My breeding schedule - look ok?

[Justin]

My personality requires a daily schedule for anything to be successful. I cannot operate consistently with information such as, "ween at 6 weeks". Is that the start of 6 weeks or the end? :wall: lol These things probably don't matter much, BUT if you are like me you need things laid out in an orderly fashion. :nerd:

I have compiled a daily breeding/dispatching schedule for my meat rabbits. This information was compiled using 14 different websites containing information on breeding meat rabbits. I simply averaged the information for simplicity and accuracy.

My schedule spans 120 days from conception to Roaster dispatch. This schedule seems to overlap very nicely for re-breeding and maintenance of offspring for individual does.

Please feel free to post critiques or praises of this compilation. If you see blatant crazy errors please post your response so everyone can learn. I know experience creates opinions and facts alike.

I will attach the Word document to this post.

THANK YOU!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Could you possibly copy and paste the document? I am wary of opening links from unknown sources, but would love to see the results of all your research.

The rabbits may not co-operate with your Grand Plan, however... my intent was to always breed my two original does at the same time, but they had other ideas.

 

[TariLynn]

Hi Justin...Thanks for sharing. I think your data would be displayed better by using some sort of spread sheet like Excel or something if you have it. It was a bit confusing. Are your numbers for counting the weeks or are they for certain does? I am going to try to attach my breeding chart - it does not have the detail of yours but maybe the layout will spark something for you.



Oh - I forgot to ask, so I did a quick edit...where are you located in Kansas? I live in Indiana but I grew up in Kansas and still have family that live there.

 

[ladysown]

using your information, I came up with an excel sheet for you.

I will submit to you that it would be better to have two separate documents.

One for tracking the doe, one for tracking just the litter.

If you do a separate one for the litter you can track colours, weights, it will be easier to say on Day 9-12 eyes should be open, Day 9 clean out nestbox, ... note: some nestboxes need to be cleaned out more frequently. and such like. Should I have time later I may be able to put something together for you. No guarantees though, life is busy!

 

[DanaYares]

It would be nice if things went right on schedule. I think you'll find that flexibility will be key to your experience and you'll have to learn as you go. Living creatures don't always follow our imposed human schedules, they have their own instincts and magical rhythms that we have no hope of understanding. Keep your schedule as a very rough guide, but don't get frustrated with your critters if they don't follow it...<br /><br />__________ Thu Dec 29, 2011 7:37 am __________<br /><br />It would be nice if things went right on schedule. I think you'll find that flexibility will be key to your experience and you'll have to learn as you go. Living creatures don't always follow our imposed human schedules, they have their own instincts and magical rhythms that we have no hope of understanding. Keep your schedule as a very rough guide, but don't get frustrated with your critters if they don't follow it...

 

[akane]

Animals are great at ruining schedules. It's better to treat each doe as an individual. Some need bred back within a week or 2 of having kits and some need a break. Some can be bred back 3 times and then need a break while others can just keep going all year long. Sometimes waiting a month to breed them again even if you have enough other does to make up the gap in kits and therefore meat causes problems because some does will become difficult to breed if given a long break. They may even miss several times before you get them breeding again. Others are just a pain in the *** when they are all hormonal and teasing the bucks.

Some does get tired of their kits by 4 weeks and want to beat the crap out of them. Some does are fine with their kits until 8 weeks.

Animals are individuals. It might be better to just make a flow chart with your plans. If this happens or this doe acts like this or is in this condition then do this action otherwise do this action rather than a set schedule that your does are going to break eventually. The only way to maintain a strict schedule is strong culling in order to keep only the individuals who can stay on that schedule. Large operations that can't treat each animal like an individual tend to cull a lot of animals every year for many small reasons in order to keep things simple.

 

[Justin]

Hi Justin...Thanks for sharing. I think your data would be displayed better by using some sort of spread sheet like Excel or something if you have it. It was a bit confusing. Are your numbers for counting the weeks or are they for certain does? I am going to try to attach my breeding chart - it does not have the detail of yours but maybe the layout will spark something for you.



Oh - I forgot to ask, so I did a quick edit...where are you located in Kansas? I live in Indiana but I grew up in Kansas and still have family that live there.

Sorry it was confusing for you. There are 120 projected linear days from conception to slaughter of a Roaster. This is merely a timeline for anticipating what may happen. It's very handy for placing the events on my wall calendar. It's a schedule, template, or ruler if you will. This is not "data". The rabbit data goes into my software program. I live in Eastern Kansas. I hope your family is doing well.

