Getting started breeding again

[Olbunny]

I would like to get our rabbitry running again. We took a year off as we are building a new house. We have 4 does and 2 bucks. We picked up a new Californian buck as an adoption. Our buck, one of our own stock. A blue, didn't want to get the job done. We was over 6-7 months. After missing last year he is now probably 1-1/2 years or so. The adopted Californian age is u know but he is a large healthy buck. We will try each buck with different does. I'll put a mature mother with experience in with the non performing blue and see what happens. And want to enter in some new genes into one of the blue does we have through linebreeding.
My biggest concern is. Weather. We just came out of minus 35-40 stuff for a month. Getting into the mid 20s now. The does have boxes year round for warmth. Hopefully we don't get any cold snaps in mid March. We do keep them in our greenhouse during the winter so out of the wind and protected from dogs. And the solar heat will warm the greenhouse up a bit
We would expect new kits from the 2 does. Mid March. We will breed the other 2 does we have in 3 weeks. Want to stretch out the butchering of 16 friers instead of 32. In one day. Although our daughter can prepare one in near 20 minutes. I do the slaughtering. She takes it from there. Beautiful wife takes over in the kitchen. I help there also. We are considering deboneing this go round. Easier to cook and 128 friers can take a lot of space up. We have been averaging 8 per litter x 4 litters each.
Gotta admit that I'm excited about getting going again. And our daughter wants to start raising chicken friers also. We still have the chicken house from when she was a kid. She would spend many hours watching her chickens. As homeschooling grandparents, animal husbandry is very important to us. And having the kids being aware of their food. And growing steroid n hormone free meat is good in my opinion .
Today is a day I've been waiting on for a year

 

[Alaska Satin]

I would like to get our rabbitry running again. We took a year off as we are building a new house. We have 4 does and 2 bucks. We picked up a new Californian buck as an adoption. Our buck, one of our own stock. A blue, didn't want to get the job done. We was over 6-7 months. After missing last year he is now probably 1-1/2 years or so. The adopted Californian age is u know but he is a large healthy buck. We will try each buck with different does. I'll put a mature mother with experience in with the non performing blue and see what happens. And want to enter in some new genes into one of the blue does we have through linebreeding.
My biggest concern is. Weather. We just came out of minus 35-40 stuff for a month. Getting into the mid 20s now. The does have boxes year round for warmth. Hopefully we don't get any cold snaps in mid March. We do keep them in our greenhouse during the winter so out of the wind and protected from dogs. And the solar heat will warm the greenhouse up a bit
We would expect new kits from the 2 does. Mid March. We will breed the other 2 does we have in 3 weeks. Want to stretch out the butchering of 16 friers instead of 32. In one day. Although our daughter can prepare one in near 20 minutes. I do the slaughtering. She takes it from there. Beautiful wife takes over in the kitchen. I help there also. We are considering deboneing this go round. Easier to cook and 128 friers can take a lot of space up. We have been averaging 8 per litter x 4 litters each.
Gotta admit that I'm excited about getting going again. And our daughter wants to start raising chicken friers also. We still have the chicken house from when she was a kid. She would spend many hours watching her chickens. As homeschooling grandparents, animal husbandry is very important to us. And having the kids being aware of their food. And growing steroid n hormone free meat is good in my opinion .
Today is a day I've been waiting on for a year

So exciting!!! Turns out waiting a year probably worked out well for you - this winter has been brutal! It's the first time I've ever seen my rabbits shiver. We had about a week at -30F or less; not as bad as you got but still bad enough! I caved in and let my electrician husband put a space heater in the barn in spite of my fears of fire. Since the barn is insulated it made a difference - it was only 10-15 below inside the barn, which the rabbits seemed to appreciate. Now that temperatures are reasonable (above zero!) the heater's gone. Not looking forward to my electric bill, though.

My first round of litters is due on Feb 13th. Even though spring in AK is months away, bouncing baby bunnies always give me hope.

Yeah, I've found de-boning is the way to go. It works much better for me to de-bone before cooking. Those little knuckle bones and shards are deadly, and make it a lot less fun to eat. Either I de-bone and freeze, or I de-bone and can it. Canning is my favorite because the meat is SO good, but also because you're not relying on a freezer (which as you have probably experienced, tends to quit at the worst possible moment!).

Good luck with your new start!

 

[Olbunny]

Thanks for all your advice satin. Having the greenhouse is really nice. Especially with the heat wave we are having. Like 37 above 0. We keep heated water bowls in with our rabbits. I believe that having water full time is important for their health.