S F Meat Rabbit vs Cal/NZ Meat Rabbit Grow Out

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

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Too bad most processors don't buy the colored rabbits. I've seen pictures of NZW and black Silver Fox rabbits skinned and lying right next to each other. Couldn't see a lick of difference. I would like to see someone start collecting the rare white SF sports and breed them. I think the white Silver Fox would have a lot to offer a lot of people. That COAT, plus the meat qualities...to die for. Probably the perfect breed.

problem with the SF is that for the good coat to come out you have to let the rabbits mature enough and then process in the winter time

My SF does that I will be breeding soon are about 5 months old and have cost me very little. They eat grains, BOSS and Calf Manna with the chickens, plus a little bit of pelleted food and hay. They don't take any extra cage space, very little extra care, and have coats and muscle tone to DIE for. I can't wait for them to have babies.

And after they do have babies, I can wait a couple extra months for those pelts.

 

[Surehatch]

I remember growing up with rabbits!

 

[sandspoultry]

Here are the weights on the 3rd litter - the Cal/NZ doe with the 2 kits. And boy are they big!

At 2 weeks they weighed 18.2 oz and 14.4 oz.
At 4 weeks they weighted 37.6 oz and 32.8 oz. That is over 2 pounds each. Can not wait to see how big they are at next weigh in.
I did not get a chance to get a picture of them so I will try to on Tuesday.

 

[Boyd]

Dad didn't remember the scale yesterday, so I will try again today. When the sun comes up I'll get some better close up pictures.

 

[terri9630]

I have a quiestion for the more experienced. I took my NZ buck to a friends house to breed her rex does and he repeatedly refused them over 4 days. One of the does went so far as to crawl under him and set herself up and he left her. I brought my guy home and put one of my does with him and he was all over her. Any ideas as to why he would reject the other does when they seemed to be willing? I took his cage with everything in it so he would be comfortable and the does were put in with him. He never left his cage. This was his first time with the girls so I was wondering if it was just "stage fright"? What do y'all think?

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

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Some bucks are more sensitive to changes in their environments than others. Even though you kept him in his cage, moving the cage about and all probably made him a little too nervous to focus on what he was doing. I've had many bucks like that, and it just so happens that they are usually the ones you need to use at a show or something.

Is there no way the does could be brought to your place? That's usually the way it's done for that very reason. (Well, that and the potential for does getting too territorial if he's brought to their cage.)

 

[sandspoultry]

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Some bucks are more sensitive to changes in their environments than others. Even though you kept him in his cage, moving the cage about and all probably made him a little too nervous to focus on what he was doing. I've had many bucks like that, and it just so happens that they are usually the ones you need to use at a show or something.

Is there no way the does could be brought to your place? That's usually the way it's done for that very reason. (Well, that and the potential for does getting too territorial if he's brought to their cage.)

I also agree, is there any way for them to bring the Doe to your buck? That is usually the way it is. Even by taking his cage it was still a different surrounding and he was probably looking all over the place and smelling the new smells. I bet if you take the doe to him he will do what comes natural.
Good luck.

 

[terri9630]

They are going to bring the does over here after Thanksgiving and we'll give it another try. Thanks y'all. He bred both of my does so he's figured out what they are for anyway...

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

I've tried all three of my does in various combinations and ways to both my bucks and I haven't seen any "connection"... Am I just trying at the wrong time or something? Do they not breed in November? Ugh.

 

[Kittymomma]

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My bucks are happy to breed year round, but I've noticed a big drop in fertility in the late fall and early winter--does not taking at all and smaller litters. I've had that happen when it gets really hot in the summer too, but we don't get too much of that here in the PNW.