can you mix litters in the grow-out cage?

[JoannaCW]

Our two NZ does had NZ/Silver Fox cross kits one day apart almost 4 weeks ago. The kits are growing well and eating plants enthusiastically and we figure we'll be moving them into grow-out cages soon. I realize we should separate male and female kits. Do we also need to keep kits from the two litters separate, or could I put the females from both litters together in 1 cage and the males from both litters together in another? There's some variation in size within each litter but not an overall size difference between litters, so far as I can see.

Any advice greatly appreciated. And thanks for all the advice that's gotten me to the point of having rabbit kits for the first time.

 

[Zass]

I almost always combine my growout litters and only separate by gender.
Even at a much older ages, like 8 weeks, I haven't noticed any problem with fighting, or torn fur from mounting.

 

[akane]

One day is the difference between a well fed and only sorta fed kit so it wouldn't be any different than leaving the litters apart. Even several week apart litters do fine if you have enough feeder and water room. You just want to make sure you don't oopsy a buck old enough to breed in to a pen of does. The sex change fairy strikes frequently with rabbits but bucks mature enough to breed are usually easy to spot provided you don't ignore the pens until they are around 4 months old and possibly breeding already.

 

[grumpy]

Any time you move youngsters to a new environment, they'll "fuss" and
fight to re-establish the pecking order. So count on a little fur flyin' the
first couple of days.

 

[akane]

Never had commercial breed kits below sexual maturity argue or do anything about dominance before. I did have mini rex litters occasionally get in to dominance displays before 4 months but I've also had them breed at 8weeks so they may just be more mature sooner. Usually by the age I butchered the larger breeds they didn't even breed when left together. I never separated the genders. I did butcher the bucks first just in case I didn't get to the does soon enough and also I tended to use does for any human quality carcass if someone wanted some rabbit meat. I wanted the does to be larger roasters.

 

[3mina]

I put everybunny together, I find they're too busy checking out their new digs to get into any dust ups

 

[Marinea]

My litters go into the same grow-out cage. I have not had any issues; however, my does are in cages next to each other, and the kits can see each other from the minute they get out of the nest box.

 

[ek.blair]

My litters go into the same grow-out cage. I have not had any issues; however, my does are in cages next to each other, and the kits can see each other from the minute they get out of the nest box.

My setup is the same so I am hoping that even though the litters are a week apart they will be ok with each other.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I usually have between 2 and 4 litters at a time. At weaning, I tattoo them, split the litters by sex, and pop them into the growout pens. Depending on number, there will sometimes be two pens of one sex and one of the other.

I have never observed young kits fighting, but older ones will if you switch them around. As the kits get older, I cull through my pens deciding who will stay and who will go.

There is usually a bit of chasing and fur flying at that point, so it is best to move several at a time so the aggression is spread out a bit. I also give them some hay or other distracting food to (hopefully!) keep them busy eating that instead of trying to eat each other.

I don't move my show prospects into new groups unless they are still very young because of the risk of white hairs due to scars.