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

[chiklee]

There's nothing wrong with that. They do seem happy though! Grace was very skittish, but now comes to the front of her cage for petting and cuddles. It could be b/c I'm very calm and relaxed when I go out there, that I have a ritual with my bunnies and sing to them, it could be the cannabis, or all of the above.

Do you grow your own or do you have to by it . They are thinking about making it legal here in Pa. I really see that happening here but they are trying to pass it .

 

[Double Kindness]

It's legal here in CO, so I grow my own. I had always not known wtd with the stuff not used for medicine, but now I have buns and they strip everything off and eat it. I read on the NCIB database that the nutritional value of hemp seeds and leaves have a lot of potential over other conventional crops, so idk if it's possible to raise them completely on leaves, roots and stalks, but atm they really love them as treats.

We had to go get Alice a metal feeder instead of a dish, as under her 1/2 of the cage I notice she knocks her pellets out as she likes to just pick out the calf manna pellets that I mix with the gro pellets.

 

[amyandkids]

hello all!! I am starting out with the N.Z. the 3 does I have are 5 months old today and my question I know has already been answered but I forgot and cant read through the entire thread again so I apologize, how old do my girls need to be to breed them? Also I don't have a N.Z. male yet, but I have a decent brown and grey boy, will they still have large litters or does it have to be a N.Z. buck too? thank you so much!

 

[chiklee]

hello all!! I am starting out with the N.Z. the 3 does I have are 5 months old today and my question I know has already been answered but I forgot and cant read through the entire thread again so I apologize, how old do my girls need to be to breed them? Also I don't have a N.Z. male yet, but I have a decent brown and grey boy, will they still have large litters or does it have to be a N.Z. buck too? thank you so much!

no you can mix the breeds but not for show rabbits and I breed at 6 months old no younger .

 

[amyandkids]

thank you for your response I was going to wait until they were 8 months but 6 is good with me! I have a husband and 3 children so we eat a lot, that's why I need big litters! I will be getting 2 bucks at thanks giving week that are N.Z. I'm so excited, they are gorgeous!

 

[Angelicisi]

We start breeding at 5 months. It takes about 70% of the time. We breed at 6 months too and get 95% success outta 1st timers.
Because they're NZs we like them at a 7lb-ish weight at breeding virgins. Seem to get the best success waiting for the weight. Sometimes that weight happens by 5 months and I breed them and mark the calender. We just had a 5 month old doe kindle 8 kits 2 days ago and the sire was 2 weeks shy of 6 months . Love early mamas!

 hello all!! I am starting out with the N.Z. the 3 does I have are 5 months old today and my question I know has already been answered but I forgot and cant read through the entire thread again so I apologize, how old do my girls need to be to breed them? Also I don't have a N.Z. male yet, but I have a decent brown and grey boy, will they still have large litters or does it have to be a N.Z. buck too? thank you so much!

 

[Angelicisi]

All of our yearling does are over 9lbs now, most pushing over 10lbs.
Our yearling bucks are between 9-10lbs.
So far no overweight problems

 

[123ranch]

enjoying this thread how do I come back to it at a later date

 

[kacklinkelly]

I can always find updates by checking "My Profile" page. It lets me know if there are any new posts on the threads that I follow.

QUESTION:

Our "pregnant" doe hasn't shown any signs of being different until today. It will be 3 weeks tomorrow since she and the buck were together. I don't know if it's my imagination, but her dew lap appears to be getting bigger. Also, two separate times today, when she was being petted (once by my DH and later by me), she made a sound I hadn't heard before. it was almost like a "chortle" if that makes any sense. It wasn't a growl or a purr. She asked for the attention and then seemed to get excited or agitated (?) and made the sound. She nipped me just the slightest bit and then moved away. She came back for more petting and no more sound. I can't tell by her stomach if she is getting any rounder or not. I know it's just a waiting game but just wanted to check on those two new things I've noticed to see if it was a common trait in pregnant rabbits. Thanks all.

 

[kacklinkelly]

We have movement!!!! She was laying down tonight and I could clearly see her fur moving in a different direction than her breathing. As I looked more closely, it was amazing to see the waves of movement through her fur in the abdominal area!!!! Can you tell I'm a little excited. Thanks for letting me share my enthusiasm. First timer here. Like I needed to explain that