How many rabbits in your herd - or how do you know when you have "enough"?

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TinysMom

TinysMom

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Location
, Texas, USA
First of all - if you feel uncomfortable posting your numbers here - don't feel like you have to. I'm just trying to decide a few things.

I am currently breeding Holland Lops and Flemish Giants. In the Hollands I'm working with tort and broken tort and have three does and two bucks - but one buck is mainly a pet.

In the Flemish - I'm working with three colors. I have the following rabbits:

Sr. Does - 4 light gray - one is retired - so three I am working with
1 black that carries steel

Jr. Does - 2 light gray that might carry steel - but definitely carry white
2 light gray that might carry steel (just not sure) - but will most likely give me light gray
1 steel doe that should carry light gray

Sr. Bucks - 1 white that carries steel
1 light gray (that somehow manages to carry steel -and sandy it looks like)

Jr. Bucks - 1 light gray - from the light gray buck - is turning out almost nicer - BUT - I don't know if he can give the quality of rabbits that his father does - I can almost predict his father's litters for type.


The colors I'm working with are steel, white and light gray - focusing mainly on the light gray.

I am partly watching my junior does to see how they develop - and I'm watching my brand new litter of six (from totally different bloodlines in the dam) - to see if this is better (so far I'm leaning that way).

Would it be wrong of me to keep what I already have - plus a doe and buck from this litter if they turn out nice? I'm thinking not because basically I'd be having two lines for breeding my light grays - all would have the same father - but different mothers.

I guess part of my difficulty is that at some time - I'd like to add more hollands - possibly chocolate. But I don't want to be overwhelmed with rabbits.


 
We only have 24 individual cages in our rabbitry, excluding 3 kindling cages. We have a rule that our holes should never excede 24 because we think that 24 is the perfect number for what we can handle. It's extremely tough and we are extremely heavy on culling. But it allows us to focus more time, energy, and money on the best of the best in our herd and we believe that is far mor rewarding in the end.

When decided to cull, we first decide whether the offspring are better than the parents. If so, than we may sell their parents and keep first pick of the litter. If they aren't better than the parents, then they get sold. We use the 3 rule-if a rabbit has more than 3 faults, it's emediately put up for sale as pet quality. It may sound harsh, but basically if any of our rabbits aren't found to be perfect, we don't keep them, simple as that. But like I've said, it allows for more attention to the rabbits we really care about.

It's very hard to maintain a larger herd, but if a breeder can properlly handle it, than it can have it's advantages. A larger herd gives you more choices when breeding and can ultimately give you healthier rabbits if you can breed them often, whereas a smaller rabbitry can only breed 1-2 times a year.

So unltimately, it's up to you to decide whether you want to keep or cull your rabbits. If you KNOW you can handle all of the care, space, and money, than go for it. If there's even a small ounce of doubt, you may want to reconsider. It's VERY easy to become overwhelmed with bunnies! :)
 
Hollands? One buck, and that's enough! Flemish, well, take the space you would normally devote to a horse. Divide it by three. That's how many Flemish you can have.
 
The Turtle wrote:
Hollands? One buck, and that's enough! Flemish, well, take the space you would normally devote to a horse. Divide it by three. That's how many Flemish you can have.
Click to expand...

:roflmao::roflmao:
 
Inle__Rabbitry ... love your username and avatar ! Is the Inle from Watership Down ? I should be sleeping but just can't , so I got up for a few moments and hopped over here.
I've been going on rabbit rescue sites and all the buns have the icon of 'no kids' option. Bummer. On the brighter side, there's a rabbitry an hour from me and I'm considering going there this Fri. They have Jersy Woolies and Lionheads. I talked to the breeder last year at the fair , but didn't think my son was enthusiastic enough about a bunny. Now he wants one to live in his room....probably not- - - as I need to supervise their interaction . I'll try to post pic's if we get one.
 
Thank you! Yes, the name was taken from Watership Down-that book has always been a favorite of mine since I was very young! :)

Usually when a rescue says that a pet (rabbit in this case) is not good for kids simply means that it's not good for "immature, screaming, grabbing, and in general children who are not educated in handling or caring foranimals properlly". I'm sure if shelter staff see how well behaved your son is, they would certainly reconsider the adoption rules.

It's great that you're looking into getting a rabbit from a breeder and not a petstore. I wish you the best of luck in whether you get your new bun from a shelter or this breeder!
 
I think you need to decide what is right for you and what you can handle. If you feel like you can handle adding two more to the bunch then I say go for it. I currently have 8 and that is what works for me because I am so new at this but as I gain experience and better equipment I think my rabbitry will expand.
 
For Hollands, I suggest starting out with one solid herd buck and 2-3 does, then linebreeding back. This seems to be the quickest way to up your quality and I've just now started that myself too.

Hollands take a long time to mature too, so make sure you have several cages devoted to growing out juniors at all times.

Flemish, I don't have any experience with. :p
 
I currently have the following:
Mini Lops:
Joe-Kerr's Aidan - Broken Chestnut Junior Buck - Backup Buck/ Show
Joe-Kerr's Stunna - Black Chin Junior Buck - Herd Buck/Show
Joe-Kerr's Scarlett - Reg.d 2 legs Black Senior Doe - Brood
Joe-Kerr's Emma - Red'd 3 legs Broken Chin. Senior Doe - Brood
Joe-Kerr's Teaspoon - Broken Chin Junior Doe - Show
Birch Hill's Harmony - Steel Senior Doe - Brood

Californians:
Cody - Brood buck
& i'm getting two new does & possible a new buck.

That's everyone :) I have 12 holes. The Californians have hutches outside, they don't count towards my hole count, my indoor holes are used for Mini Lops.
 
I just started with my rabbitry but will be expanding as soon as the bunnies are able lol.

Right now I have (breeding rabbits that is) 1 havana doe :p, which soon will be expanding to at least 3 does and 1 buck, they will raise as soon as I find more breeders with does around breeding age.

Dwarf Hotots: 2 does (one Sr. and one Jr.) and 2 Sr. bucks; in my area this breed is somewhat easy to find (if you're willing to do the drive) but not easy to buy as breeders around here don't have a large amount of breeding stock.

I'm hoping between the two breeds that I'll expand to 20 holes or so by next year. Thatseems like a good size to me.:)
 
Right now I have 5 rabbits, our rabbitry is taking a break for the summer though. I plan on getting 2 mini rex does and 1 or 2 more angora's after summer for breeding. I have had up to 57 rabbits before though. I don't think there is ever enough if you have good space and enough money.
 
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