Californian Meat Rabbit Grow-Out Thread... **Picture Heavy**

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Well I did it. Yesterday I spent half the day moving everyone around and getting new tarps and stuff. Anywho, here's the bigger cages! SO much more room!

1 more week and I will do weights and baby pics. They were all sleeping in the nestbox here.

 

[terri9630]

Looks like a lot more room for them. Mine are hiding in the nest box right now too. It's freezing here. Yesterday morning it was a nice balmy 56 degrees and then the wind started up and was blowing so hard it almost flipped my portable pen over with 13 pullets in it and then the temperature dropped 20 degrees and it started sleeting then snowing. We were only supposed to get the wind.

Went in to get hubby to help me move the pen to the side of the barn for a wind block and in the few minutes that took we went out and found one pullet trying to get back in the pen, one with its head/neck stuck under the 2x4 frame along with 3 sets of legs. Fortunately no injuries but the one with the head stuck looked dead until I poked her. Then she opened her eyes, pecked me and ran off.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Oh no!! Glad everyone was ok! The weather has been SO weird here too, it was like 65 one day and I was in T-shirts and shorts and the next day it was 33 degrees!!! BRRR plus the WIND! SOOO crazy!

 

[sandspoultry]

The new cages look great. How long are you going to leave the nest box in for?
I think the kit grow better when they have plenty of space.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

They are almost 4 weeks and only vary rarely come out of the nestbox, they love sleeping in it, plus it's been pretty darn cold, so I don't want to take away their nest.

I've noticed they come out more when its warmer and sunny. They are eating the hay and grass, but I haven't really seen any of them eat pellets yet. Weights and pics coming soon!

 

[Dead Rabbit]

just about all my cages are 28" X 30" and it gets crowded with a full litter but ive raised plenty of large healthy rabbits in these small cages.....even with a nest box. ive learned that they do just fine in much smaller cages than the books tell you. so i wouldnt worry about space too much. after all most all meat rabbits anyone will ever own, all they know is a small wire cage.

i take nest boxes out at 2 wkes of age. most of them are hopping around by that time. this past month of bitter cold, i left the box in a few days longer, but it truthfully wasnt necessary. they will just start to really " pollute" the box.

 

[Dead Rabbit]

Quote:
i just started weaning my current litter at 5 wks of age. ive weaned at 4 wks plenty of times. but they must be hot and heavy after the pellets before i wean them. i noticed with my pure calif. litters that they are much slower developing/growing than the crosses. but my line is tightly inbred too. it may make a difference.

 

[Hooligan Farm]

Quote:
I take the nest box out at 2wks also.This time around they wouldn't stay in it anyway. What are your crosses?

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Quote:
i just started weaning my current litter at 5 wks of age. ive weaned at 4 wks plenty of times. but they must be hot and heavy after the pellets before i wean them. i noticed with my pure calif. litters that they are much slower developing/growing than the crosses. but my line is tightly inbred too. it may make a difference.

Mine were coming out of the nestbox at around 3 weeks, but they still rarely come out. I've seen two or three out in the last couple days but that's it, there still very much in there. I think because of the cold. I have a big cage set up for them so after they are weaned they will be moved in there without a box, but I will probably leave the one in with the mamma.

 

[Dead Rabbit]

Quote:
i just started weaning my current litter at 5 wks of age. ive weaned at 4 wks plenty of times. but they must be hot and heavy after the pellets before i wean them. i noticed with my pure calif. litters that they are much slower developing/growing than the crosses. but my line is tightly inbred too. it may make a difference.

Mine were coming out of the nestbox at around 3 weeks, but they still rarely come out. I've seen two or three out in the last couple days but that's it, there still very much in there. I think because of the cold. I have a big cage set up for them so after they are weaned they will be moved in there without a box, but I will probably leave the one in with the mamma.

im curious as to what your temperatures are out thata way this time a yr. its been crazy cold here. avg. temps should be upper 40's but till past couple days, its been in the 20's. my rabbits are inside my rabbitry. its not heated, but its outa the wind which has been vicious. so they are warmer......

question. why would you leave the nest box in w/ the doe?