Rabbit question - How long before litters?

[GracefulBantams]

Once a doe has had kits, how long before she should be bred again?

 

[johnny z]

i read not until you wean the litter

 

[()relics]

I raise netherland dwarf rabbits but this breeding schedule can be used for any breed. I'll list the whole chart you can pick it up where ever you want: 29 days after you breed the doe put the nest box in the cage....day 31 +/- the doe should kindle....10 days after kindling the liter should have their eyes open....11 days after their eyes are open remove the nest box...32 days after their eyes are open you can rebreed...39 days after their eyes are open you start to wean 1 at a time until they have all been weaned not to exceed 46 days after eyes open...now you are back to square 1...29 days after you bred the doe put the nest box in the cage....and so on..if you want liters all year long breed dates don't matter...but if you only want summer litters start this cycle early spring and you will have 2 litters before fall...Keep good records and you will have no prblems if you stick to the chart...You must feed the doe well all throughout the cycle..maybe the exception would be durring weaning...If the doe looks under top condition give her some extra time between cycles...This chart would be considered the minimum time for the most litters per year.

 

[Southernbelle]

With my NZW production does, I usually breed them when their current litter is 4 weeks and wean the current litter 2 weeks later.

My pet does are more pampered and I don't breed them back until about 2 weeks after their litters are completely weaned.

 

[GracefulBantams]

I should clarify... this doe had kits, but they did not make it (

) so waiting for them to be weaned is not an issue. I was just wondering when she would be ready.

 

[Southernbelle]

Grace!

After a lost litter, watch for signs of a heat cycle and that's her body telling you it's time. Usually takes 2-3 weeks for my pet rabbits, but my NZWs are baby making machines, if I let them!

I had an experienced NZW doe and buck living together for a while and I miscounted her due date and she had them earlier than I thought and they all died. She was eating them and that's not like her, so I thought she must be stressed out from the buck being there, even though he wasn't bothering the babies. I removed the buck right away and thought I'd give her a long rest, but 3.5 weeks later noticed she was getting very fat. I moved him within a few hours of her giving birth, but he still managed to catch her.

She did fine with her new litter, but I was worried about her.

 

[chinbunny1]

You can rebreed right away after she loses the litter.

as far as a rebreeding and weaning scedual goes, the best thing to do, and the most responsible IMHO is to rebreed her a couple of weeks after they are weaned (at about 6-8 weeks of age). That gives the doe time to recondition. Otherwise you are going to take chances of really stressing her out and wearing her down if she's carrying a litter while nursing the first one. You want to give her a few days to a two week break in between breedings and weanings. Making them care for two litters at a time can put a lot of stress on them and burn them easily.

 

[pattyjean73]

When I raised rabbits I'd leave the kits with the doe until 8 weeks (unless doe starts treating them badly) then waited 4 weeks to rebreed. I don't think that long is necassary, but it made for an easy routine for me.

 

[chinbunny1]

When i was in 4h I bred twice year. But now that I show I get 2-4 live litters per year per doe. Kind of like how you do it patty. Its just a lot easier going on the girls.

 

[GracefulBantams]

Southernbelle

Thanks