How do you control breeding in a colony?

[Truckinguy]

Good grief, poor Morgan is popping out a litter a month and each one is getting bigger. First one was three, second was six and this one is seven. This week I'm building a partition in the colony to put Fred from time to time to give her a break. Looks like they're comfortable in their new surroundings.

I'll be adding an eight foot addition to the colony when the snow clears and adding a second doe so Fred can spend alternating time with each doe. This will give each doe a rest between litters.

Does anyone else with a colony have any way to control breeding or do you just let nature take it's course?

 

[akane]

With 2 does you are just going to have back to back litters on both of them. An escaped buck in my colony went through half a dozen does in a day and got them all pregnant. You can't control breeding in a colony. The rabbits do. You feed the rabbits to produce heavy and they take breaks when they need to. I have one doe who has been having back to back litters for 3 years and is still at it in fine condition. She does get some break in the summer when the bucks go sterile. If you don't want back to back litters you will have to pull your buck and bring the does to him or only let him loose for a week at a time before penning him up again.

 

[Truckinguy]

Sorry, I should have specified that each doe will be in her own separate half of the colony. I was planning on letting Fred spend almost a month with each one then move him over to the other doe just before she kindles which would spread each does litters out a fair bit.

 

[MaggieJ]

Your plan is perfectly feasible, Truckinguy. I used a divided colony when I had a buck that disrupted kindlings in his eagerness to rebreed the does. Three weeks with one doe and then three with the other. By the time he gets back to doe one, her kits have their eyes open and are mobile.

 

[Truckinguy]

Yes, I've also noticed that Fred is a nuisance to Morgan when she is trying to give birth, chasing her around and trying to mount her. It would be nice for her to kindle in peace!

Three litters have been born over the winter and survived very well in the cold. The nest is unbelievably snug and I"m quite pleased with they way things have worked out so far.

 

[ottersatin]

How do you control breeding in a Colony?
Remove the Buck to a separate cage within the Colony.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[DanaYares]

We built separate buck quarters on the side of the bigger doe colony. Big Meaty (our buck) gets to go in with the does when we decide we need more rabbits. It's important that the buck have contact with the does through wire so they "know" each other and don't fight when put together. Here's pics of our set up.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 650&type=3

 

[Truckinguy]

Yes, i"m going to build a partition on the end of the colony that I intend to add on to so Fred can be separated but still socialize through the mesh. They really get along very well but she needs a break once in a while. Once I get the addition built and the new doe in there he will spend three or four weeks at a time with each one and that should work out.

Dana, that's a great colony! It's the same principle as mine, fully enclosed with a wire front but mine is waaaayyy smaller, only 5'x10' and 4-5' high (sloping roof) with one doe and one buck. There is a thread around here with my pics but not sure how to link to it. Mine is more of a giant cage but I'm very pleased with it.

 

[dangerbunny]

I guess I do a modified colony, my does live together and my buck has a cage. I started it this way because I was running two breeds together and didn't want Forest (Silver Fox) getting my Angora does. Works good for me.