S F Meat Rabbit vs Cal/NZ Meat Rabbit Grow Out

[Dead Rabbit]

when swapping kits around, do you put vicks or other substance on the does nose?

 

[ChickenPotPie]

Quote:
Only with my Woolies. You hope for 3 - 5 kits but it is not uncommon to have single kit litters. When that happens....oh boy. I can usually expect a tub-o-lard baby.

I like to even up litter, too.

Dead Rabbit, I've never done anything special with the kits - just swapped kits of similar age/size. I once had a JW doe raise 5 of her own plus 3 meat rabbit kits successfully! I just tossed them in with the rest. If you're swapping kits of the same color (Cals for example) mark one litter in the ear with a Sharpie pen so you can tell the two litters apart.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Here are pics of the 2 kit litter...... the "rabbit queen" is still working on the 1st cup of coffee.

The one in the front is the heavy one - they were 15 days old when this pic was taken!

Steve

 

[the-bird-man]

a few years ago i had a pet flemish and when he was around 5 years old he weighed in at 40 lbs! he would just run around my back yard and eat all he could, he ate leaves and the grapes off the grape vine and ate 100s of tulips, he would eat everything. he was a big boy for sure. too bad i did not breed him. he was bigger than our cocker spaniel and would actually bark like a dog. i miss the guy

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Next update will be Nov 4 or 5.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Thanks Steve!




My doe was due today, but no kits yet, she isn't even looking fat, I wonder if she didn't get pregnant?

I also have another one due in a couple weeks but she isn't looking fat either? She was put with a different buck.

I hope I get babies soon!

 

[terri9630]

Quote:
You never know. My girls were given a doe that was *supposed* to only be 2 months old. 3 weeks later she popped out 7 kits. She was a tiny thing and had no belly/fat whatso ever. At first I thought mice had moved into her cage.....

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

LoL. Well I hope I get kits soon I am so looking forward to it!

 

[Dead Rabbit]

did you test breed them at 14 days SNOW?

 

[ChickenPotPie]

Quote:
Test breeding can be a problem. Whether the doe allows herself to be bred again or not is not a reliable indicator of her condition. A non-pregnant doe might not be in the mood the day you test breed. Conversely, a pregnant doe might be bred again and another litter started (she has two uterine horns) thus creating a problem for one of those litters or both. The first litter might be born and the other aborted or one born and the other withheld and born two weeks later. Either way, one litter may die and the doe left stressed and in a predicament.

One can rely on palpating, though. It is easy to do once you know what you're looking for. Once you do, practice, practice, practice. It is said the the day to do it is 14 days because the fetus' are most noticable (size of grapes) but after that it gets difficult to tell. I know people who can palpate correctly several days sooner. It is just a matter of knowing your does so palpate them (thoroughly feel their abdomen) when they are not pregnant, as well, so you know what "normal" feels like. This will help you more easily feel the difference when your doe is pregnant.