__________ Thu Dec 29, 2011 5:52 pm __________

using your information, I came up with an excel sheet for you.

I will submit to you that it would be better to have two separate documents.

One for tracking the doe, one for tracking just the litter.

If you do a separate one for the litter you can track colours, weights, it will be easier to say on Day 9-12 eyes should be open, Day 9 clean out nestbox, ... note: some nestboxes need to be cleaned out more frequently. and such like. Should I have time later I may be able to put something together for you. No guarantees though, life is busy!

Thank you for the excel document. I haven't really had an issue with creating these, but thanks for the layout! I use Breeders Assistant for tracking the data, and it works well for me. I simply needed a guide for marking my wall calendar, because I sometimes can't remember how many days until X.

Every book I own and every person I talk to has a different experience. I simply averaged the information to a "most likely" number of days until X. The days that are empty allow room for adjustment or to add additional information. Some of my nest boxes need cleaned almost daily and I've had a few that were a little more tidy. This schedule is meant to be printed out and referenced rather than to track data.
Thanks for your hard work, I know life gets busy and I do appreciate your input. I will add more nest box cleaning days to the schedule.

__________ Thu Dec 29, 2011 5:59 pm __________

It would be nice if things went right on schedule. I think you'll find that flexibility will be key to your experience and you'll have to learn as you go. Living creatures don't always follow our imposed human schedules, they have their own instincts and magical rhythms that we have no hope of understanding. Keep your schedule as a very rough guide, but don't get frustrated with your critters if they don't follow it...

__________ Thu Dec 29, 2011 7:37 am __________

It would be nice if things went right on schedule. I think you'll find that flexibility will be key to your experience and you'll have to learn as you go. Living creatures don't always follow our imposed human schedules, they have their own instincts and magical rhythms that we have no hope of understanding. Keep your schedule as a very rough guide, but don't get frustrated with your critters if they don't follow it...

you are right about that! I'm in the cattle business and it doesn't matter when you want it to happen, sometimes nature happens when it happens.
I still needed a 280 day schedule each time my wife was pregnant, lol. Nothing ever hit on the day it was supposed to, but I never missed an event or stage of development. I was prepared for it in advance! <br /><br />__________ Thu Dec 29, 2011 6:40 pm __________<br /><br />

(1)...It's better to treat each doe as an individual.... (2)...It might be better to just make a flow chart with your plans... (3)...The only way to maintain a strict schedule is strong culling in order to keep only the individuals who can stay on that schedule. (4) Large operations that can't treat each animal like an individual tend to cull a lot of animals every year for many small reasons in order to keep things simple.

(1) I value your opinion. Mine happens to be slightly different if I think I understand your overall meaning. This statement by itself I can agree with.

(2) That is all this is. A linear flow chart with numbered days. If things go awry simply start again.

(3) Again I think that certain things that work for you might not work for me. While I see your point and consider your opinion, this is not a strict schedule to which you may have implied or stated. It is a compiled plan that I have employed previously based on many others' successes in the field, whom document the number of days until an event happens.
to your next statement:
If a breeder so chooses to operate a "strict" schedule, there are multiple ways of maintaining that schedule other than "strong culling". Culling reduces your profit and growth!! Proper nutrition and good husbandry practices are the first line in maintaining a healthy timely herd. It is my opinion that culling is a necessary last resort. If not all operations feel this way, then that is their operation to run that way

(4) again, we may have to disagree. It would be way simpler to cull every animal that came down with pink-eye or mites, or to cull every doe that gave me 20 kits a year instead of 30 or 40, but this goes against every fiber a large operation stands for...staying large. To keep from repeating myself, we can refer to (3) for the rest of my opinion.

Thank you so much for your reply and your considerations for my daily schedule. I look forward to learning anything I can from you.

 

[TariLynn]

Oh, I see now, I just thought that maybe you were looking for a way to organize your information. I don't have software so I have been creating my own documents on Excel and since it takes so long, I don't mind sharing - why make someone else recreate the wheel if they don't have to? If you breed cattle - you know what your doing! I hope you didn't feel offended by my document.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Ah, I see what you are doing...You want a "visual" of the days. The only thing I don't see on there is dates for palpating. I start at day 10 after breeding and repeat each day until I feel something for sure. If I don't feel something for sure on day 14, I rebreed.

We get a lot of newbies on here asking questions...I am one of them...I thought you were too and I guess so did others. Sorry!

