New Bunnies- Too young?????

[beckyhuff314]

I got my first 2 meat rabbits. I got 2 4 week old does today and am getting a 4 week old buck tomorrow. Aren't they to young? I was told that one is pure Californian and the other is a Californian/New Zealand mix. I have never had any thing other than ND's and 1 Holland lop. Can anyone tell me if these look like what I was told they are? The dark one (i don't know color) is 2lb 7.9 oz. the white is 2lb 2.1 oz

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

Those are too cute! Love them. And I don't know much about rabbit genetics & such, but I don't think either Cali's nor new Zealand's carry genes to throw that first color, & I think Cali's have black on their feet / nose / ears...

Also I know some people wean at 4 weeks.. Young, but not impossible...

Oh and I think the dark one is considered chesnut.

What are your plans? Breeding for meat? If its just meat, then I wouldn't think the purity would matter so long as the parents were large. And if they're pets then it shouldn't matter much either. Either way, those are some cuty pies

 

[MamaSheepdog]

4 weeks is very young- they are susceptible to weaning enteritis brought about by stress at that age.

I would make sure they have hay and old fashioned oatmeal available at all times as well as their normal pellets. I would also give them an enclosed bedded area off of the wire. I use plastic litter jugs, but a cardboard box would be fine.

I assume you are getting the buck from a different breeder? If possible I would ask that they keep him until he is eight weeks since he won't have a sibling to snuggle with and you should keep him quarantined from the does and your other rabbits for a month. If they are unwilling to hold him, I would buy a doe from the same breeder so he has a companion until he gets older.

You can breed brother to sister, so she could be a part of your breeding herd as well. An alternative would be to go back to the doe's breeder and get a buck from them.

 

[Jackelope]

They definitely look 4 weeks, which is even considered too young for some of the smallest breeds of rabbits. Large breed rabbits take longer to mature. The mortality rate is very, very high because the pH levels haven't balanced out. There's a high risk of weanling enteritis, which starts out as diarrhea and kills quickly.

Make sure they're eating whatever the breeder fed them and their mom. It's the change in diet that kills them. Also, lots of hay (take away everything but water and hay if they get diarrhea).

I used to take in rescues, including lots of 4 week-old (and younger) rabbits that people would get caught trying to sell (it's against the law in many places, and usually against rabbit show regulations). I would give the 4 week-old ones to my nursing does and they would always go right a the nipple. A lot of them grew up to have unusually aggressive temperaments that I wouldn't be surprised had to do with leaving too early.

I don't mean to sound harsh. I wouldn't buy rabbits until they are 6 weeks old (with possible exceptions of Netherland Dwarfs and Britannia Petites). 8 weeks preferably, especially in large breeds. It's just worth risking a dead or aggressive rabbit.

 

[beckyhuff314]

Yeah I plan on breeding for meat. I had rabbit for the first time a few days ago and WOW. I love it. I have them in a dog kennel right now, its what I use for quarantine. The buck is from the same breeder but a different doe. She has 7 litters. She was supposed to bring a buck and doe but I checked them and for sure both are does. She was unsure. The chestnut? one was suppose to be a buck. So when she comes into town tomorrow she is going to bring a few so I can make sure I get a buck. I will just put them all together as she said she has all of her litters together in one huge cage. I keep all my rabbits in doors so they wont get cold either way. Don't know what I'm gonna do soon. My 3 car garage is getting a little full. LOL

Any ideas on how I should go about breeding these new bunnies? I have no clue about how to raise rabbits for food. I'm only doing it because my BF LOVES rabbit.<br /><br />__________ Fri Nov 29, 2013 11:12 pm __________<br /><br />

They definitely look 4 weeks, which is even considered too young for some of the smallest breeds of rabbits. Large breed rabbits take longer to mature. The mortality rate is very, very high because the pH levels haven't balanced out. There's a high risk of weanling enteritis, which starts out as diarrhea and kills quickly.

Make sure they're eating whatever the breeder fed them and their mom. It's the change in diet that kills them. Also, lots of hay (take away everything but water and hay if they get diarrhea).

I used to take in rescues, including lots of 4 week-old (and younger) rabbits that people would get caught trying to sell (it's against the law in many places, and usually against rabbit show regulations). I would give the 4 week-old ones to my nursing does and they would always go right a the nipple. A lot of them grew up to have unusually aggressive temperaments that I wouldn't be surprised had to do with leaving too early.

I don't mean to sound harsh. I wouldn't buy rabbits until they are 6 weeks old (with possible exceptions of Netherland Dwarfs and Britannia Petites). 8 weeks preferably, especially in large breeds. It's just worth risking a dead or aggressive rabbit.

