This is VERY overdue. But hey . . . better late then never, right?!

2016 Goal Review: 

1. SHED - NOT MET. 

2. Thicken bone - MET. I am so happy with the results in bone thickness this year!

3. Produce competitive agoutis - HALF MET. One of my little bucks, Prince Charming, is a chinchilla with a couple legs. My agoutis have done well but of course there's always room for growth in this field. 

4. Attend and show rabbits at 2016 Convention - NOT MET. I wasn't able to go to 2016 convention because it interfered with my school schedule. 

5. Produce at least 11 live litters - MET. This year I produced 14 litters total, and 11 of those were live! 

6. Use all 17 cages that I have - NOT MET. Right now I'm using 15 cages. But it's all I have room for since I don't have my shed. 

7. Improve shoulders - MET. Honestly, my herd improved in every single area this year - in hindquarter, crown placement, width/mass, front leg length and bone thickness, and I am so happy with that. 

8. Sell Typhoon and Wicket - MET. I'm proud of myself for this one. These two boys were hard to sell and are missed everyday, but ultimately it was best for my herd. Many people told me I shouldn't have sold them, that I should try and buy them back, even!! But I knew what was best for my herd and selling them was not a hinderence. I have only been producing better and better stock since I sold them, and each generation just gets better and better. 

9. Produce a nice homegrown broken buck - NOT MET. I didn't produce a single nice broken buck this year. Bummer! Hoping for better results next year. 

10. Produce a nice homegrown solid buck - MET. I produced 4, 2 of which are currently producing awesome sons of their own!

Next, goals for 2017: 

1. SHED 

2. Have more show rabbits than strict "breeding only" rabbits in the rabbitry.

3. Win 2 Best of Breeds (last year I won 1 BOB). 

4. Buy or produce a broken buck good enough to be a broken herd buck. I miss my brokens! 

5. Shorten bone. 

6. Work on ears and crown - more thickness, better furred, rounder and shorter for the ears, and crowns that are wider and allow the ears to lie down fully. 

7. Produce 30 live kits.

8. Finish the year proud of my final year showing as a youth, without thinking, "I wish I would've done better." 

I think 8 goals is good for now. I may add to this. I always do. But since this year will be SO BUSY with school and my new job, I don't want to have a numerable amount of crazy rabbitry goals hanging over me. 

2017 will be my LAST year of showing in youth. December 2nd, 2017 will be my first open show as a 19-year-old. Until then, I'm really hoping my herd gets that "umph" to compete against the big boys and do well. 

I'm sad to see another year end, but excited to see what 2017 has in store. This has been a crazy year and it's the first year where I can truly say almost all of my stock is homegrown. Right now I have 14 rabbits and only 2 of those rabbits were purchased (WHAT?!). My stock has been nice enough to keep and actually build my herd from. And for that, I am so excited. The beginning of the year was hard in terms of litters, I had a lot of DOA litters or kits die for random reasons and didn't make it to 8 weeks. But the end of the year went great, out of a total of 11 kits born in 3 litters, only 4 passed away which is great odds. Also, this year I kept the largest amount of kits, over twice the amount of kits I kept last year. I also did the best this year in the shows than I've ever done before. 

2016 Stats: 
Last year's stats will be in (parentheses)
Babies born: 48  (41)
Babies raised to 8wks: 18 (18)
Babies died: 29  (23)
Babies kept to 6 months or more: 7 (3) (Clementine, Beth, Finn, Prince Charming, Heidi, Perseus, and Madeline). 
# Live Litters: 11  (7) 
# total litters:  14 (10)

New (purchased) additions:
M&S Sarah (need to get her bred!)

New (kept, over 6mos) additions:
Holly's Clementine (hasn't produced live kits yet; almost a year old)
Holly's Beth (need to get her bred!)
Holly's Finn (a daddy!)
Holly's Prince Charming (a daddy!)
Holly's Heidi (need to get her bred!)
Holly's Perseus (5ish months)
Holly's Madeline (5ish months)

Adults Sold: 
Holly's Rosie
Holly's Saige
Holly's Wicket
Bramblehedge's Typhoon

Shows Attended: 6
Major Winnings: BOB, BOS, BOV, BOSV. 
Legs: 6

2016 Expenses/Earnings 
~Spent: $911.70
~Made (on rabbits): $950
~Made (with boarding service): $80
~Total amount Made: $1,030 (barely broke even!)
~Lost: 0
~Gained: $119.30 (which was probably spent on college fees lol). 

