Low kindling numbers

[Charliehooks]

Having trouble lately with kindling number with an average of 3-5 kits per litter when I was getting steady 8-10 earlier in the year. I'm free feeding pregnant and nursing does and their weights look good I'm rebreeding 7-10 days from birth depending on litter size and the pellets are 17% protein what can I do to change..also the light schedule they're on is 15 hr. light per day

 

[GriffinBun101]

I feel like the re-breeding date is really pushing it, and that might be affecting litter sizes. (Remember that mom’s working hard producing milk to keep the current babies fed, so she won’t put a lot of energy/resources into the upcoming babies) I only breed about three times a year, and I get pretty large litters, 5-10 kits is the norm, with an average of 7. (I breed primarily for show, so I don’t need to rebreed as often.) I’ve heard from people breeding for meat only that three weeks after birth is ideal. There was actually an article about this topic in this month’s Domestic Rabbit- maybe I’ll post a picture of the breeding chart they used.

 

[GriffinBun101]

I feel like the re-breeding date is really pushing it, and that might be affecting litter sizes. I only breed about three times a year, and I get pretty large litters, 5-10 kits is the norm, with an average of 7. (I breed primarily for show, so I don’t need to rebreed as often.) I’ve heard from people breeding for meat only that three weeks after birth is ideal. There was actually an article about this topic in this month’s Domestic Rabbit- maybe I’ll post a picture of the breeding chart they used.

(10 babies a litter is definitely stretching it, but the general concept is there, lol) I definitely would not recommend this schedule for a show breeder, but it works fine if you’re focused on meat production.