how many does do i need

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Mary Ann's Rabbitry

Mary Ann's Rabbitry

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Near ottawa ontario
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..
 
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.
 
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.
 
ILSMarki8":9mij2w9r said:
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.
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40 kits a month is NOT insane... I use to ship out 100 a month.. but that was years ago..
 
Mary Ann's Rabbitry":1z7omrkc said:
40 kits a month is NOT insane... I use to ship out 100 a month.. but that was years ago..
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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":2jkq80pt said:
.. it was 100 every two weeks that went out.. I had 60 then
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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 :D
 
Mary Ann's Rabbitry":2klw1e1z said:
I need to have at least 40 plus fryers a month
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*Snort!*

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

ILSMarki8":2klw1e1z said:
in my country anyone with 5-6 does is considered to have giant rabbit farm.
Click to expand...

Good heavens! :shock: :eek: :shock:

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

Croatians must have a natural immunity to Raging Rabbitosis! :eek:

: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:
 
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. :p 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? :eek:ldgeezer:
 
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.. :D
 
MamaSheepdog":p5g2ujh8 said:
Good heavens! :shock: :eek: :shock:

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

Croatians must have a natural immunity to Raging Rabbitosis! :eek:

: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:
Click to expand...

You MamaSheepdog couln't be more right. :lol: We need more Raging Rabbitosis infected people over here.
 
MamaSheepdog":3viy5x6y said:
...

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:
Click to expand...
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:
 
Mary Ann's Rabbitry":x5m06liq said:
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
Click to expand...

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?

Homer":x5m06liq said:
Sorry MSD but I don't think we have time for fund raising and an advertising campaign.
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No? :cry:

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!*

Homer":x5m06liq said:
Time to call in the witch doctors. :hex: :hex: :hex:
Click to expand...

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

Git down with the BunnyBoogie, Doctors! :gettowork:
 
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.. :)
 
Mary Ann's Rabbitry":4iyyg77a said:
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.. :)
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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.
 

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