How many kits in one cage
- Thread starter Links56
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It depends on so many things: size of cage, age/size/breed of kits, age you plan to send them to freezer camp etc.
How about giving us a bit more information about what you have and then we can help you out.
How about giving us a bit more information about what you have and then we can help you out.
My grow out cages for my NZ kits are 6'x 30". Personally, as my does give me litters of 8-13 kits, I would not go smaller than 4 feet long.
My kits are kept together by litter until they are sold or processed, usually by 10-12 weeks.
My kits are kept together by litter until they are sold or processed, usually by 10-12 weeks.
Since my does have been giving me big litters, and the harlis grow kinda slowly.... My current method is to wean out just the buckings (somewhere in the 6-9 week range) from any litter into a 2x4 foot cage, and leave the doe with her daughters in her own 2x4 foot cage.
So how many do you put into the 6'x30" cage? Just one litter? How many feeders do you have?
If I took the bucks out and left the does in with the mother doe, could she still have another litter with the previous litter still with her?
Do you aim for weight or age? What weight do you usually see?
If I took the bucks out and left the does in with the mother doe, could she still have another litter with the previous litter still with her?
Do you aim for weight or age? What weight do you usually see?
Links56":2wiib71c said:
I only have one feeder per cage, that I keep full and check twice daily.
The doe can be taken to a buck and bred while sharing a cage with her girls, but they should be removed before she kindles. Depending on the doe, she could become aggressive to them when kindling time arrives.
I like 4.5-5 lb fryers.
Good information in this thread. I was wondering the same thing as I'm new to meat rabbits. My plan was to have two grow out cages of 4x2 each. But I wasn't sure how many would be okay for each (mini lop/English lop hybrid) and I'm not sure yet about the age to harvest. I was thinking 2 months but maybe more towards 3 months would be better? As far as being full sized and such?
If I can maybe have some of the does with the mother then I can make sure no single cage is over-crowded.
If I can maybe have some of the does with the mother then I can make sure no single cage is over-crowded.
We have two grower pens that are 2' x 4'. We have 8 right now in the top pen which is working well. We usually take our meat rabbits out to 10 weeks at most. We were told that anything after 8 weeks is a waste given feed ratio and such.
wamplercathy
Well-known member
Do to limited space and a surprise litter of 11 :x I had 11 nzw/cals in a 2x3. Weaned at 6 weeks. Not by my choice, but by their mother 
butchered out at 8-10 wks.
I just kept an eye on them. They all had enough room to stretch out and once they got over 4.5lbs I butchered. Only 2-3 made it to the 10 wk cut off point. I need more cages. :lol: :lol:
When it gets warmer I would not put that many in 1 cage. Maybe 6 at the most in a 2x2. But that's with most of my kits hitting or almost hitting the 5lb target around 8-9 wks. And I really hold over 10wks. Hides on the bucks get tough to pull, in my opinion, after that. But to each their own.
Best of luck,
Cathy
butchered out at 8-10 wks. I just kept an eye on them. They all had enough room to stretch out and once they got over 4.5lbs I butchered. Only 2-3 made it to the 10 wk cut off point. I need more cages.
:lol: :lol: When it gets warmer I would not put that many in 1 cage. Maybe 6 at the most in a 2x2. But that's with most of my kits hitting or almost hitting the 5lb target around 8-9 wks. And I really hold over 10wks. Hides on the bucks get tough to pull, in my opinion, after that. But to each their own.
Best of luck,
Cathy
skysthelimit
Well-known member
Litters go into the 30x30 inch cages. And one 2x4 foot. Big litters of 9-12, I start culling out the obvious ones at 6 week, generally bucks. hoping to get down to 6-8 kits in the cage with the doe. i like to pull the doe at 8-10 weeks, and separate by gender if necessary, leaving 3-4 kits in the 30". Mines usually do not get parts before 16 weeks, but the Angoras surprised me at 12 weeks. Due to their size, I had to put two in each 30".
2 years ago I had a 6x12ft growout pen.i just could not deal with the mud and occasional dog break in attempts by the puppies. Now another set of cages are in the spot.
2 years ago I had a 6x12ft growout pen.i just could not deal with the mud and occasional dog break in attempts by the puppies. Now another set of cages are in the spot.
I generally try to wean around 6-8 weeks. I have 4 grow out cages. 2-4.5x2 1-6x2 and 1 5x5 (used to be a dog kennel). My does average 10 a litter so I'm glad I went for larger grow out cages.
My pens are 24'' x 30'' for NZW. Which is pretty tight. When growing out I put in 3-5 per pen, never more. If you have drop pans, which I have, they fill up quick when they go in one spot. Four to a pen is my preferred amount for good growth, and not an overly full pan 2x a week. They are gone by 6lbs, which is before 12 weeks.
I have NZ Reds. I built two 24x49 growout cages, which in a pinch, can be divided into four 24x24s. I've had as many as nine in one 24x49 up til 3 months old/FC time. They have two feeders and two half-gallon waterers per cage.
