Goats vs. Rabbits

[Cinnamon Roll]

Rabbit math seems to happen all on its own! Ha ha

I don’t really know about space minimums. We started with a big yard and made it bigger to cover a patch of noxious weed (dandelion toadflax) that the rabbits looove. Right now I have 25 rabbits in my 1/2 acre (more or less) yard and it is too many for the grass. We had a bad drought and the grass will take a long time to recover. But on the other hand the weeds might be taken care of...

I guess I would not go with less that 10sqft per rabbit, but kits grow REALLY fast and you will want to add space to accommodate them. I like to breed 2 does at a time so there is always a foster mom available, so I have lots of kits running around at one time. Also if you aren’t free breeding, you will need a separate area for the buck, preferably where he can’t see the does and make himself crazy. We have a neutered male to keep bucks company and that works fairly well, but that’s another rabbit to plan for. Since I don’t have a preference on breeds, I found it’s a lot easier to get a new buck when I need one rather than house one all year. Our neutered boy just hangs out with the does when we don’t have a buck.

I’m sure that’s not super helpful but Google around and someone may have a better idea than me!

 

[chickengr]

Rabbit math seems to happen all on its own! Ha ha

I don’t really know about space minimums. We started with a big yard and made it bigger to cover a patch of noxious weed (dandelion toadflax) that the rabbits looove. Right now I have 25 rabbits in my 1/2 acre (more or less) yard and it is too many for the grass. We had a bad drought and the grass will take a long time to recover. But on the other hand the weeds might be taken care of...

I guess I would not go with less that 10sqft per rabbit, but kits grow REALLY fast and you will want to add space to accommodate them. I like to breed 2 does at a time so there is always a foster mom available, so I have lots of kits running around at one time. Also if you aren’t free breeding, you will need a separate area for the buck, preferably where he can’t see the does and make himself crazy. We have a neutered male to keep bucks company and that works fairly well, but that’s another rabbit to plan for. Since I don’t have a preference on breeds, I found it’s a lot easier to get a new buck when I need one rather than house one all year. Our neutered boy just hangs out with the does when we don’t have a buck.

I’m sure that’s not super helpful but Google around and someone may have a better idea than me!

this foster mom idea is helpful, thank you.

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

this foster mom idea is helpful, thank you.

Funny thing, my best foster mom is actually an older doe who only has about 3 kits per litter. The doe I match her up with has 12 so they complement each other perfectly!

 

[chickengr]

Funny thing, my best foster mom is actually an older doe who only has about 3 kits per litter. The doe I match her up with has 12 so they complement each other perfectly!

do they give birth one next to the other or you put them together later?

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

I take kits from one doe and put them in with the other. That only works if they have kits in a shelter though, and not underground. If you have some nice shelters they will tend to use them rather than dig a big burrow, but it depends on the doe.

Those two particular does are my originals and they are more territorial about their
kits than the later generations. The younger moms will sometimes try to nurse another’s kits but I haven’t seen a community nest situation yet.

When I’ve had new moms, I try to move them into a different area right before they are due. Then don’t have the option to dig a burrow and I can determine how well they are mothering in one of my shelters.

All of that is really only applicable for the first 2-3 weeks. When the kits are mobile they combine together into one group and nurse off of any doe that will let them.