I just got my first breeders for the meat rabbitry I hope to start--one Silver Fox buck, two New Zealand does--a week ago. They were pellet-raised but I am switching them to natural food--right now they get some pellets, some oats, all the hay (mostly grass) that they'll eat and plenty of apple and willow twigs; once the green stuff grows a bit more they'll be getting that.
I've been reading Maggie's posts on natural feeding on the Homesteading Today forum and some from this forum. I gather from that that bucks and dry does can get by on just hay (some of it legume hay) and greens during the warm season, but that lactating does and growing kits need grain as well. What about pregnant does? I presume it changes over the course of the pregnancy?
Right now I suspect our rabbits are on the heavy side. I can feel the buck's ribs if I prod a bit. The does arrived later and are still not good about holding still to have their ribs felt. Yesterday we had what looked like successful matings but I realize I won't know for sure until at least 2-3 weeks into the possible pregnancy... and if they're not pregnant and I feed them more rich food they'll be even fatter and so less likely to conceive...
Any advice greatly appreciated.
I've been reading Maggie's posts on natural feeding on the Homesteading Today forum and some from this forum. I gather from that that bucks and dry does can get by on just hay (some of it legume hay) and greens during the warm season, but that lactating does and growing kits need grain as well. What about pregnant does? I presume it changes over the course of the pregnancy?
Right now I suspect our rabbits are on the heavy side. I can feel the buck's ribs if I prod a bit. The does arrived later and are still not good about holding still to have their ribs felt. Yesterday we had what looked like successful matings but I realize I won't know for sure until at least 2-3 weeks into the possible pregnancy... and if they're not pregnant and I feed them more rich food they'll be even fatter and so less likely to conceive...
Any advice greatly appreciated.