Doe not receptive

[Alaska Satin]

Vent checked. It's pink but I wouldn't say dark pink yet. I'll be keeping an eye on that though. I can give her greens. Have a fresh batch growing right now and some still in the garden.
I'd love to try giving them outside access. Unfortunately we have so many wild bunnies I hesitate to do that because of disease transmission.
I haven't seen any mounting from her kits yet. They are 5 weeks old. Was going for weaning them at 6 weeks giving her a few weeks off before the next litter. I'll still move forward with weaning at 6 weeks either way.
I had no idea a car ride could work on rabbits. We use that trick on hogs.
Thank you for the tips. Seems no matter how I do this I can't get the two does bred together.

I would think 5 weeks would be fine, 5-6 weeks is when I usually re-breed. Maybe you just hit her on her off days. Watch the color - it should deepen - and see how she behaves. Every individual is a little different.

Yeah, the disease and parasite thing - that's one of the consolations of raising livestock and gardens in AK. Not as many nasties can survive the winters here (sometimes I almost agree with them...). When I get disgusted with fur mites, or with slugs, I remember what it was like in California and its gazillion pests and I feel better.

Very interesting. I hadn't heard of this before now. So you don't have issues with too much fat collecting on their repro and not breeding back? Everything I've read says if you don't get them bred back in a timely manner you have increased issues with rebreeding problems.

Except in spring, when everyone's hormones are running high, I've certainly found that my does are more likely to refuse the buck if I let them go too long without babies. I don't re-breed on a commercial schedule (3-4 weeks post-kindling), but if I let them go more than about 8-10 weeks, they get harder to re-breed; it takes more effort and convincing. It seems at that point that they're even worse if they still have their offspring in with them. Sometimes I'll leave does in with the dam for months if they're getting along, and I usually leave meat pen bunnies with the dam for 10 weeks. Those are the does I'm mostly likely to have to work at to get bred again. And yes, when I have does that have sat unoccupied for too long, they tend to stop producing, and we usually find they are obscenely f-u-l-l of fat, even though we limit feed.

I've also noticed that my does aren't at all fussy about breeding with offspring or other relatives... Once in a while a doe has an opinion about a particular buck, but mostly mine breed like rabbits. I don't keep high-maintenance does, though, or bucks for that matter. If they're too picky or slow, they move on, one way or another.

Rabbits naturally stay in production while they can, and usually re-breed quickly while the season lasts (make hay - and line the nest with it - while the sun shines, right?!). Does are receptive and will often breed again on the day they kindle. Most wild rabbits don't live more than a year or so, and wild does often have 20+ babies in one season. This may or may not be ideal for the doe herself, but it's how it goes in the race against time, predators and disease. Of course domestic rabbits are subsidized and protected, and have been bred for slightly different traits, and everybody's herd is a little different...you get what you breed. Meat breeds were originally selected to reproduce early and often, although I've found that extreme traits disappear pretty quickly without constant selection, so many homestead-type rabbits aren't as productive as lines that are intensively managed. Listening to other folks' experiences can be helpful, but figuring out what gives you the best balance between your rabbits' health and your meat production will come as you gain more experience. Growing pains are, in fact, a pain.

Good luck with the greens - hang in there!

 

[judymac]

Heat sterility can occur with three days over 90F, or five days over 85F. Here it may take as long as six weeks after the end of the excess heat for the bucks to be fertile again.

Since I breed for calm temperaments, I find a bred doe becoming difficult is often a good sign of pregnancy. Usually they become pleasant again after kindling. However, this varies with each rabbit, and difficult rabbits are not always good predictors of pregnancy.

Often, rabbits that are not handled when young can be difficult as adults, they're just scared. Handling your kits when young may help solve this problem. I've raised very sweet New Zealand reds in the past, it surely helps to choose the most pleasant kits to be your next generation of breeders. It is an inheritable trait, so there is hope, even when you start with a difficult-to-handle line.

