pulling fur
We went to the show hoping to meet you and see the showing of the Silver Foxes but we must have looked like outsiders, LOL, because we were told no spectators were allowed and we were kicked out! We made the loop of the building a couple times first but it was VERY crowded and everyone looks the same with masks on.. oh well, I DID decide I don't think I will ever show Rabbits because it was so crowded and a lot of jostling and, well, I don't do too good in crowds.
Culling is never easy and it shouldn't really be. We only raise meat rabbits so we know from the start where they are going to end up but that doesn't stop me and the kids from playing with them and naming them and loving on them! My kids know where their food comes from and what goes into making healthy/whole food. Not everyone agrees but that's the beauty of the USA.
Oh no! I’m so sorry 🤦♀️ shows are all so different right now. Some of them allow spectators and some of them don’t. Crowds aren’t my junior either, but i like that I can kind of disappear in a sea of rabbits 😂
That is bizarre. I'm not sure you went, but spectators are allowed at all ARBA shows! I would check the ARBA site and look for shows in your area!
hi..from malaysia..i'm breed minirex and nd..good vlog from u
I can see you love and care for all your rabbits I just personally disagree with culling in this way
I’m sorry you don’t understand it. Ultimately we are proud to produce our own meat instead of relying on factories to do the job for us. Many people get upset just because this one has a name. But he was never a pet. Imagine the same situation with a chicken and people would care way less.
Essentially you're saying you disagree with bettering animals? With decreasing over population? With being responsible?
At first I was annoyed by that judge pulling on ears, then I realized how much more flesh she had in her hand. Not as mean once you notice that! Two of my breeds are for show, not just meat, so seeing that is helpful! Maybe all three breeds will show.
peppermint?! you were feeling daring that day, weren't ya?
was this the stark show on Feb 19?
Hi love your Rabbits I would like to by some of your babies but I live in Windsor ont how can we make this work
ฉันชอบ Nitro และ Cassia ดูดีมาก เหมาะทำพันธุ์
Aka 10:58 there is me walking by on my phone trying to figure out where the heck I was meeting transport XD
That’s so funny! I will not be going to Canton this weekend, I will actually be going to Danville, IN 😊
@@TealStoneHomestead Have fun! I wish I could go
May Peppermint mocha Reign 👑
So I have a question so I had my first litter of holland lops she had 5 but one was DOA and than yesterday another one died and there were around 4 days old and it’s stomach was super huge and overgrown when it died and it wasn’t like that until it died and we don’t know if it had a heart attack or something like that....
Oh no! I’m so sorry 😔 it’s pretty common to have a DOA kit every once in a while. As for the little one that just passed away, it’s really hard to say. So many things can happen to baby rabbits, they are so fragile! I hope the other 3 are okay 😊
How do you inscribe your rabbit ears with numbers?
You tattoo them from someone who works with rabbits in this industry
All my rabbits have tattoo numbers
So if a rabbit earns “x” number of points or wins, does the ARBA award championships or grand championships? Could there one day be a Ch. or Gr. Ch. Cassia?
I wish we could see Cassia win something!! 😊
Here’s how it kind of works (I’m not the best at paraphrasing). But basically, rabbits win “legs” in shows when there are 3 or more breeders showing 5 or more rabbits. For instance, if there were at least 3 breeders showing 5 junior does (in Creme d’Argents), and Cassia got first in junior does, she would get a leg from that. But if there were only 4 total junior does showing, she wouldn’t.
There have been many silver fox shows where there are at least 3 breeders and five or more total rabbits, but not enough rabbits in each class (junior doe, senior doe, junior buck, senior buck, etc) to win a leg. The only way to win a leg in those shows is the win Best of Breed, and sometimes Best Opposite Sex.
Once a rabbit has earned 3 legs, and at least one of those legs was earned in either intermediate or senior class, then you can “grand” the rabbit. I will finally get to grand Onyx this month! It is at this time that I will register him and he will get a G.C. number.