Yeah I breed ND's and I try to keep them with mom till 6 weeks but they always kick them out. I still don't sell them till at least 8 weeks. I have never had big breed rabbits. The lady advertised them today saying that the does have new litters already, which I think is WRONG, she was only asking $10 ea for them so I thought I would try it since most big breed rabbits where im at, usually go for $50 and up. I know the risks. She didn't give me any food for them either so I do only have timothy hay and oats in with them. Thanks for the info.

 

[Jackelope]

Yeah I plan on breeding for meat. I had rabbit for the first time a few days ago and WOW. I love it. I have them in a dog kennel right now, its what I use for quarantine. The buck is from the same breeder but a different doe. She has 7 litters. She was supposed to bring a buck and doe but I checked them and for sure both are does. She was unsure. The chestnut? one was suppose to be a buck. So when she comes into town tomorrow she is going to bring a few so I can make sure I get a buck. I will just put them all together as she said she has all of her litters together in one huge cage. I keep all my rabbits in doors so they wont get cold either way. Don't know what I'm gonna do soon. My 3 car garage is getting a little full. LOL

Any ideas on how I should go about breeding these new bunnies? I have no clue about how to raise rabbits for food. I'm only doing it because my BF LOVES rabbit.

__________ Fri Nov 29, 2013 11:12 pm __________

They definitely look 4 weeks, which is even considered too young for some of the smallest breeds of rabbits. Large breed rabbits take longer to mature. The mortality rate is very, very high because the pH levels haven't balanced out. There's a high risk of weanling enteritis, which starts out as diarrhea and kills quickly.

Make sure they're eating whatever the breeder fed them and their mom. It's the change in diet that kills them. Also, lots of hay (take away everything but water and hay if they get diarrhea).

I used to take in rescues, including lots of 4 week-old (and younger) rabbits that people would get caught trying to sell (it's against the law in many places, and usually against rabbit show regulations). I would give the 4 week-old ones to my nursing does and they would always go right a the nipple. A lot of them grew up to have unusually aggressive temperaments that I wouldn't be surprised had to do with leaving too early.

I don't mean to sound harsh. I wouldn't buy rabbits until they are 6 weeks old (with possible exceptions of Netherland Dwarfs and Britannia Petites). 8 weeks preferably, especially in large breeds. It's just worth risking a dead or aggressive rabbit.

Yeah I breed ND's and I try to keep them with mom till 6 weeks but they always kick them out. I still don't sell them till at least 8 weeks. I have never had big breed rabbits. The lady advertised them today saying that the does have new litters already, which I think is WRONG, she was only asking $10 ea for them so I thought I would try it since most big breed rabbits where im at, usually go for $50 and up. I know the risks. She didn't give me any food for them either so I do only have timothy hay and oats in with them. Thanks for the info.

You can breed them like other rabbits. =p The maturity rate is just slower, so does usually aren't ready until 8 months. I had Netherlands and Brits and had the same thing happen, moms kicking babies out when they were four weeks. Larger breeds don't do that until they are 6-8 weeks. Good luck.

 

[dayna]

Having new litters when the babies are 4 weeks is not unusual. Most of my does do wean at about 4 weeks or a few days earlier....

My large breed does have been breeding at a young age as well.

 

[Zass]

$50 and up would be the price for purebreds or pedigreed rabbits.(or a flemish) These are unpedigreed and mutts, and honestly no one I know would sell a pedigreed rabbit at 4 weeks.
(you couldn't see what it's body is going to look like yet at that age)

Weaning at that age isn't uncommon, but mortality is often much higher. Most breeders don't SELL until after they get past the enteritis age because they just wouldn't want to sell a bunny who is more likely to die. I personally wean at 8 weeks. Yeah, usually they are already weaned before that, but the extra mommy time is probably really good for them since my does are all sweethearts. I feel they can learn a lot from them.


Generally they shouldn't be bred until 6-8 months old either, so someone looking to breed meat is in no hurry to get early weaned rabbits. If I were you I would keep your babies, and look around for a older buck, since bucks often mature later than does.

 

[Demamma]

I wean my rabbits at 5 weeks old but would never sell till 8 weeks. Like others are saying they can get entritus easily. The changes of homes can be very stressful for them. New Zealand's can get many colors when mixed with other breeds. I have had some New Zealand crosses that came out Brown and black. If given the choice I would not buy a buck or doe so young. I breed Californians, New Zealand's, Creme D'Argents and others. Most of my meat breeds get bred for the first time at 5 months of age. I rebreed the doe when I wean kits at 5 weeks unless the doe is needing a break.