 

[sommrluv]

I cannot palpate worth anything. I have palpated VERY pregnant does and not felt a thing.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

I cannot palpate worth anything. I have palpated VERY pregnant does and not felt a thing.

Actually, there are different techniques used on 10-14 day does and does that are very pregnant. One of the things that helped me, interestingly enough, was palpating all those does that missed over the summer. If you get used to feeling what a non-pregnant rabbits insides feel like, it makes the difference easier to tell. Try palpating your open does and bucks even for a couple of weeks, then go back and try with your "bred" ones...

Have you seen this?

http://arba.net/PDFs/palpation.pdf

This really helped me out....

 

[Justin]

@TariLynn - I am not offended at all! I liked your document and definitely appreciated your input! I realize after rereading my post I didn't give enough information to determine how the document was used. Totally my bad. Thank you.



@OneAcreFarm - I completely forgot about palpating the doe. Good call. Oh, and great link on the process.



@sommrluv - I am the same way with my preg-checks lol


Thanks to all! :bunnyhop:

 

[sommrluv]

I've tried palpating them at any age..I'm just not good at it. I have pretty sensitive fingers too, so I'm surprised. The one time I came close was feeling my one doe (who died) and I told DH...I'm sure she only has two kits. She had five born and had at least one stuck when she died. So much for my skills.

I'm waiting impatiently for my doe to kindle right now. tap tap tap tap...

 

[Justin]

Yea, I still get impatient. It's the "new dad" syndrome every time! lol tap tap tap tap

 

[bunnygal]

Hi Justin:

Your schedule is fine if it meets (meats?) your needs. It wouldn't work for me because I have a very intense/aggressive breeding schedule that is much more fast paced than your schedule. Everything is there and it should work for you. I'm sure you'll make tweaks and changes as you gain experience.

If you decide to pull things in a bit, I'd be happy to tell you about my breeding program. I've been at this since 1970 so I've got a *bit* of experience under my wrinkles,,,, Uh... Umm... I mean under my belt!!!

Lisa L.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

HI there
I am very intersted to know your schedule lisa. I am in the learning stages of the meat rabbits as well. I am always intersted in seeing how everyone else does there rabbitry and what i can learn from there's

 

[bunnygal]

HI there
I am very intersted to know your schedule lisa. I am in the learning stages of the meat rabbits as well. I am always intersted in seeing how everyone else does there rabbitry and what i can learn from there's

Hi Mary Ann.
My schedule is not for beginners and although i've been breeding rabbits for 37 years (since 1975)it wasn't until a decade ago that I really worked toward developing a line that could handle maximum reproduction in all weather while still maintaining condition. It took a lot of hard culling and selective breeding and more culling to develop the herd I have now.

My rabbits are outside in wire cages with plastic panels over the roof to keep out the rain, ice and snow. No barn, no garage, no shelter of any kind.
Our winters get down to -10 in regular temp, -40 with wind chill and average 80" plus of snow plus several freezing rain storms.
Our summers can be 107 with 95% humidity.
I breed 12 months a year without ANY problems - I worked very hard to develop a weather tolerant herd.

I have 18 does and 4 bucks.
My does are mostly New Zealand Whites, but I also have Californian, American Blue, American White and Silver Fox.

I have 4 bucks. 2 New Zealand Whites, 1 Creme D'argent, 1 Silver Fox.

My does are bred for the first time @ 4 months old.
They are rebred 5 DAYS after they kindle (deliver). 5 DAYS.
The does are always very willing to rebreed on day 5 and get irritable if they are not put with a buck. The immediatly lift, no running or corner hiding.
My average litter size is 13. In general 11-15 is the range.
Kits are weaned at 25 days old. Less than 4 weeks.
The fryers are hitting 5 pounds by 9 weeks.
My does have 8-10 litters a year and never lose condition from my intense schedule. In fact, I have some does actually gaining weight while nursing 13 kits and being 2 weeks pregnant with another litter so they have to be put on restricted feed while being both nursing and pregnant.

My herd is healthy, in excellent physical form and I have not had any issues like enteritis, coccidia, mites, sore hocks, etc.

There are no forced breedings or assisted matings. They either willingly lift or hey get taken ot of the bucks cage.

I feed an 18% protein pellet. I do not feed hay. I use organic, unfiltered, raw, apple cider vinegar "WITH MOTHER" in their water each and every day and it's worked wonders..

