ohiogoatgirl
Well-known member
After all this time I am biting the bullet. I bought a metal chicken bulk feeder. I bought a roll of fence. I have 3 does and their mom who have never been separated. I am far past out of cage space and I really need to breed some rabbits and cull whatever I don't need.
Sassypants (mom) is Californian.
3 does (mom x SF buck).
The section of the barn is about 55 sq ft. 10ft long, 5ft at one end and 6ft at other end, plus there will be some shelves and things for them to get away from each other.
Nests: I have really just been thinking to get several storage totes and cut a hole in a side and put those in there, spread out. Easy to clean and easy to open and close to check kits.
I have the SF buck and a Cali buck. I want to breed Sassypants to Cali buck, if I am not happy with what I get they might both be sold/eaten. I want to breed the 3 does back to SF buck, so the litters would be 75% SF and 25% Cali. I would play with line breeding what I get from them and cull for body type and good growth.
At this point I could keep several adults.. I could cull down to a pair and watch litters for future breeders..
Sassypants is being a bit hormonal right now. She has been ups and downs wanting bred. No fighting among them but they need more space and there is the possibility that they might not all meld for a colony. That will also be a culling point for me. At this point I want the does in the colony and bring them as wanted to the buck. Litters will have bucks separated at about 4-5wks and into a growout cage.
Note: currently Sassypants and the 3 cross does are in the big cage (5ft by 3ft by 2ft high, with an about 1ft by 3ft shelf in it). Not ideal, I know. But there hasn't been any issues other than some fur pulling (mom seems to be doing this as none of it is her fur! I am sure bc she is cali and all the fur is black and silvered) and the occurrence of the pulled fur fluffs being spotted align with her being hormonal acting.
Honestly right now my biggest worry is they kindle together and I wont know who is the best mom. Sassypants being bred to the cali buck means cali kits so I should be able to visually spot those kits from the others. However I have no idea what the cross does will throw with the unknown genotype behind the cali half of the genetics. So I might end up keeping the meatiest of the 3 cross does then keep whatever looks the best of the 75/25 cross back to go from there.
Water: This is my second biggest worry. I have a battle with water bottles and bowls as soon as it gets cold. Obviously the barn will be slightly warmer, but I still really don't have a good solution to try in the colony.
UPDATE 12/27/16
Yesterday I went to do chores and found something had gotten the cali buck. I am very upset that I hadn't been able to get things together and get them bred and all my plans. However this did mean that I called off work to do cleanup, reorganizing, and lots of work that I hadn't gotten to.
Sassypants (cali) was covered 3x by SF buck. I put the buck, sassypants, and the 3 cross does in the colony. From the time I was out there watching them they all seem to be quite happy with the new place. MrRabbit did attempt to breed the cross does (his daughters, 1/2 cali 1/2 SF) but they each ran away while I was out there watching.
I don't want to have mystery litters so I think I will take MrRabbit out back to his cage tomorrow. Kinda sad because he really seems to like hopping and lounging around the colony. This morning I open the door and he hopped right over and awaited pets! He is the most friendly rabbit I have and while he did get lots of pets in his cage he kind of seemed indifferent to my attention. Nope this morning he hopped right over to say hi and after I poured pellets in the feeder I sat down and he came over to sniff my shoes and get some more pets.
Now my wondering is if I take out the buck tomorrow how I want to go about checking and breeding the cross does in a week or so. They aren't friendly and don't like being grabbed much at all so it'll be like catching fish with my hands I'm sure.
Sassypants (mom) is Californian.
3 does (mom x SF buck).
The section of the barn is about 55 sq ft. 10ft long, 5ft at one end and 6ft at other end, plus there will be some shelves and things for them to get away from each other.
Nests: I have really just been thinking to get several storage totes and cut a hole in a side and put those in there, spread out. Easy to clean and easy to open and close to check kits.
I have the SF buck and a Cali buck. I want to breed Sassypants to Cali buck, if I am not happy with what I get they might both be sold/eaten. I want to breed the 3 does back to SF buck, so the litters would be 75% SF and 25% Cali. I would play with line breeding what I get from them and cull for body type and good growth.
At this point I could keep several adults.. I could cull down to a pair and watch litters for future breeders..
Sassypants is being a bit hormonal right now. She has been ups and downs wanting bred. No fighting among them but they need more space and there is the possibility that they might not all meld for a colony. That will also be a culling point for me. At this point I want the does in the colony and bring them as wanted to the buck. Litters will have bucks separated at about 4-5wks and into a growout cage.
Note: currently Sassypants and the 3 cross does are in the big cage (5ft by 3ft by 2ft high, with an about 1ft by 3ft shelf in it). Not ideal, I know. But there hasn't been any issues other than some fur pulling (mom seems to be doing this as none of it is her fur! I am sure bc she is cali and all the fur is black and silvered) and the occurrence of the pulled fur fluffs being spotted align with her being hormonal acting.
Honestly right now my biggest worry is they kindle together and I wont know who is the best mom. Sassypants being bred to the cali buck means cali kits so I should be able to visually spot those kits from the others. However I have no idea what the cross does will throw with the unknown genotype behind the cali half of the genetics. So I might end up keeping the meatiest of the 3 cross does then keep whatever looks the best of the 75/25 cross back to go from there.
Water: This is my second biggest worry. I have a battle with water bottles and bowls as soon as it gets cold. Obviously the barn will be slightly warmer, but I still really don't have a good solution to try in the colony.
UPDATE 12/27/16
Yesterday I went to do chores and found something had gotten the cali buck. I am very upset that I hadn't been able to get things together and get them bred and all my plans. However this did mean that I called off work to do cleanup, reorganizing, and lots of work that I hadn't gotten to.
Sassypants (cali) was covered 3x by SF buck. I put the buck, sassypants, and the 3 cross does in the colony. From the time I was out there watching them they all seem to be quite happy with the new place. MrRabbit did attempt to breed the cross does (his daughters, 1/2 cali 1/2 SF) but they each ran away while I was out there watching.
I don't want to have mystery litters so I think I will take MrRabbit out back to his cage tomorrow. Kinda sad because he really seems to like hopping and lounging around the colony. This morning I open the door and he hopped right over and awaited pets! He is the most friendly rabbit I have and while he did get lots of pets in his cage he kind of seemed indifferent to my attention. Nope this morning he hopped right over to say hi and after I poured pellets in the feeder I sat down and he came over to sniff my shoes and get some more pets.
Now my wondering is if I take out the buck tomorrow how I want to go about checking and breeding the cross does in a week or so. They aren't friendly and don't like being grabbed much at all so it'll be like catching fish with my hands I'm sure.