how many does do i need

[Bandits Bunny Farm]

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.

Will you be going to the show in Bakersfield on Oct 18? I'll most likely be going there because thats about how far my pop is willing to drive. I'll be showing my Standard Rex

 

[Sagebrush]

I have a severe case of raging aquiritus rabbitosis. I have many empty cages.... I should be settled by then and well.... :twisted: I WILL be getting more, just not sure what breed

 

[Bandits Bunny Farm]

I have a Castor Standard Rex whom I shall be showing on October 18 in Bakersfield who has won BOB prior to being in my possession, who I would like to sell, because I don't want to breed Standards, (he was supposed to go to a friend to butcher but he changed his mind when he saw how beautiful this rabbit is so I'm showing him next month and will be trying to sell him), and I have some sort of mixed breed (I think) who I'm also trying to rehome lol

 

[Sagebrush]

Sounds fairly good to me. I have decided that I want Standard Rex as my meat breed and I am going to stay with Dutch as my pet breed. My boys absolutely fell in love with MSD's Rex rabbits. Hope to be there and boy is that buck a very pretty bun!

 

[Bandits Bunny Farm]

Thank you He is gorgeous. Maybe I can use yours and MSD's Raging Rabbitosis to my advantage :mrgreen:

you need a new standard rex
YOU need a new standard rex
YOU NEED a new standard rex
YOU NEED A new standard rex
YOU NEED A NEW standard rex
YOU NEED A NEW STANDARD rex
YOU NEED A NEW STANDARD REX!!!!! :twisted: :lol:

 

[grumpy]

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:

I'm here......Mary Ann if it's okay with you, I'll post my thoughts I sent
to you a day or so ago.


I'll try:: Mary Ann.

Assuming you're going to begin with your available stock, you need to figure
what an average sized litter is for your herd......per doe.

480 fryers is your goal.....just for that one person.
Lets start with 4.5 litters per year per doe.
Average litter is.....????? Let's say 7 kits average.
That's 30 kits per year per doe. IF all goes well 16 does should do the trick.

You'll need a few extra grow-out pens to move the kits into a couple of weeks
before the doe kindles with a 42 day breed back schedule, since it takes the
kits a couple of weeks extra to finish out.

With some of your better does, you may be able to use a 35-day breed back.
That'll give you a little wiggle-room on your numbers. I always plan to the
""down-side"" on my numbers because invariably something will go wrong.

Using a 35 doe herd last year, I produced a few head over 1100 fryers.
Some of those does weren't worth a flip, so I culled them. Of course, my
replacement does were "young" and I took it fairly easy on them. If I plan
on "pushing" a doe for more production, it's usually after she's a year old
and before she's two years old. At that age, they seem to be able to handle
the increased production. There are producers around that use an 18-day
breed back, but they blow through their does pretty quick. A 2-year old doe
in that scenario is an old doe. Plus, they've got to have 3 grow-out pens per
doe in that kind of an operation.

I hope this helps....
Good luck, Mary Ann.

grumpy.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

yes,, no prob...

 

[owlsfriend]

so the "breed-back" is number of days after delivery of the first litter?

 

[Miss M]

so the "breed-back" is number of days after delivery of the first litter?

Yes, the number of days after delivery of any litter.