Help me get my Hollands knocked up!

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dangerbunny

dangerbunny

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I have been having the hardest time getting my Hollands to breed. My Silver Fox are doing great so I don't think this is a management issue but all suggestions welcome!

Females live in a colony together, boys are in cages in a different barn. They are all healthy and happy. I check vents and take does to the buck's cage when they look ready, then I am frustrated when the bucks don't finish properly, the does don't lift and no one makes any babies.

Here is what I have
Bucks:
8 month old buck, have tried him since 6 months old on three different does, He's not that into it and would rather hump his male cage mate, I think he is gay, I'm very sad.

New buck, 1 year and 4 months old, tried him once so far after quarantine, fairly keen but didn't finish, tried him twice with same doe but second time he wasn't into it.

Does:
10 month old, tried breeding her numerous times, she had one stillborn kit in May but hasn't took since then, rather stupid rabbit.

Old doe, almost 4 years old, supposedly had lots of litters and was awesome mom. I haven't had any luck getting her bred even when her vent looks really ready. Currently treating her with penicillin since she always has a messy butt and I was concerned with infection.

7 month old doe, daughter of old doe, grown into herself, vent is pale most of the time.

They have a good diet, I've tried ACV, fresh greens and car rides. I'm considering setting up a lop colony and putting new buck in there and hoping they figure it out.
 
Try moving the buck next to the does for a few days, then breed.
Have you patted the base of their tails/vents to see if they will even lift? If they do, try tying the tail and lifting it up and over her back while the buck tries to breed, he may be just having a harder time getting to the area or not poking her in the right area to get her to lift.
 
I've always had luck with parsley and raspberry - I use leaves and cane, but many users swear by the raspberry zinger tea. I've also had luck with giving them boss and oats for a few days before trying to breed, or even just free feeding - it tells their bodies there is an abundance of food and makes reproducing look like an awesome idea.
 
Dealing with the same problem.

I have 2 doe's that i tried today, both have pale vent and they run away from the buck.
I don´t know what boss is, how can i find this product in the netherlands?
 
BOSS = Black Oil Sunflower Seeds. I know here it is commonly sold as bird seed, and cheap as all get out :) Remember, though, a little goes a long way!
 
Maybe this can help.

fertlility-flushing-t11570.html?uid=1791

You said that females live on colony together, might be they are humping each other which could be a reason for pseudo-pregnancy? I also suggest putting the doe next to the buck for a few days that might help her be familiar with him.

I also read somewhere about wheatgerm added to their food helps with fertility.
 
thanks for the suggestions!

I've been trying to 5 months to get these bunnies going, in that time I bred two silver foxes and have had two litters without an issue, I think my Hollands are defective.

Lets see, I often feed BOSS as part of their regular rations (oats, barley and flax as well) they get a large amount of fresh stuff. I recently put them in the colony (because I got MOAR rabbits) and having a little Holland all alone in a big cage didn't make sense, they do well with my SF.

I'm going to try free feeding for a couple days and then trying the does on the buck. But what makes him not "finish"? getting tired before he reaches his mark because they aren't lifting?

Also older doe was fat at one point and now has a skirt of loose skin, I guess lift that up for her? She is so sweet I would love to get a litter from her but even if I don't she gets a retirement.

__________ Thu Oct 03, 2013 9:32 am __________

Little update, I moved some things around so I could put Dandelion (new buck) in next to the girl colony, maybe hopping got him excited or smelling the ladies in a new place but he finally performed a successful breeding with Old Doe, hopefully she caught.<br /><br />__________ Sat Dec 28, 2013 12:08 am __________<br /><br />Update!

Amelia got pregnant after living with Lucky (young buck) and had five kits! unfortunately lost them all to unreasonable (and unreasonably) cold weather last month, she is currently pregnant again and going to live inside for kindling. Dandelion still hasn't gotten anyone but I don't see a physical reason so will keep trying.

Thinking older doe may be just at the end of her breeding career, I guess I should have known better but will be avoiding that seller in the future.

My Hollands are mellow enough to put into breeding pairs and actually seem to enjoy the company, so that is nice.
 
I'm having the same trouble with an older doublemane lionhead we bought in October. She's 4 years old and has supposedly thrown some good kits. We were breeding her to a REW netherland dwarf. It seems like he may not be able to handle the bigger lady, because she keeps throwing him off. LOL

I'm going to have to try some of these tips above, too.
 
holland lops can have issues with being difficult breeders. I suggest once you get them going you keep them going. breed back on a 4-6 week schedule.

things to try though.
1. apple cider vinegar in water
2. car rides
3. movement to a new location
4. put buck in with them (I've had one or two holland lop does that wouldn't breed unless the buck was brought to them). You are in a colony situation though so not sure if that would work out well.
5. flax seed
6. try them every single day for a month.

the four year old doe should still be able to produce unless she's gotten fat (Internally). Fat does seldom breed well.
 
More update!

Amelia had 6 babies yesterday! So far all is well and I feel quite optimistic.
 
Good to hear having some good luck finally! On the older doe, some older does produce just fine, some after a move don't or won't for some time or not again at all, might have nothing to do with the seller at all unless they failed to tell you age and details (same goes for younger breeding does moved). I always disclose age and that considering rabbits are rabbits, may or may not reproduce in another environment as every one treats there's a little differently than the next. Any chance of adding fresh greens or more food? Some times that'll do the trick. I hope you get the others to do well for you too, good luck :)
 
My little blue doe had four :) So ten babies so far! I think what helped the most was cage swapping, smelling another buck on "their" doe was quite the incentive, happy to have such big litters too, 4 and 6 is nice for a little bunny. My Hollands are very docile though, I wouldn't do breeding pairs with my silver foxes, I think the bucks would be too pushy.

Rebel - I'm wondering if older doe doesn't have some sort of vent disease going on, going to treat her, put her on a diet and give it one more go. I won't have an issue petting her out as she is the sweetest thing.
 
Are there any signs of VD? It can be passed from rabbit to rabbit, so if you suspect VD and breed a suspect doe to a buck and then use that buck on other does, you could give all of them VD. I don't know if there's any signs (scabby places, or may not show at all) or if you've already used the same buck the older was bred to (if I'm thinking correctly) to breed to the other does, but its some thing to think and look at too.
 
No she looks totally fine, little fat though. I was looking into it but I don't think here is anything wrong with her, maybe she is just done with breeding.
 

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