Who do I get rid of?

I need to lose some of my rabbits, or my gramma won't help me out. She wasnt supposed to find out about them until I got them, but whatever. So who do I keep? I think I will keep three does, and one buck. Enough for meat, but little enough that I can have them indoors if I need to.

Spooky stays. oh, and of course her litter. I need a buck, I think Cedar, because he is so beautiful. He is a pedigreed red NZ.


The other rabbits I am thinking of are my NZ doe, Maple. She is pedigreed, but not a showable color. I really love her body, and she grew faster than anyone else.

Then there are Ava and Emma, tow full sister cali does. They are my favorite of the three cali does I have. Very pretty bodies.

I have narrowed it down to these guys. My Satin buck will go back to his old home if they will have him, And I need to figure out what to do with the others, offer them for sale or whatnot.

Basically, if I make a true effort to find them all homes, I know she won't hold it against us. But I do need to cut back. She hates animals. So what is your verdict? Keep both calis? One cali, and the NZ doe?

so...keep four does and one buck?
see how eva and emma turn out as momma's and keep the better of the two?

If you are only raising for meat for your family, you have more leeway in your choices. Cedar sounds like a good choice for a buck. Spooky is one doe already chosen. So you can choose two of the three remaining... Maple, Ava and Emma. Since Ava and Emma are probably much alike, you may want to choose Maple and one of the Cali girls... for a bit of variety. But only you can make the choice... and you knew that anyway.

Oh, just read Ladysown's solution... sounds good to me!

Personally, I'd keep just Cedar and Maple or Spooky. Maple will have some showable colored babies, and they will be purebred, and with her growth and size, the unshowable will be good fryers. Or keep Spooky if you love her to bits.

In your situation, with extremely limited space and an animal-hating grandma, I would consider sticking to just a pair. I would focus on breeding for meat mainly. If grandma tastes some yummy rabbit, she may soften, but I wouldn't count on it, and though rabbits are a stress reliever, and add to your meal options, too many rabbits are an added responsiblity you might not need right now. And fighting with grandma could make a difficult situation intolerable.

I totally don't blame you if this isn't what you want to hear--my whole life I have been in a hurry to get critters and feel settled and I probably wouldn't have listened to this advice myself in years past. :tomato:

When my kids were small it seemed like it would be forever before I had time or money to do anything, now the oldest is a teenager! :shock:

It was a blip, and so much has changed since then. And I am still young. One day you will look back and be amazed at how far you have come.
Until then, try to keep it simple, sweetie.

Shara,
if I had to make the choice I would keep a trio.
Your very best Buck and two of your best and favorite Does.
Let the rest go and don't look back. With the Trio
you can rebuild your herd from the inside.
Ottersatin.

I'm sorry. I have had to move and scale down before and its awful. But... You gotta do what you gotta do!
I would keep Spooky, Maple and Cedar. If you can keep another I would just go for the best Cali.

mmmm...so I decided, and I am going to scale back one more, and keep a trio as suggested, and they will be the ones LeeAnn suggested. That way I get to keep my favorite, and a pure pedigreed pair. Thank you guys so much. This is very hard for me, but I guess, if I gotta, I gotta.

Good choices, I think. I know it's hard letting the others go, but you have an awful lot on your plate just now. A nice trio will give you plenty of bunnies and still be manageable.

Bummm that you couldnt just keep the lot. I think the choices you made in the "keepers" are very good ones though.

Thank you guys. It is a bummer, but there is a lady gonna be helping me find places for them, and if I end up with more because I honestly couldn't get rid of the others, then fine.

There are also a few rabbitries in Harney county, I hear. No clue what the bunnies look like, but I will be able to rebuild a decent herd. Strong 4h community over there, ya know?

It will all be worth it in the long run. We have finally gotten somewhat settled and my little one is 4. In a few years we still would like to have some land outside of city limits, but for now it is okay and this time it is our house and we only have to answer to ourselves. Of course city limits is the reason that is why we have rabbits and NOT chickens!LOL
STAY STRONG

I have the three home and have placed the rest of my herd (14 others) between two home I think will do fine with them. One who used to have a rabbitry of 500, and the other I had a long talk with about how to care for them. I think they will be fine.

As an aside, I am oddly relieved, having only the trio left. That was a shock. I can always rebuild later.

a buck and two does will give a family PLENTY of meat.

Yeah, and I can always get more to feed my dog with, once I figure out housing for myself. Still, I really cared for them all.