This is my 4th year doing this blog series. Which means I've been breeding rabbits for 5 years now if you count the year I started! If you want to see the past years in review, click the links below: 
2015: HERE 
2014: HERE 
2013: HERE and HERE 

2015 Goals:

1. Buy a shed ~ NOT MET. Unfortunantely, we just haven't had the time or money for this yet. It's my #1 goal for 2016. 

2. Buy a brood doe/brood buck pair from LuvLops Rabbitry ~ SEMI MET. My plans on bucks changed, but I did get a doe from them. Even though she's not from their lines...she's from a different rabbitry altogether (Muddy Creek). But she's amazing, so it kind of counts, right?!

3. Replace foundation stock (Lance, Gracie, Hazel) ~ MET. Gracie was sold at the beginning of the year, Hazel was sold mid-year, and Lance is still with us but he has been replaced in the breeding program. 

4. Attend 2015 ARBA Convention ~ MET. So excited about this one! Convention was amazing. 

5. Buy a new buck from Blue Storm Rabbitry ~ NOT MET. Like I said, my plans for bucks changed, and in January (I think), I bought a buck from my friend Kristen, he's sold now, in July I bought a new buck from Bramblehedge rabbitry (Ty), and now I have Wicket, a homegrown. So it's still been a good year in my buck department, even though I didn't get the bucks from the breeders I wanted to originally. 

6. Max out to 15 cages ~ MET. I have 17 or 18 cages but currently only 9 or 10 are in use. 

7. Get my brother (Trevor) started with a buck of his own to breed and show ~ NOT MET. Trevor decided he doesn't want a rabbit yet. 

8. Get at least 8 litters (double of last year) ~ MET. I'm excited to say that this year I had 11 litters! Sadly, 3 of those were completely failed litters with all DOA kits. Out of those 11 litters, I had 14 DOA kits. More stats on things like that in my other blog that will be posted either right before or right after this one. 

9. Register and grand a homegrown ~ NOT MET. 

10. Shorten bone in my herd ~ MET. My new doe, Angie, will take this even further! Really excited to see the bone I have in my herd by this time next year! Pics below of the difference. 

11. Better crown placement ~ MET. Pics below of the difference. 

Below are four pics on side-by-side comparison of bone. The first two of does, and the second set is of bucks. I didn't feel like it was fair to compare a buck to a doe since their growth happens so differently, so I just did two different sets. 

And below this are my best does on crown placement. You can see the two of the bucks above (Lance and Wicket). They are also last year's/this year's in the buck crown department (I don't think that made any sense but whatever). 

My 7 goals for 2016 are going to be pretty similar to the goals I set for this year: 

1. SHED

2. Thicken bone

3. Produce competitive agoutis

4. Attend and show rabbits at 2016 Convention

5. Produce at least 11 live litters

6. Use all 17 cages that I have

7. Improve shoulders

I know it's not very much. But since next year is such a crazy year school-wise (it's going to be my first full year in college), I don't have as much time as I did before to try and achieve so many goals. In the past I have tried to improve my rabbitry/herd in 10-12 different ways, and I've only accomplished maybe half of it. So this year, I'm trying for less and I'm going to accomplish all of it (Lord willing, of course). 

ADDED LATER:

~Sell Typhoon and Wicket
~Produce a nice homegrown broken buck
~Produce a nice homegrown solid buck

Well, that's another year of rabbit breeding under my belt. What a crazy, disappointing, and exciting year it has been. It's never easy to say goodbye to another year, but I'm really excited to see what 2016 has in store for HHR. 
This year has been really hard with litters and losses. This is the first year that I've had more babies die than those that survive, but that is extremely common in Hollands. However, it's also been super rewarding in the showroom and in my breedings. I'm finally getting to a place where I'm proud with what my little herd is accomplishing. It's crazy to think about where I was this time last year. Almost my entire herd is brand-new stock purchased this year. 
2016 will be my second to last year showing as a youth. I turn 19 at the end of 2017, and in 2018 I will begin showing in open, which is a huge task for a small rabbitry like mine. I hope to produce stock in these next coming years that are worthy of showing in open, so that in 2018 I might stand a chance going up against the "big boys". 
Every year at the end of December I write a post on my rabbitry expenses and rabbit stats for that year. Here's a review of 2015 for HHR. 

2015 Stats:
Last year's stats will be in (parentheses)
Babies born: 41 (20)
Babies raised to 8wks: 18 (13)
Babies died: 23 (7)
Babies kept: 3 (2)
# total litters: 10 (4)
3 litters were complete failures, as Hazel, Rosie and Saige each had one litter with all DOA. 

New (purchased) additions:
Bramblehedge's Typhoon (opal)
Muddy Creek's Maybeline (blue)
LCL's Angus (black)

Adults sold: 
Dragonfly's Gracie (orange)
Bramblehedge's Hazelnut (chestnut)
Holly's Cinnamon (blue tort)
Campo's Jet

Shows Attended: 4
Major Winnings: BOSV 
Legs: 1 (Butterfly)
Since I started school this year and had a busy fall/winter, there were 3 shows I missed. I'm bummed we didn't end the show season with better placements, but that's ok! I know this year's juniors are better than last year's, even though they didn't have as great of winnings. 

