how many does do i need

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

ok.. I need to find out how many does do I need to have at least 40 plus fryers a month.. I like to stick to the low end of things.. So lets say the average doe raises 6 kits a litter .. and I breed her 3 to 4 times a year.. I know that I can do more.. but I don't like pushing them .. and I need over 40 fryers a month and I need them to be at least 5 pounds live weight.. so at the low end.. I say 12 weeks to raise to that weight as I don't feed pellets.. so take longer.. with that information... how many does do I need to meet that demand.? Remember.. leave some for misses and bad moms ect..

 

[RustyPocket]

Oh my. 40 fryers a month seems quite insane from where I'm standing. My best quess would be around 30 does, as follow the 1-2-1 months scheme (1 month pregnant, 2 months raising, 1 month relaxing, all over again), so 7 does should be having kits every month, about 6 per litter gives 40-ish kits a month. I hope my math does good. Hope I helped. As of the size of fryers, try special meat rabbits (also known as "hybrid meat breeds" here in Europe), special living setup and feed of course.

 

[Marinea]

I am no Grumpy, but based on your numbers, I would guess at least 24 does. Breed 8 each month, four times a year each. That would give you the potential of 48 kits each month (after the initial start up period of breeding the first round and getting the first kits to 12 weeks). That assumes six kits per doe, and does give you some "extra" in case.

If it were me, I would probably add a few more does into the program during the summer, or have a buck or two out of the heat if you want to breed year-round.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

Oh my. 40 fryers a month seems quite insane from where I'm standing. My best quess would be around 30 does, as follow the 1-2-1 months scheme (1 month pregnant, 2 months raising, 1 month relaxing, all over again), so 7 does should be having kits every month, about 6 per litter gives 40-ish kits a month. I hope my math does good. Hope I helped. As of the size of fryers, try special meat rabbits (also known as "hybrid meat breeds" here in Europe), special living setup and feed of course.

40 kits a month is NOT insane... I use to ship out 100 a month.. but that was years ago..

 

[RustyPocket]

40 kits a month is NOT insane... I use to ship out 100 a month.. but that was years ago..

Sorry if I ended up suonding offensive, but in my country people usually breed for themseleves and maybe to sell a few to family and friends, so anyone with 5-6 does is considered to have giant rabbit farm. It's just that I never came across someone who would need that much meat rabbits every month.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

No prob..

 

[Homer]

... I use to ship out 100 a month...

So how many Does did you have then? x/2=n-1 :explanation:

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

oops.. that was a mistake.. it was 100 every two weeks that went out.. I had 60 then

 

[Homer]

.. it was 100 every two weeks that went out.. I had 60 then

That's still a lot of mouths to feed. :feed-plant:

Changing the formula for frequency, number ratios bla-bla-bla I came up with 7.5. As it's REALLY hard to find 1/2 breeders you need 8

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

so I can get that with only 8 breeders and add 2 for good measure.. that wasn't as bad as I thought.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I need to have at least 40 plus fryers a month

*Snort!*

So much for keeping a small rabbitry, eh, Mary Ann? :hi: back to the insane rabbit gang. :twisted:

in my country anyone with 5-6 does is considered to have giant rabbit farm.

Good heavens! :shock: :shock:

You all know what this means, don't you?!? Don't you?!?!

Croatians must have a natural immunity to Raging Rabbitosis!

:evil: I vote that all of us suffering from Raging Rabbitosis lobby for a :ban: on Croatian tourism to prevent the spread of this scourge against mass rabbit production. :angry:

My initial knee-jerk response was to contact MidnightCoder and :ban: Croatia from RabbitTalk (with the exception of ILSMark, of course), but now with a clearer head, I have reconsidered... we all know that the Rabbitosis virus travels freely over the internet, so should implement an intensive advertising campaign there instead. :yes:

It is quite possible that rather than a natural immunity, the people of Croatia have somehow avoided exposure to the virus... :hmm:

Please visit the donation bar so we can begin amassing funds :money: to implement my plan. The citizens of Croatia clearly need our help. :angel:

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I know Mamasheepdog. I don't mind , really. It is a good thing I like rabbits. :lol:

 

[Homer]

My turn to go "Oops". I just reread you wanted 40 a month. You'll need three time that (24) unless you're talking about NZ whites. When I was raising them my smallest litter was 8 and usually 11 or 12. As they aged out the numbers would start falling off. IMHO if you're only getting 6 a litter you need better stock.

