Best age for first breeding?

[hollywoodhen]

I'm totally new to rabbits, so I want to make sure I do it right!

I was going to breed my doe (NZW) and my buck (Cali) in June, when she will be six months and he six and a half. The other doe (FG/NZ cross) will still be just five months old, so I need to wait on her for a while.

Does that seem like a good age to start? I'm concerned that if I don't breed them then, warm temps in the summer will mean waiting until fall. The rabbits are in hutches in a shady backyard, but Los Angeles does get pretty toasty.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

As long she isnt a small doe and weights is over 7.5 pounds. THen i go ahead

 

[Legacy]

In my experience, the younger they are, the more likely they are to loose their first litter. The ones I have bred over 7 months the first time have never lost the first litters but the ones that were 6 months, almost always loose the first litter or at least have them on the wire.

that just my personal experience.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Interestingly enough, I have found just the opposite to be true with my rabbits. The ones I waited till 6-8 mos to breed all lost their first litters. The ones I bred at 16-20wks (4-5mos) all did a wonderful job the first time and have continued to be good moms. I really think it depends on your line of rabbits. I start checking mine for "readiness" at 16wks...this is just what works for me...your mileage may vary!

 

[hollywoodhen]

I start checking mine for "readiness" at 16wks...this is just what works for me...your mileage may vary!

What would be signs of readiness, or is it just weight?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

What would be signs of readiness, or is it just weight?

Check her vulva (push in front of it so it opens up)- if it is pale pink she is not ready. Dark pink: you can try her. Purple: she is very ready!

Some does also get very grumpy when they want to be bred. You can also scratch her rump near her tail- if she lifts it up or goes up on her hind toes she is probably feeling frisky.

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

funny i should stumble over this thread, i was just pondering something about this.

i have goats and i know that one way to jump-start their heat or see how interested they are is to have a "buck rag" (rag that was rubbed real good on a nice stinky buck) and let the doe smell it. or to have a teaser buck (like a buck that was grown to maturaty and then was snipped, so he still thinks he can breed but he shoots blanks really) and put him in with the doe to see if she will stand for him or not.

so i was thinkin... perhaps put the doe in with the buck a minute or two every few days or every day for a while and keep checking the color of her vulva. keep a hand in the cage so the buck cant breed her but just be in there and smell each other and have him thumpin and all.
though i would kinda feel bad as the buck would probably get pouty from being teased as such. hahaha.

 

[Ninabl]

so i was thinkin... perhaps put the doe in with the buck a minute or two every few days or every day for a while and keep checking the color of her vulva. keep a hand in the cage so the buck cant breed her but just be in there and smell each other and have him thumpin and all.
though i would kinda feel bad as the buck would probably get pouty from being teased as such. hahaha.

if someone did this to me it would put me in a fowl mood. Lol

 

[Nubster]

Hope this isn't a stupid question, does it matter who goes in with who when trying to breed? Should the buck be placed in the doe's cage or vise versa or does it not matter?

 

[Ninabl]

put the doe in with the buck. if you put the buck in with the doe she might feel threatened and try to fight or he might be checking out the new cage and show no interest in breeding with her. (from what i have read)

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Hope this isn't a stupid question, does it matter who goes in with who when trying to breed? Should the buck be placed in the doe's cage or vise versa or does it not matter?

Absolutely, positively DO NOT put the buck in with the doe. She will view it as an encroachment on her territory and may hurt or kill him. ALWAYS take the doe to the buck.