I think that sums it up; i'd be happy to answer any specific questions.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

HI there
I am very intersted to know your schedule lisa. I am in the learning stages of the meat rabbits as well. I am always intersted in seeing how everyone else does there rabbitry and what i can learn from there's

Hi Mary Ann.
My schedule is not for beginners and although i've been breeding rabbits for 37 years (since 1975)it wasn't until a decade ago that I really worked toward developing a line that could handle maximum reproduction in all weather while still maintaining condition. It took a lot of hard culling and selective breeding and more culling to develop the herd I have now.

My rabbits are outside in wire cages with plastic panels over the roof to keep out the rain, ice and snow. No barn, no garage, no shelter of any kind.
Our winters get down to -10 in regular temp, -40 with wind chill and average 80" plus of snow plus several freezing rain storms.
Our summers can be 107 with 95% humidity.
I breed 12 months a year without ANY problems - I worked very hard to develop a weather tolerant herd.

I have 18 does and 4 bucks.
My does are mostly New Zealand Whites, but I also have Californian, American Blue, American White and Silver Fox.

I have 4 bucks. 2 New Zealand Whites, 1 Creme D'argent, 1 Silver Fox.

My does are bred for the first time @ 4 months old.
They are rebred 5 DAYS after they kindle (deliver). 5 DAYS.
The does are always very willing to rebreed on day 5 and get irritable if they are not put with a buck. The immediatly lift, no running or corner hiding.
My average litter size is 13. In general 11-15 is the range.
Kits are weaned at 25 days old. Less than 4 weeks.
The fryers are hitting 5 pounds by 9 weeks.
My does have 8-10 litters a year and never lose condition from my intense schedule. In fact, I have some does actually gaining weight while nursing 13 kits and being 2 weeks pregnant with another litter so they have to be put on restricted feed while being both nursing and pregnant.

My herd is healthy, in excellent physical form and I have not had any issues like enteritis, coccidia, mites, sore hocks, etc.

There are no forced breedings or assisted matings. They either willingly lift or hey get taken ot of the bucks cage.

I feed an 18% protein pellet. I do not feed hay. I use organic, unfiltered, raw, apple cider vinegar "WITH MOTHER" in their water each and every day and it's worked wonders..

I think that sums it up; i'd be happy to answer any specific questions.

WOW, LIsa thanks for the information. That is very intense. I do the 10 day re-bred.I feed 18% also, Mine are in a barn righ now. But thinking really hard when spring comes to put outside. I do get colder weather than you. So i am a bit concerned about that. I do have two questions for you.
How do you go about your watering in the winter months?
How do you do the nesting boxes ,so the babies dont freeze. ? I am always so worry about that.
Mary ann

 

[bunnygal]

I do have two questions for you.
How do you go about your watering in the winter months?
How do you do the nesting boxes ,so the babies dont freeze. ? I am always so worry about that.
Mary ann

Hi MaryAnn:

Water is the difficult part in the winter. Unless you have a ridgid PVC autowater system with a circulating heat pump, it must be done by hand, which is what I do. I have a 6 gallon watering can. I fill it in the house and take it to the rabbits which are approx. 200 feet from my house. During the coldest months, I do this 4 times a day. 6 a.m., 12 noon, 6 p.m., 12 midnight.
Fresh drinking water is more important in winter than it is any other time of year. If rabbits dont have water, they wont eat and in the winter they need to eat more than any other time of the year. They keep themselves warm by shivering and that takes up a lot of extra calories to do. No water = no eating and no eating = not enough calories to burn up keeping themselves warm.

As far as nestboxes go, I dont do a thing different. I use home made nestboxes made from cage wire all year round (no wood and they are not solid)
I put the usual hay in the nestbox and momma adds her fur and that's enough to keep the kits toasty in any temp. I actually did an experiment to prove this to someone on another group last year. I had a litter of 5 day old kits in their usual wire nestbox. The temp outside was -10 and we were in a wicked nor'easter snow storm with howling winds that brought the temps to the "feels like" (wind chill temp) of -40. I put a meat thermometer in the center of my kit pile in the nestbox and the temperature read 101 degrees!!! That was enough proof for everyone that doubted it! Honestly, I dont think its ever too cold for kits to survive in a properly furred nestbox.


Lisa L.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

Thanks again lisa. YOu dont feed any hay at all. None to the babies. You are not to worry on the little ones getting the runny poops.Is the apple cider do that for you. ?Do you give cider vinegar to all of your rabbits?IF so, how much?