Raising Rabbits

[BlueCoyote 0]

So last spring i decided to start raising my own rabbits. I got a mixed bunch.. one is half Flemish Giant/American Strait, one is all American Strait(both look like large wild rabbits) and the others are either New Zealands or Californians.... they're white with black points what ever they are.

Some were young when i got them.. not tiny wee babies, but smallish. I have been lead to believe my whole life that rabbits are prolific as hell.... they just look at each other and they have babies... well.. NOT MINE!! and yes i am sure that i have boys and girls.. i checked.. though maybe i have too many bucks? three bucks and three does which was a mistake. the person who gave me the white ones thought she had all does..

To start with they were all in their hutches, then i decided that was just disgusting to keep clean and properly sanitary, this being Florida the flies were a huge problem... so i've since built them a large fenced area where they can all be rabbits instead of furry lumps in a cage. they have the proper diet, room to avoid each other if they prefer(i know some rabbits will fight to the death).. all of them are eating properly, have constant fresh clean water... they even have shelter - though they have the option to dig if they want. And no one is producing.

 

what the hell is wrong with these so called prolific rabbits? they LOOK normal.... and they ACT normal.... and they even do the deed normal .. except one... he tends to do the wrong end but what ever, he never was quite right anyway... still no one is pregnant that i can tell i've also been told that if they are under too much stress they will eat their young or abort them or something... but as far as i can tell they arent even doing THAT much!

 

Was i wrong to assume they would be happier and more productive free range? these are meat rabbits by the way.. but so far i am spending more time and money feeding THEM and i'm getting annoyed that they arent doing their job.

 

Now i was told by someone that if a buck isnt bred before he turns a full1 year old he wont be as reliable at it.. something about he will have problems figuring things out.. But besides the backwards rabbit... the other two seem to have it figured out just fine..

Should i cull some of the bucks or what? i'm thinking thats probably what i should do anyway... still .... everyone that owns rabbits, has owned rabbits, or rescues pet rabbits .. all say they are over breeders. but i must have the only bunch in the world that practice safe sex or something!!

[Hob&Jill 258]

Might be that you have too many bucks and it is just too unnatural, in the wild the does outnumber bucks about 10-1 or something like that.

[Paid 935]

You could even have 1 buck, to 30 does, he will still service them.

 

Having them living comunaly, means that the dominant does will breed, and the

less dominant will not, so though hutches are a bitch to keep clean, at least

each doe is dominant in its own small world.

 

Also, maybe your stock is too fancy. Some of the fancy breeds are

really inbreed,with health problems ext.

 

avoid giant breeds, and get more mobile, smaller breeds in.

[clay man 0]

hows the lucky one watching them having sex all day :thumbs:

[BlueCoyote 0]

You could even have 1 buck, to 30 does, he will still service them.

 

Having them living comunaly, means that the dominant does will breed, and the

less dominant will not, so though hutches are a bitch to keep clean, at least

each doe is dominant in its own small world.

 

Also, maybe your stock is too fancy. Some of the fancy breeds are

really inbreed,with health problems ext.

 

avoid giant breeds, and get more mobile, smaller breeds in.

 

had not even considered that about the does.... they're more like dogs than i realised

when i first turned them loose in the enclosure the bucks were the ones showing off who was the boss. seems they have it sorted out now, but you're probably right about the does....

 

not worried too much about them being overly fancy. the flemish giant is only half, and i'm not 100% convinced she is even half giant.... they're fairly rare in Florida and these people were selling registered giants, papers, tattoos, etc for $50 but were crossing giants with straits and selling them for $10... wont be going back to them in the future for rabbits though..

 

 

I suppose it wouldnt hurt then to put them back in their hutches.

maybe when/IF they have any kits i could still use the enclosure until they are old enough for the table?

 

 

Clay if i had time to watch bunnies procreate all day i would go blind lol, nope i just pay attention as i make the rounds. i have dogs, ducks, chickens and goats to take care of too

so far the ducks are the only ones paying for their keep.... but again have more males than i need with 3 to 1 - though i got ducks by accident.. one egg a day is plenty for us!!