Raising our New Zealand Meat Rabbits *Start to finish - Birth to processing* Possible Graphic pics*

[Angelicisi]

 

[CrookdBeak13]

Hello all, I just recently got 3 rabbits- a New Zealand female ready to breed July 1st per previous owner, a California black doe readable now, and a New Zealand/ Flemish giant buck- solid white with pink eyes. My question is, the Cali has pulled tufts of hair and placed it in her food bowl, but the previous owner said she had not been exposed to a buck recently so I am confused why she would do this.... we placed her with our buck today.....she "showed" him what to do then he did it....he did the kick flip...but she didn't fight him and he was very gentle to her after....just confused as to the hair tuft pulling...any ideas?

 

[Angelicisi]

Give her a nest. Lol every doe I've bought from unknown were knocked up and would kindle shortly after I got her good people I was buying from but often I've then found out they "tried to breed her over a month ago and nothing" so they sell her, and bam babies (impatient maybe? Maybe she was waiting for her nice new digs you gave her )...I would give her a box with bedding, not over where she urinated...wait a day or two. Longer if she doesn't use it as a potty and actually builds a nest and adds fur. Pull it out if nothing happens afer a couple days.

Reintroduce it closer to your bucks date. Maybe they tried and it sent her hormones into a false pregnancy?

Hello all, I just recently got 3 rabbits- a New Zealand female ready to breed July 1st per previous owner, a California black doe readable now, and a New Zealand/ Flemish giant buck- solid white with pink eyes. My question is, the Cali has pulled tufts of hair and placed it in her food bowl, but the previous owner said she had not been exposed to a buck recently so I am confused why she would do this.... we placed her with our buck today.....she "showed" him what to do then he did it....he did the kick flip...but she didn't fight him and he was very gentle to her after....just confused as to the hair tuft pulling...any ideas?

 

[Cknldy]

Does being with other does can cause false pregnancies as well.

 

[Angelicisi]

Yes! Often an alpha doe in a colony situation will use that to her advantage. Using it to show dominance and triggering the other does hormones into a false pregnancy. Giving alpha doe the offspring first. In a controlled colony even causing the other does to be culled because she fake knocks them up and breeder culls doe because she just isn't producing good numbers. I have 2 Cali does that were surrendered from a colony because they were infertile...one popped out babies 2 days after I got her and the other one has been in her own space few weeks now and showing signs of kindling I didn't breed her so maybe a fake one this time we'll wait but she'll get another chance on her own to try)

Does being with other does can cause false pregnancies as well.

 

[CrookdBeak13]

Yes! Often an alpha doe in a colony situation will use that to her advantage. Using it to show dominance and triggering the other does hormones into a false pregnancy. Giving alpha doe the offspring first. In a controlled colony even causing the other does to be culled because she fake knocks them up and breeder culls doe because she just isn't producing good numbers. I have 2 Cali does that were surrendered from a colony because they were infertile...one popped out babies 2 days after I got her and the other one has been in her own space few weeks now and showing signs of kindling I didn't breed her so maybe a fake one this time we'll wait but she'll get another chance on her own to try)

Both does are in there own cages and have been since we got them. Actually, the does are separated by the buck as in his hutch is in the middle. He can't spray the cali because their hutch is built off of a tree so it prevents his spray. There have been no more instance of "nest building" since that instance. I bred the cali last Monday (6/9/14), so if all went well I guess I should anticipate a litter between 7/7/14-7/10/14.

 

[Angelicisi]

 

[kacklinkelly]

Is that a pic of your first aid supplies for your rabbits?

 

[Angelicisi]

Doh. Text didn't work.

That's a tattoo pen kit.

We have multiple pedigreed litters now. Because NZWs all look the same and I have some community members that want to do 4-h and other shows we decided we need ear tag identification for certain litters so they can be shown.
Helps us complete their pedigrees also.

We still are figuring out which # system we'd like but the litters are still growing so we have time.
Hubbys been working hard on cages too! We needed more fast. The quality in meat breeders and show buns are different I've noticed so we won't be tattooing all bunnies. Only non faulted kits with full pedigrees and our breeders.

 

[kacklinkelly]

I don't know if you feel like educating me on pedigrees, if not, can you refer me to some places I can find out more about it as it pertains to rabbits. Thanks.