Breed often? Tell me about it.

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LindyS

LindyS

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Mar 18, 2011
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Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, USA
Coming off of SNM's recent topic of "When to retire bunnies".

Thats another thing I would like to know from everyone.


What is a good distance between breedings so does dont get stuck in the "I dont want to breed zone"?


I know that you risk this if you wait to far in between breedings. I dont like breeding to often but dont want to sell my rabbits short either.

Breeding during winter is a no go from what one breeder has told me. They just dont breed at that time but will come back in season around jan or feb. On another hand Ive seem litters that have been born at those times.

So how many breedings a year do you have going per doe and buck?
 
I know a lot of breeders will rebreed the doe at 6-8 weeks to give her a "Break" and let the milk dry(I don't know what kind of break that is)

I usually will rebreed 2 1/2 months after the last breeding. I'm usually not in a hurry, but I will be this Summer. I know you only have a couple does, but try not to breed too much or you won't have anywhere to place the babies.

It helps to know the average size each doe kindles too. I was shocked Lucy had 7 babies. Nice good brood doe.
My dutch doe,Biscuit, had litter before.. but the previous owner kept breeding her back to her dad. That resulted in peanuts. She's had one litter with me and she only kindled 3 and they were horribly marked except for one(that was perfect) She didn't pull fur or anything, so I've been holding off breeding her again.
 
I generally leave the kits with their mother as long as I can. So larger litters are weaned at the normal time (around 8-10 weeks), but smaller litters may stay until 14 weeks. Then, after weaning, I usually wait about 2 months before re-breeding.

This is mostly because I keep a small rabbitry, but it also gives the mother time to recover.
 
My dutch doe,Biscuit, had litter before.. but the previous owner kept breeding her back to her dad. That resulted in peanuts.
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Peanuts aren't really related to linebreeding, they are just kits that receive two dwarfing genes. I didn't know Dutch threw those...interesting!
 
Ok sounds like you are both on the same page. I also read from other breeders who breed two months after last breeding as well. Thats about the time the kits are weaned off. two and a half months is when they have been weaned off for half a month and moms milk should dry. Im just tryeing to understand everything. This is more of an advice post. lol
 
OakRidgeRabbits wrote:
My dutch doe,Biscuit, had litter before.. but the previous owner kept breeding her back to her dad. That resulted in peanuts.
Click to expand...

Peanuts aren't really related to linebreeding, they are just kits that receive two dwarfing genes. I didn't know Dutch threw those...interesting!
Click to expand...

I know, but that's why she sold her to me. She kept getting peanuts and she didn't have another buck to breed her to. It's funny because most of the Grey dutch in Louisiana are all related in some way . The two dutch I have now have the same great Grandparents. I'm still trying to figure out the weird markings she threw, but Tequila is Granded and the best rabbit ever. Won't be getting rid of him.

5-6 sounds about right.I've personally never had a doe do that, but like you said season intervene. Daylight savings messes up my breeding schedule as well
 
LindyS wrote:
So basicly they kindle anywhere between 5-6 litters a year?
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That seems a bit high to me.

If you breed in January and the kits are weaned at 6 weeks and she's given 2 weeks rest, then rebreed right away in May and rebreed right away in September, following the same schedule.

It would be about 3-4 litters a year depending on how the breeder does it. If I'm calculating correctly.


 
Ok because I'm trying to figure out how to breed as less as possible without the doe going into a spell where she didn't want to breed because I waited to long.
 
Oh! I see what you're getting at. To breed just enough to keep your doe in production, I would suggest at least two litters a year.

There really isn't a specific time frame that works for every doe out there. But generally if they have a litter every 6 months (twice a year), that will keep them in production. If your doe ends up being hard to get bred, I'd suggest 3.
 
My buns are inside till we get our outdoor rabbitry ready. I have things to order. Anyway yes you got it right just enough for production. I want litters but I don't want over produce my buns. I herd not to breed in the summer because ears get longer. I don't know I'd this is true. I read alot.
 
Oh my lord. The winter vs. summer ears theory. Just like the full moon theory. Breeders have their different opinions

Breeding in LA in the summer is absolutely horrible. it's so hot/humid(No BREEZES!!!!!), some of my bucks are useless. I've never lost a rabbit to heat stroke, but I've heard a lot of other stories.I've had to pull out the fans and frozen water bottles. Yours are indoors for now, so I would breed them. If I do breed a doe I just bring her inside
 
LindyS wrote:
I herd not to breed in the summer because ears get longer. I don't know I'd this is true. I read alot.
Click to expand...

I breed in the summer and haven't found this to be true. I do find that their ears will mature faster and reach full length quicker in the summer, so I do have to wait longer to evaluate the kits. But by maturity, the rest of their bodies have caught up and their ears are no longer than any other ones.
 
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