Back yard rabbit group anyone?

[mamato3]

here are my babys there a week old in that pic. All three are there but its hard to see them

 

[Maidservant]

The english spots are easier to breed, and have large litters, but the kits can't be butchered until at least 16 weeks old, otherwise there isn't enough meat on them to make it worth it. They aren't quite as calm as my Rex, but they are high up there on the calmness scale. They are the most inquisitive breed I have, and usually get themselves into trouble. They will come to me if they get out of their cages though.

The rex have the easiest time with the cold, but have smaller litters on average than the other breeds. The mini-rex has very small litters (3-4 per litter) but they sell better as pets.

I don't like to let the chickens get on top of my rabbit cages (don't mind it on the ones with solid tops). I do let the chickens and ducks scrounge around underneath the cages to clean up spilled food, and the wasted hay and bunny poo that is under their cages gets thrown into the chicken pen. Once per month the chicken pen gets raked and shoveled (if it needs it) and everything is thrown into a compost pile to cook down for the garden. Now if I could just keep the chickens out of the old pile of poo.

Emily in NC

 

[herbandteas]

Emily

Is it that the mini rex is a smaller breed that they sell better? I had a pair of jersey wooly rabbits that were the skitish rabbits I have ever had. So once I sold off all my wooler rabbits I went back to large breed rabbits starting with my chinchilla doe. This coming week end though I am getting a holland lop buck that is going to stay with me till my friend can get him as he is for her. I plan on playing with him to see how I like his breed's temperment.


Happy Holidays,

 

[herbandteas]

Thank you for sharing that sweet picture of your kits.

Happy holidays,

 

[Maidservant]

Quote:
I do think it is due to the smaller size of the mini-rex that they sell better. Most stores and people want kits 4-6 weeks old, but in NC, it's illegal to sell them under 8 weeks old, although many people still do. If the rabbit is still small at 8 weeks, they will typically sell though. I have bred my mini-rex doe to my english spot buck (something that you're not supposed to do!) and she had such fat and pretty babies from that pairing. They were bigger than she was at 6 weeks old, and she was still nursing like a champ. She's a hard head when it comes to letting herself be bred, but if she decides to breed and have kits, she is a wonderful mom. I typically don't like lop eared rabbits, just because we live in a humid environment and when moisture builds up in the ear canal and can't escape it means an infection is immenent. We will see how well this little lop buck that I have now does. Someone gave me him and a 6 year old lightly colored californian buck yesterday.

Hope this helps,
Emily

 

[coffeemama]

The smaller breeds do sell better as pets, but selling them for meat then is not really much of an option. My mini rex babies sell very quickly at 8 weeks old.

 

[herbandteas]

I was just wondering that was why there is soooo many of these mini breeds at the rabbit shows. I just want to raise them small time not where I have something like 50 or more rabbits. Sell the babies and keep a few for future breeding or meat. If I get a special rabbit that is show quality then show it.


Happy Holidays,

 

[Feathered Wings]

I have 3 rabbits 2 does and 1 buck

Honey is a lionxdwarf grey/white harlequin she is very tiny but has the mane of a lion head.

Mary anne is a white/blue harlequin dwarf with blue eyes

June Bug is my buck and hes a blue/grey harlequin dwarf with blue eyes

I have them as pets and i raise babys about 3 times a year just because i love watching the little babys be born and watching them grow.

A warning about dwarfs some carry the double dwarf gene and they will give birth to "peanuts". These are tiny tiny babys that most of the time don't survive. I have raised 2 and i did so by giveing them to a foster mother so they didn't have to fight for the nipple. I never breed a doe again when i find out she has this gene.

 

[herbandteas]

I love the Harlequin color on any rabbit. I hope your staying warm and Happy Holidays,

 

[Birch Run Farm]

I am interested in finding a pair of American Silver Fox rabbits for breeding. I understand this is a heritage breed. Is anyone familiar with them? Do you have any for sale this spring?