If it were me getting back into meat rabbits I wouldn't waste a month off after you wean. I'd breed her before that, when the kits were 6 weeks old. If you did it like this 15 would be more than enough.

Where's Grumpy when you need him? ldgeezer:

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I always go for the lower number when I need something.. Yes, they are NZ whites.. the numbers are higher than 6.. but I don't take that into account. I think I am going with 20 does and 2 bucks .. and see where that gets me.. I don't really want to go any higher than 20

I guess he is busy.. I did Pm him asking the same question. but no reply yet.. He is the man to ask..

 

[RustyPocket]

Good heavens! :shock: :shock:

You all know what this means, don't you?!? Don't you?!?!

Croatians must have a natural immunity to Raging Rabbitosis!

:evil: I vote that all of us suffering from Raging Rabbitosis lobby for a :ban: on Croatian tourism to prevent the spread of this scourge against mass rabbit production. :angry:

My initial knee-jerk response was to contact MidnightCoder and :ban: Croatia from RabbitTalk (with the exception of ILSMark, of course), but now with a clearer head, I have reconsidered... we all know that the Rabbitosis virus travels freely over the internet, so should implement an intensive advertising campaign there instead. :yes:

It is quite possible that rather than a natural immunity, the people of Croatia have somehow avoided exposure to the virus... :hmm:

Please visit the donation bar so we can begin amassing funds :money: to implement my plan. The citizens of Croatia clearly need our help. :angel:

You MamaSheepdog couln't be more right. :lol: We need more Raging Rabbitosis infected people over here.

 

[Homer]

...

It is quite possible that rather than a natural immunity, the people of Croatia have somehow avoided exposure to the virus... :hmm:

Please visit the donation bar so we can begin amassing funds :money: to implement my plan. The citizens of Croatia clearly need our help. :angel:

Sorry MSD but I don't think we have time for fund raising and an advertising campaign.

Time to call in the witch doctors. :hex: :hex: :hex:

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I think I am going with 20 does and 2 bucks .. and see where that gets me.. I don't really want to go any higher than 20

That sounds like a good number.

Did you have NZ whites when you had your commercial rabbitry? Any chance of getting stock from the same source as before?

Sorry MSD but I don't think we have time for fund raising and an advertising campaign.

No?

Well, we at least have Marko... :hmm: and Marko seems to be well on the way to full blown addiction. We can only hope that with our continued support the virus will become so numerous that one host is no longer able to support it and it will begin to jump to others there in Croatia.

It's a start, anyway... *sigh!*

Time to call in the witch doctors. :hex: :hex: :hex:

Oooh! I had forgotten that we had them on staff!

Git down with the BunnyBoogie, Doctors! :gettowork:

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

Yes I did mamasheepdog.. but I am not going that route... I am more on the show lines than the commercial lines.. I am not into it for the numbers.. I am more into for the type of body.. more of hobby than making money on it. but it would be nice to make back what they eat..

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I am more on the show lines than the commercial lines.. I am not into it for the numbers.. I am more into for the type of body.. more of hobby than making money on it. but it would be nice to make back what they eat..

If your rabbits are competitive you can get a lot more for good rabbits sold to other show breeders (mine start at $50), and you will still have plenty of culls for meat.

Are there many rabbit shows in your area? If not, are there any local breeders that show that you could travel with to share expenses? That's what I do since most shows are 3 or more hours away, and some are so far that we need to travel to the location the day before.

I'm hoping to make my rabbitry profitable soon. I finally have several avenues of revenue; selling show stock, meat processed for human consumption, whole frozen rabbits to a zoo and reptile supplier, and bagged rabbit manure (just got my second order for 4 bags, lol!). I also sell handmade rabbit chew toys at shows, and am averaging about $175 per one day event. :money:

I think diversification is the key to making money with rabbits... but it does take a while to develop.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

Yes,, you hit it on the head.... that is what I am doing.. keep back the good show stock and doing in the culls for meat in the freezer
shoot,, opps did I say that on here.. You caught me..