I really hope to make some sort of visual explaining this at some point - but hopefully this kind of makes sense! 😊
Hey :) I know that you really love your rabbits and proper care is important for you. This is why I am taking the effort to write all this. Rabbits are amazing little creatures, full of affection, joy in doing zoomies and hopping around, hyped for fresh food. They need space - a lot of it. Preferably indoors, where they are not at risk for predation. They need the right flooring (no mesh) so their feed don`t get infected. They need warmth to really feel comfortable. They need unlimited hay. They need enrichment. They need fresh food every day, especially leafy greens. And they need other bunnies without wire between them, to get kisses and cuddles. Rabbit body language is quite simple and easy to learn. And I swear to you, it will melt your heart seeing them be really happy, doing zoomies, coming up to get cuddles from you and licking you every time they see you. They can be so incredible affectionate. Rabbit breeding - it is something you do for yourself and not for your rabbits. Especially the does are extremely prone to cancer in their ovaries. Getting them fixed gives them years more to enjoy their life. And there are so so many rabbits in the world that need homes. Do they have the perfect silver fox fur - no. But are they capable of feeling immense joy and giving you joy - yes, yes, yes. The world does not need more bunnies. It needs people to give bunnies the proper care. And I promise you, they give so much in return. My bunnies follow me around like little dogs. They even know some tricks. They want to be cuddled all the time and sleep next to me. They are such a gift. ❤
You made the right decision. Nitro was lacking in what you are trying to achieve with your herd.
Not that it helps you right now, but culling does get easier with time.
Thank you ❤️ it is extra hard when you see potential and hold onto it, but it fails to meet expectations. I get close to these guys. But I don’t regret the decision!
My question isn't about why you would kill Nitro, I am planning on raising meat rabbits myself. My question is why do you name them?
I enjoy naming them. I don’t typically anticipate terminally culling rabbits I name. Also, Teal Stone’s Nitro looks better on paper than Teal Stone’s TS034.
Have you ever tried to keep track of 50 animals named things like 8NS92 and O920X? XD My brain would explode.
does rabbit keeping pay
Sorry about Nitro but at least you can improve your herd with Tundra how old is she?
She is almost 10 weeks 😊
My rabbit would take the fingers of that hiya mine hate there ears been touched let alone been handled like thay nothing against you but don't like that judge he could have been mutch nicer to them than that xx
you know there are other options. I have 2 rescued rabbits from the city that are neutered and will live their lives out with me and help grow my soil and garden. You could neuter the inferior rabbits and sell them as neutered pets. A neutered tame rabbit is worth at least whatever it cost to get it neutered, don't you think? If you want to do right by your breeder rabbits, then do right by your rabbits. Of course you didn't do wrong, but it sounds like it felt bad. Seems to me there is a less heart wrenching option.
I understand what you’re saying. There is a conflict of interest because in reality, if I neutered and sold all of my culls, I would be contributing to overpopulation and I don’t want to be responsible for rabbits that end up in the shelter (there are already too many!). Of course I always tell anyone that if they want a rabbit strictly for pet purposes to adopt. But my rabbits are meat rabbits, and nothing is wasted here. I prefer not to sell my rabbits as pets unless they are retired breeders. It’s not about money to me. It is a hard decision, but necessary.
You talk to a breeder for 5 minutes and you realize where the ideas of fascism originate.
I'm sorry you feel that way.
I find it disgusting to eat rabbits. To me same as eating dogs or cats. Rabbits are loving pets. Not food.
Some people find eating cows, pigs, chickens, etc. gross for the same reason. Just depeneds on where/how you grow up.
Why do these channels always get recommended to me💔 it actually breaks my heart that people could just kill these beautiful animals. So sad.
I am sorry you feel that way. I love my rabbits and choose to not turn a blind eye to my food source. Instead of buying meat from the grocery store that someone else has slaughtered, I am able to assure that my animals lived happy lives, got to run in the grass and play, and was never mistreated. I am so thankful for what they provide to me.