My Rabbit Journey~New Pics pg 17

[rickerra]

Quote:
Sounds like they had fun. Did you let them all out together or just one at a time?
How did you get them back out from under the porch when you wanted to put them back in their pens?

 

[Jamie_Dog_Trainer]

Quote:
Sounds like they had fun. Did you let them all out together or just one at a time?
How did you get them back out from under the porch when you wanted to put them back in their pens?

I at first put them out singly, but I decided to try them in pairs and introduced them slowly via a dog crate and it worked out well. I only put the young buck and one doe in together at a time, because I was worried about the two does being hostile. I should have been more specific about the "porch" its really a concrete slab patio (that is compeletely covered) so they just were on it, not under it. The pen I set up was partially sitting on that and partially in the yard. I did it this way so that they'd have some shaded covered area and some sunny area.

My buck is 8 weeks or so, and I was curious to see if he'd try anything with the girls. He was definately interested in the NZ doe but uninterested in the d'Argent doe.

I'll try and get an actual breeding in about six weeks, depending on how heavy my does are at that time.

 

[Jamie_Dog_Trainer]

I bred my Champange D'Argent doe tonight, she was serviced by a good sized Champagne buck.

This is her first breeding, she's in excellent condition and is 7 months old now. I am really hoping that she turns out to be a great Mom and keeps her first litter. In addition to her I am purchasing a year old California doe that is bred to a Cali buck, the litter is registerable. So I will have some babies in about a month!!!

 

[Connorrm]

While I am new to chickens I'm definitely not new to rabbits. Good luck with the meat ones!

I would suggest the following places for supplies:

www.kdcage.com

www.kwcages.com

www.bassequipment.com

www.bunnyrabbit.com

In addition if you're interested in rabbit management software to keep track of breeding and production www.evans-software.com

Of course I reccomend joining the ARBA (American Rabbit Breeders Association) www.arba.net they are invaluable.


I have been an official registrar for them for over 4 years and a member of the ARBA for over 11. If anyone has specific question please PM me at any time. If I don't know the answer I'll know who to call

editing to answer caging size question:

24 X 18 - Great for small breeds and their does with litters

24 x24 - Again, good for small breeds approaching larger breeds like the Dutch (5lbs) and housing commercial strain New Zealand bucks

24 x 36 - Good for housing meat rabbits or finishing out some youngsters. This is the minimum size cage you should be using for a meat pen doe and her litter.

24 x 48 - Almost mandatory for Flemish, Giant Chins, Checkered Giants etc; (Checkerds also need additional cage height.



Remember when raising rabbits for meat purposes you want a fast reproducer, that can produce a 4-6 pound baby in 8 weeks. Many people look at Flemish and think oh wow this is huge! But, in my humble opinion nothing is better than a new zealand. They are fast, efficient. Some of the "commercial" breeds have had their productivity and feed to flesh conversion bred out in favor of showing. They are still good eats, just much more slower and more expensive. Think of it as raising a slow growing chicken breed for meat purposes.

 

[Jamie_Dog_Trainer]

Thank you so much for the information!!! Very much appreciated! And welcome to the forum

 

[Jamie_Dog_Trainer]

I bred my Champagne D'Argent doe last week, she's due on the 30th of this month. I am working on getting some weight on my NZ doe so I can breed her. She's very skinny but slowly improving, if she doesn't improve greatly in the next two months I will have her for my first rabbit dinner

. I'll keep you all updated!

 

[rickerra]

Good luck with the litter. Both of my does are supposed to be expecting too. I need to figure out how to palpate them and check.

Got some pics of my setup... thought they might be of interest to some.

Here's my cages and stand. They originally were two separate double-wide stands... built to enclose with sides and a top. But then I decided I wanted to keep them in my garage (with eventual plans to move into a new shed)... so I chopped both stands and stacked them. Since they were now "indoor" stands, I wrapped the back in plastic to keep them from spraying the walls... and build pull out plastic lined drawers for waste management. I also added some roof flashing to act as a urine spray shield. All in all it is working very nicely in my garage. (cages now have doors cut in them)

And here are the buns.

Endoe (American Chinchilla x Creme d'Argent)

Middy (American Chinchilla x Creme d'Argent)

Bucky (Creme d'Argent x Black New Zealand)

Cheers!

 

[Jamie_Dog_Trainer]

Rick -- your set up looks great!!! And your rabbits are beautiful.

I am going to be building the corrugated poop and pee catchers for both my hutches. I got the materials, I just need my husband and his friend to move the hutches to their final spot in the yard. I can't do that by myself. We just picked up a free 8' hutch that is right now devided in four sections. I will modify it into three sections. Two 36" hutches and the last, largest part will be for my litters to grow out in until about 8 weeks, then they go into the tractors.

This free hutch is in pretty rough shape so I have a lot of work ahead of me, but it's got a good roof and good frame so I felt it was worth the trouble.

 

[Connorrm]

Palpating rabbits is VERY easy - especially on the meat breeds. You can't really squeeze them too hard, they're well protected (well you can but if you're pinching so hard the rabbit is squirming then you're just doing it wrong).

1. Put the rabbit on a flat surface (preferably on a table with a towel or such.

2. Place the head away from you, with the rump up against your waist or belly depending on your height.

3. Gently hold the rabbits neck and head in one hand sort of restraining it and with the other hand reach under the rabbit, to the middle of the abdomen.

4. Imagine you're going to run your fingers over large beads or a string of pearls. This is how rabbit kits are the first 10-14 days. They feel like large beads in meat breeds or a string of pearls in smaller breeds. make this motion from the middle of the abdomen slowly but firmly back towards the rabbits vent area you should feel them slide between your fingers.


Remember, rabbits are induced ovulators. Meaning they do not have a heat cycle. Sexual stimulation from the buck causes her to release eggs. My favorite method for breeding and checking for pregnancy is to breed once in the AM and then again five hours later. I then like to give it four days.

I put the female rabbit back in the cage, but I just put her rump in and hold her while the buck tries to mount her. If she gets agitate and won't "hike up" you know she's probably bred. There are concerns that since rabbits have a two horned uterus that she could become pregnant in the other horn and still hike up, but it's highly unusual and unlikely. A good friend of mine Dr. Jay Hriez is a vet who specializes in rabbits (rabbit judge too) says that one of the horns does usually atrophy in rabbits, much like the ovary of a chicken.

 

[Connorrm]

BTW Rick, I love that you put in a wood platform for your meaties! You'll save yourself (and them) some much needed sore hock relief! If you're looking for something chew proof they sell plastic "EZ Mats" for about 3.50!