2015 Expenses/Earnings:
~Spent: $1,263.96
~Made (on rabbits): $960
~Made (with boarding service): $880
~Lost: $0
~Gained: $578.04
The only way I made a profit this year is with my boarding service! It's so much fun to board other rabbits but it also keeps me in the black, so that's nice! 

If you want to see my previous years, click HERE (2014) and HERE (2013)

2014 GOALS ANALYSIS:
SOME OF THESE GOALS HAVE BEEN EDITED SINCE MY LAST POST WITH MY GOALS IN MARCH. THIS IS BECAUSE MY GOALS HAVE CHANGED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS WE DIDN'T GET MY SHED.
1. Buy a shed - NOT MET. We didn't get around to that this past year. It's going to be a huuuuge project that my parents didn't have time to help me with. Sheds are also really expensive. 

2. Buy 6 all-wire cages - MET.

3. KEEP 2 all-wire cages empty for weaning babies - MET. Most of the time I only have one cage open. But at given times throughout the year I've had two cages open :)

4. Buy 6 feed dishes, water bottles - MET.

5. Max out to 6 adults - MET. I do only have 6 cages. But at the moment, I have 6 adults. 

6. Buy 1-2 new does to increase mass, bone and ankle in my herd - MET. I bought 1 new doe this past year (Hazel). She definitely has mass which I need!

7. Sell the 1-2 does; replace with their higher-quality children - NOT MET. I haven't sold Hazel yet since her first litter didn't live to weaning but I plan on doing so next year probably. 

8. Attend the 6-7 shows I have planned this year - MET. I went to 6 shows this year.

9. Win a leg or two on Holly's Cinnamon or a kit of hers - MET. I'm very happy to say that Holly's Saige, Cinnamon's daughter, won a leg for BOB this year! Also, Saige's sister and Cinnamon's other daughter (Holly's Rosemary), won a leg for first place just this month!

10. Get a litter out of Holly's Cinnamon and Blue Storm's Lance - MET. I got two litters out of them this year!

11. Replace Lance with a son of his - NOT MET. I haven't done this yet, since I'm planning on breeding him to his daughters (Holly's Saige and Holly's Rosemary).

2015 GOALS:
1. Buy a shed. THIS MUST HAPPEN this year. I can't stand another rainy and muddy fall/winter with only a tarp protecting the bunnies

2. Buy brood doe/brood buck pair from LuvLops Rabbitry. 

3. Replace foundation stock (Lance, Gracie, and Hazel)

5. Attend 2015 ARBA Convention

6. Buy a new buck from Blue Storm Rabbitry

7. Max out to 15 cages! 

8. Get my brother (Trevor) started with a buck and doe of his own to breed and show

9. Get AT LEAST 8 litters (double of this year!)

10. Register and grand a homegrown

11. Shorten bone in my herd

12. Better crown placement

I think 12 goals is quite enough to start off the year with. I'm excited for where Holly's Hollands is headed and what's new in store :) 

Saying good-bye to another year is never very easy. However, I've been excited for this coming year and everything in store for Holly's Hollands Rabbitry. What a year 2014 has been. Though this year has been a hard one, with our first losses and difficult labors, we are thrilled with our success.

2014 Stats:
Babies Born: 20 
Babies Died: 7 :(
Babies Raised: 13
Babies Kept: 2 (Holly's Saige and Holly's Rosemary)
# of Total Litters: 4

Shows Attended: 6
Winnings: 7 3rd places, 3 2nd places, 3 1st places, 1 BOB
Legs Won: 2 (1 for Holly's Saige, 1 for Holly's Rosemary)

We are so happy with how we ended this year, with two of our homegrowns with legs and all our pretty ribbons :) 

2014 Expenses/Earnings
~Spent: $560.77
~Made: $735
~Lost: 0
~Gained: $174.23
~~Total: MADE A PROFIT! 

I only expect my expenses chart to grow as I expand, buy a shed, buy more cages and more rabbits, etc. But I'm pretty proud of what we've accomplished this year. :) 

The following is everything I have spent for my rabbits, since I started in March of last year, up to March today. I'm expecting something quite high since most stuff I bought more expensively at pet stores. Okay. Here we go!

3/1/13 - Food dish and water bottle - $18.56
3/2 - Dragonfly's Gracie - $150
3/26 - Albers 16% Feed - $17.11 (25lbs)

5/10 - Bottle brush - $3
5/14 - Scale - $13

6/24 - Gracie breeding - $50

7/2 - Albers 16% Feed - $21 (50lbs)
7/2 - Show carrier - $20 
7/8 - Hay - $21.72 (5lbs) I know, that's expensive!