Here, November and December are difficult months to breed. Even hard-to-breed does are more receptive during those first warm days of spring here.

A friend of mine was having much difficulty getting her does to breed. She decided to change to a colony set-up, and suddenly she had seventy kits, in the middle of summer heat! The bucks kept cool sprawling on the cool concrete floor, and were still fertile.

There is often a problem with the newest-and-greatest new fad breed. While the breed may indeed have some great traits, because the breed is 'valuable', breeders often breed animals that should have been culled, because the babies will sell. So animals with poor conformation, poor health, or poor temperament end up in the breeding pool. It's a common occurrence in every type of livestock/pet breeding. By the time a breed becomes commonplace, people tend to do a better job of culling for quality. So I wouldn't necessarily blame the Tamuk breed, it may just be a lack of good culling. But you can do that once you get your does to breed, choose the rabbits with the best combination of conformation, growth rate, health, and temperament. In a few years, you should be much closer to what you wanted in the first place. As the old saying goes, "Choose the best, cull the rest."

 

[R Buns]

I would think 5 weeks would be fine, 5-6 weeks is when I usually re-breed. Maybe you just hit her on her off days. Watch the color - it should deepen - and see how she behaves. Every individual is a little different.

Her color right now is getting lighter.

Yeah, the disease and parasite thing - that's one of the consolations of raising livestock and gardens in AK. Not as many nasties can survive the winters here (sometimes I almost agree with them...). When I get disgusted with fur mites, or with slugs, I remember what it was like in California and its gazillion pests and I feel better.

Always good to look on the bright side.

Except in spring, when everyone's hormones are running high, I've certainly found that my does are more likely to refuse the buck if I let them go too long without babies. I don't re-breed on a commercial schedule (3-4 weeks post-kindling), but if I let them go more than about 8-10 weeks, they get harder to re-breed; it takes more effort and convincing. It seems at that point that they're even worse if they still have their offspring in with them. Sometimes I'll leave does in with the dam for months if they're getting along, and I usually leave meat pen bunnies with the dam for 10 weeks. Those are the does I'm mostly likely to have to work at to get bred again. And yes, when I have does that have sat unoccupied for too long, they tend to stop producing, and we usually find they are obscenely f-u-l-l of fat, even though we limit feed.

I've also noticed that my does aren't at all fussy about breeding with offspring or other relatives... Once in a while a doe has an opinion about a particular buck, but mostly mine breed like rabbits. I don't keep high-maintenance does, though, or bucks for that matter. If they're too picky or slow, they move on, one way or another.

Good to know. She's getting a list going of reasons she won't stay. I'd really like to get a couple more litters before replacing her but won't be keeping any offspring from her. Just not worth the headache. I try and not hold specific things like the ear mites against her thought.

Rabbits naturally stay in production while they can, and usually re-breed quickly while the season lasts (make hay - and line the nest with it - while the sun shines, right?!). Does are receptive and will often breed again on the day they kindle. Most wild rabbits don't live more than a year or so, and wild does often have 20+ babies in one season. This may or may not be ideal for the doe herself, but it's how it goes in the race against time, predators and disease. Of course domestic rabbits are subsidized and protected, and have been bred for slightly different traits, and everybody's herd is a little different...you get what you breed. Meat breeds were originally selected to reproduce early and often, although I've found that extreme traits disappear pretty quickly without constant selection, so many homestead-type rabbits aren't as productive as lines that are intensively managed. Listening to other folks' experiences can be helpful, but figuring out what gives you the best balance between your rabbits' health and your meat production will come as you gain more experience. Growing pains are, in fact, a pain.

Good luck with the greens - hang in there!

Thank you. It's frustrating when you always hear the saying they breed like rabbits yet they've been far more effort than most other smaller animals we've had. Kind of like the saying "goats will eat anything". This is also not true.

Heat sterility can occur with three days over 90F, or five days over 85F. Here it may take as long as six weeks after the end of the excess heat for the bucks to be fertile again.

