Indiana is still swinging without restraint — 20s to near 70 and back again. That kind of instability stresses, bodies, lungs , anything that has to regulate temperature to stay alive. We are at three losses. I expect a fourth today despite intervention. A younger harlequin litter has taken the worst of it. I’ve already lost two of Foxy’s bucks. Her doe began showing symptoms last night. We also lost a Red New Zealand doe. Necropsy showed sudden, acute pneumonia — lungs completely saturated with pus, consistent with a silent presentation of Pasteurella. No sneezing. No discharge. No crusted nose. No drawn-out warning. The only visible sign came at the end — head extended back, labored breathing, then dead within hours. At that point you are not reversing anything. You are watching the body fail. The farmhand and I feel the pressure shifts too — congestion, fatigue, headaches. We compensate. Young rabbits often cannot. Rapid temperature swings, barometric shifts, warm rain to freezing snow — that combination stresses the respiratory system hard. Anything marginal goes first. So far it has affected only a few. I am monitoring closely. Anyone even slightly off gets pulled and watched. The wetness visible around the nostrils in the photo was from Vet-RX I applied in an attempt to help open the airway while antibiotics circulated. It was not discharge. This was acute. When a rabbit extends its head straight up with the neck fully stretched, it is attempting to maximize airflow. By the time that posture appears, lung involvement is already significant. Antibiotics require time — usually 48–72 hours — to reduce bacterial load. In cases like this, treatment would have needed to begin days earlier, before visible respiratory distress. Once gasping begins, you are behind. Silent Pasteurella does not always present with obvious upper respiratory signs. Sometimes there is nothing outward until the end. The only early indicator I’ve consistently seen is subtle: Off feed.

Looks like Princess did take.

Drop a pic of your rabbit and describe them in 3 words only. Are they: • Tiny menace? • Sweetheart supreme? • Judging your life choices? • Certified chaos goblin? Spooky or romantic — let’s see your barn Valentines. 🐰💘

Ethical breeding isn’t about aesthetics or marketing. It’s about purpose, honesty, and selection over time. Whether you’re buying rabbits for meat, breeding, show, or a working homestead, these standards protect both animals and buyers. First — an important reality check You cannot assess breeding quality in newborn rabbits. Period. At birth, you cannot evaluate: 🐇Type or structure 🐇Growth trajectory 🐇Shoulder set, width, or balance 🐇Depth, bone, or long-term efficiency Most of the groups I am in even have a ban on pre-selling or even listing newborns for sale for these exact reasons . Those traits do not become meaningfully visible until weeks later: 🐰Growth trends: minimum 6 weeks 🐰Overall type: 8+ weeks 🐰Shoulder set, width, balance: 12–14 weeks At the newborn stage, the only honest assessment is that kits are alive, nursing, and healthy. Advertising newborns as “breeding stock,” “fast-growing,” or “proven efficient producers” is misleading. Responsible breeders wait to evaluate before making claims. Marketing animals before they can be assessed isn’t professionalism — it’s salesmanship, and it sets buyers up for false expectations. If kits are being sold as meat grow-outs, say that. If they’re being held back for evaluation, say that. Presenting newborns as evaluated breeding animals crosses an ethical line. Good breeding programs are built on selection, not assumptions — and selection requires time. What Actually Makes a Reputable Breeder A responsible breeder: • posts pictures of the animals in a proper show pose with at least 3 angles for evaluation, and lists parents weights, even if you are selling meat stock a commercial pose allows the assessment of Hips, Loin, Shoulders, and Balance. A correct pose will be able to see faults like lack of depth, width, pinched, narrow or undercut. • Breeds with a clear purpose (meat, hide, show, working lines, or breed development), not to flood the pet market. • Culls animals appropriately rather than prolonging suffering or selling subpar stock.

We got 10-16 inches depending on the drifts