Is waiting 6-8 months between breedings too long

[squidpop]

After a Jersey Wooly doe has her first litter is it Ok to wait a long time, say 6-8 months before rebreeding her again?

 

[skysthelimit]

That is a very long time. I'm freaking out now because none of my does that have been with me (except the holland) has had a litter since August. I am so worried that they now have too much winter fat. It's not the end, I had a three year old doe kindle 1 kit for the first time, but she only had one and never had another. I would not let that much time pass.

 

[mystang89]

I've never heard of there being a 'too' long with waiting to breed rabbits as I think it's really whatever the breeder is comfortable with. I know from personal experience that breeding them after the kits are weened is MUCH easier than waiting a bit afterwards. I won't be making that mistake again.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

It will likely take quite a bit longer to get her to conceive again after so long inbetween breedings...

 

[skysthelimit]

I've never heard of there being a 'too' long with waiting to breed rabbits as I think it's really whatever the breeder is comfortable with. I know from personal experience that breeding them after the kits are weened is MUCH easier than waiting a bit afterwards. I won't be making that mistake again.

Too long a gap gives them a chance to build up internal fat. I watch as my does consume all of the extra food they get while milking, and since the kits are in there with them till 8 weeks, they are eating that food too. Mola was huge at four weeks, so instead of letting her get fat another 4 weeks, I bred her. She is starting to slim down with this litter, but she is practically begging to be bred, lifting when I touch her, rolling over like a female dog would. This would make three litter so far, and I hate to breed her so close again, but I might again in a few weeks and let her have the summer off.

 

[mystang89]

I've never heard of there being a 'too' long with waiting to breed rabbits as I think it's really whatever the breeder is comfortable with. I know from personal experience that breeding them after the kits are weened is MUCH easier than waiting a bit afterwards. I won't be making that mistake again.

Too long a gap gives them a chance to build up internal fat. I watch as my does consume all of the extra food they get while milking, and since the kits are in there with them till 8 weeks, they are eating that food too. Mola was huge at four weeks, so instead of letting her get fat another 4 weeks, I bred her. She is starting to slim down with this litter, but she is practically begging to be bred, lifting when I touch her, rolling over like a female dog would. This would make three litter so far, and I hate to breed her so close again, but I might again in a few weeks and let her have the summer off.

Thanks, learn something new everyday. All the more reason, for me, not to wait too long between breedings anymore

 

[squidpop]

This Rabbittalk site is the greatest because you can find out so much info. I want her to be able to breed for me because she carries the BEW gene and that's hard to come by in my neck of the woods- so I'll figure out another suitable mate for her. Is it ok to wait 4 months do you think? or is that still risky?

 

[Whipple]

Risky as opposed to what?

 

[Miss M]

Not so much risky, as it might make things a bit more difficult. Your chances will be better at 4 months than at 6 - 8, probably.

I had to wait about 9 - 10 months between breedings, because we were preparing to move. I did not want to be trying to move pregnant does and lots of kits. So I stopped breeding.

After we moved, I bred the does a week later. One refused to breed, one missed, and one had a stuck kit that caused her not to kindle until day 41. Only one survivor of that litter (two at first, but one died). It took me a while to get the one doe to finally breed. Thankfully, once she did, she did very well. But I certainly do not want to wait that long again!

 

[squidpop]

Too long a gap gives them a chance to build up internal fat. I watch as my does consume all of the extra food they get while milking, and since the kits are in there with them till 8 weeks, they are eating that food too. Mola was huge at four weeks, so instead of letting her get fat another 4 weeks, I bred her. She is starting to slim down with this litter, but she is practically begging to be bred, lifting when I touch her, rolling over like a female dog would. This would make three litter so far, and I hate to breed her so close again, but I might again in a few weeks and let her have the summer off.

I just weighed Lulu and she is fat, no wonder she seems over heated, I've been feeding her a lot because she has 6 babies and I figured she must need lots of food to make lots of milk but I think I have been over doing it. I'm going to start the weaning process this week and start cutting back on her pellets.

 

[Miss M]

She should weigh more if she's got milk... most on here free-feed pregnant and nursing does. How old are the kits?

 

[AnnClaire]

Actually, Miss M, I don't think very many free-feed pregnant does, maybe a bit of an increase near kindling, and free-feed 3-5 days post kindling. I sure wish I *could* give in and free-feed during pregnancy LOL They beg so for more oats, more oats, more oats, pleeeeeeeze

I do free feed in the summer, but the heat causes them to self regulate anyway :roll:

 

[squidpop]

Yes! Lulu is going crazy for oats - if she hears the bag make a crinkle sound she starts running back and fourth and stamps her foot at me- Give Me Oats!

She should weigh more if she's got milk... most on here free-feed pregnant and nursing does. How old are the kits?

The kits are 4 weeks and 3 days. The reason I think Lulu is too fat is because before she was pregnant she weighed 3lbs and when I weighed her a few days ago she was 3.75lbs. She is really full of milk though --she had six babies.

 

[AnnClaire]

Yes, 3/4 of a pound is a big weight gain for small buns

If she was my bun, I would actually cut her rations drastically now, then as you wean the kits, she should convert some of that fat to milk for the kits, helping get it off her. Just be prepared for tude about the diet