9/27 - Albers 16% Feed - $21 (50lbs)
9/21 - Storage Bins (for keeping hay and feed outside) - $18

10/5 - Gracie breeding - $50

11/2 - Black oil sunflower seeds - $5 (5lb)
11/21 - Water bottles - $9 (2 bottles)
11/29 - Business Cards - $11.50

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1/12/14 - Albers 16% Feed - $20
1/12 - Ivomec - $7
1/24 - Feed dishes - $12 (2 dishes)

2/11 - Water bottles - $15 (2 bottles)
2/26 - Scale - $40 previous scale broke

3/1 - Albers 16% feed - $20 (50lbs)
3/1 - Timothy Hay - $15 (50lb compressed bale)

And that concludes everything I've purchased for the bunnies up until now. It's pretty crazy, how much money I spent on them. Now, for the grand total...........(drumroll please)........ $557.89!!!! 


I only expect this amount to keep getting larger, and larger, and larger as I get more bunnies and "upgrade" the rabbitry this year....but that's okay. This is my hobby. There's no way that this could be a business; do businesses commonly lose more money then they will ever make?? I don't think so! If they did, they would soon be out of business! 


Everything I made this year (out of selling the baby bunnies)...........(drumroll please!).........$400!!! Considering that I kept Cinnamon (for breeding and showing, which is an investment), and Ronald (for showing), I'd say that this year I broke even! Pretty nice for the first year, if I do say so myself! :) 

Here's the March 2013-March 2014 annual feed bill. I enjoy looking back to see how much I have spent on the bunnies. It's both mind-blowing at times and slightly funny (to me, at least). I don't expect the feed bill to be very large, after all, I only started with 2 rabbits (my house rabbit included). So, let's see!

2013 - March - $17.11 (25lbs)
2013 - July - $22 (50lbs)
2013 - September - $22 (50lbs)
2014 - January - $21 (50lbs) now getting the same feed somewhere else so it's a little cheaper!
2014 - March - $21 (50lbs)


It's pretty interesting to see how long I used to go through a bag of feed. Altogether, I've only bought 5 bags of feed this year. That's pretty good, I'll say! 
In the beginning, I started with only 2 rabbits to feed. Now I have 6 rabbits to feed plus a couple babies still here that are for sale. 

Now for the yearly total.....(drumroll please)...... $103.11!!! This is only the feed, not to mention everything else I spent on them this year (including hay, supplements, toys, feed dishes, cages, water bottles); see my next blog post about that!
Considering I'm only going to be getting more rabbits, this will only get more and more expensive. I hope to write another post like this next year and see how much more expensive it got! 
I couldn't do any of this without my amazing record-keeping skills! lol :)

As of March 2014, Holly's Hollands Rabbitry has been operating for a full year! Wow. Time sure FLIES when you're having fun!!

In March of last year I bought Gracie. I consider the day I brought her home the day the rabbitry started, but I didn't really become a breeder/shower until she had her first litter. Anyway, I'm going to go through what has changed in this year. Holly's Hollands Rabbitry's first year stats:

Babies Born: 10
Babies Died: 0 (thank the Lord!)
Babies Raised: 10
Babies Kept: 1 
Babies Sold: 7, with 3 available for sale at the moment
# of Litters Total: 2

# of Rabbits Started With (March 2013): 1 brood-quality Holland Lop
# of Rabbits Currently (March 2014): 3 Purebred, Pedigreed Holland Lops. 
# of Cages Started With (Mar '13): 1 hole (cage)
# of Cages Currently (Mar '14): 4 holes (cages)

Shows Attended: 1
Winnings: 2nd place out of 5 SJD

First Breeding Rabbit Bought - A big, orange, broody doe with really only two strengths - her width and her topline. 

Current Breeding Rabbit Bought (besides the first one...:)) - beautiful broken black tort buck with a few faults but many strengths! 

Current (and first!) Homegrown - GORGEOUS blue tort doe with more strengths then faults! She's my pride and joy :)

Goals for this Coming Year:

Buy 9 all-wire cages 


Increase the mass, bone and ankles of my herd - Maybe next year I'll work on crowns :)


Attend the 6-7 shows I have planned this year


Win a leg or two at one of these shows on Holly's Cinnamon and possibly a kit of hers


Get a litter out of Holly's Cinnamon and Blue Storm's Sir Lancelot


These are the goals for this coming year. I'll be revisiting this post next year and say whether or not the goals were met. Now you all know where I want Holly's Hollands Rabbitry to go. I see bright things for our future.

Thanks for reading!