Good to know it's that low of a temperature and how long. Thank you.

Since I breed for calm temperaments, I find a bred doe becoming difficult is often a good sign of pregnancy. Usually they become pleasant again after kindling. However, this varies with each rabbit, and difficult rabbits are not always good predictors of pregnancy.

Her personality has certainly shifted since kindling. Won't say she's super friendly but definitely an improvement.

Often, rabbits that are not handled when young can be difficult as adults, they're just scared. Handling your kits when young may help solve this problem. I've raised very sweet New Zealand reds in the past, it surely helps to choose the most pleasant kits to be your next generation of breeders. It is an inheritable trait, so there is hope, even when you start with a difficult-to-handle line.

I do believe this is likely a huge factor in this does issues along with her health setbacks. They all seem to not have been handled much. Guess that's the drawback of buying from a meat breeder who has a huge operation.

Here, November and December are difficult months to breed. Even hard-to-breed does are more receptive during those first warm days of spring here.

That could be an issue here too. Not sure. So far every issue has delayed any real production (except this first litter) till it's almost into ridiculous category. These rabbits are touted to be so much more heat tolerant and breakable with big litters and fast growth and so far that hasn't been our findings. Not saying that isn't the case as we've seemed to have quite a few setbacks since getting back into this but the frustration level is pretty high at this point. Over 6 months and only 1 litter to show for it when buying a breeding trio is a bit frustrating.

A friend of mine was having much difficulty getting her does to breed. She decided to change to a colony set-up, and suddenly she had seventy kits, in the middle of summer heat! The bucks kept cool sprawling on the cool concrete floor, and were still fertile.

Our wild rabbits do just fine reproducing in the heat.

There is often a problem with the newest-and-greatest new fad breed. While the breed may indeed have some great traits, because the breed is 'valuable', breeders often breed animals that should have been culled, because the babies will sell. So animals with poor conformation, poor health, or poor temperament end up in the breeding pool. It's a common occurrence in every type of livestock/pet breeding. By the time a breed becomes commonplace, people tend to do a better job of culling for quality. So I wouldn't necessarily blame the Tamuk breed, it may just be a lack of good culling. But you can do that once you get your does to breed, choose the rabbits with the best combination of conformation, growth rate, health, and temperament. In a few years, you should be much closer to what you wanted in the first place. As the old saying goes, "Choose the best, cull the rest."

This is definitely a possibility. It's hard to get them here without going through this specific breeder. I'm not willing to travel to other states to get any at this point in time. Especially after this experience so far.
Thank you for the response and advice.

 

[kusanar314]

Kind of like the saying "goats will eat anything". This is also not true.

I have hilarious memories of trying to force feed a goat an apple once. Picky things...

 

[R Buns]

Great news. I was able to get this doe covered. Persistence paid off hopefully. The second try she was having no part of it. I'm hopeful once (3 fall offs) was enough with her.
The second doe kindled 2 kits. Very disappointing. Not sure how I will proceed with her. This is her first litter. Not sure if it's worth trying again with her. Has anyone had a larger litter the second time around or is it pretty consistent if they have a small litter than they will continue to have a small litter?

 

[ladysown]

the doe with just two... I'd breed her back immediately. Two kits will be fairly big at four weeks (and they will do fine without momma) as long as you get them started early and don't mess around with what you are feeding them. You'll be more prone to getting a bigger litter as she'll have lost some fat from kindling and feeding kits.

 

[R Buns]

the doe with just two... I'd breed her back immediately. Two kits will be fairly big at four weeks (and they will do fine without momma) as long as you get them started early and don't mess around with what you are feeding them. You'll be more prone to getting a bigger litter as she'll have lost some fat from kindling and feeding kits.

Thank you so much. That makes perfect sense actually. She went a fair bit of time without a litter due to the initial buck issues then heat sterility. How soon can she be bred back if she's receptive? Thank you again for the help.