 

[ottersatin]

The Kit in the top photo
looks like a Chinchilla.
The second looks like a Californian,
but I am certain that neither one is pure.
But they will produce a variety of colors
if bred together.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Weaning at 4wks is ok, SELLING at 4wks is not....I don't sell anything under 8wks unless it is to another breeder or to a 4H student for a meat pen and I know they have a mentor to help them. Those rabbits were much too young to be sold. I would give them some Probios or Benebac paste and keep some rolled oats in their cages for a few weeks to help with their digestion.

 

[Peach]

Be careful with them and be very careful with their diet because they are very susceptible to entritis because their gut isn't 100% and they are under a stress.

Weaning and selling age are two different things.

Nothing leaves my barn until 8 weeks.

I do keep my Mini Lops with their moms and long as I can so they get as much milk as possible. I usually remove pet quality around 6-8 weeks, but the keepers will stay until 8-10 weeks and then get their own cage. They fill in a whole lot faster and better than the pet quality since they get the extra milk.

I wouldn't go back and buy more of that age or from the breeder that sold them. It just encourages the practice. Sorry that they sold them to you that young. I know that exceptions can probably be made amongst experienced friends around the 6 weeks, but not to someone that is new. Goodluck! Maybe you can spread the word to them that selling at 4 weeks is poor ethics on their part. In some states, it's illegal to sell rabbit under 8 weeks.

 

[beckyhuff314]

Thanks everyone for all the info. I really wasn't ready to get meat rabbits yet, but when I saw the ad I just had to get them. It is very hard to find really big rabbits around here and even for the big mutt rabbits, people sell them for $50 and up. I had planed on getting some Americans when I went to CA in the summer. They would be pedigreed for only $30 ea. I called the lady to tell her I don't want the little buck after all but her number has been disconnected. Go figure.
The 2 I did get are doing fine. I have them with hay and oats in there cage. I did also give them some probios paste last night. I do know how to take care of young bunnies.

So what breed of male would everyone suggest I try with these 2 does when there ready? I am open to all suggestions. We just want to breed for meat, for our own use. I don't care what the colors would be. Also we will be building some cages for the new babies tomorrow, how big should we make them? I have all my ND's in 24"X 24" and 36"X 36" for does with babies.

 

[Peach]

Mutt stock vs. Quality meat stock will ultimately give you different results.

Sometimes spending a little extra money on properly bred animals is better than buying into a bunch of rabbits that just won't produce what you need.

Here are ARBA requirements for different breeds/weights.
https://www.arba.net/PDFs/CAW.pdf

You're mutts may or may not grow into what you are expecting (depending how honest the breeder is with you)

Just because it's pedigreed doesn't always mean it is quality either, but sometimes people ask certain prices for a reason. If they have invested good money into good animals, they aren't going to just sell them for $20 a piece either.

Meat mutts can work for obvious reasons, but as long as the original breeder had the same goals in mind.

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

I bought my meat mutts for $40 each.
Female is big and does great in cold.
Male is small, not so cold hardy but still better.

Then I got 2 free buns of CL. Both have good personalities (for the most part) but they do awful in the cold and much smaller.

Just for a comparison. We also traded 3 geese for a buck silver fox mutt rabbit. Big boy, great in cold. Probably overpaid, but he was well worth it. Also overpaid for the 2 meat mutts, but they both have good potential.
The 2 free ones? Not worth much. Cold hardiness is a big factor here.

 

[big bucks ny]

I've gotten some freebies and my flop doe has produced good growers and I have a really promising rex nz buck and some does I'll have to wait and see on. Also I just ate 3 freebies from the same batch. I mean if they survive and produce well without costing you a ton great just select your replacments well wether it be for cold, size, or whatever you need. Its not rocket surgury its rabbits.

 

[Southbound_SF]

The lady advertised them today saying that the does have new litters already, which I think is WRONG, she was only asking $10 ea for them so I thought I would try it since most big breed rabbits where im at, usually go for $50 and up. I know the risks. She didn't give me any food for them either so I do only have timothy hay and oats in with them. Thanks for the info.

Everyone seems to be on the same track here (weaning then is fine, if possibly riskier, but it's a bit young to sell) but I just wanted to comment here about the rightness/wrongness of faster breedback schedules. There is nothing wrong with rebreeding quickly, whether that means at 14 days, 7 days, or even the same day the doe kindles, provided she maintains good condition.

You can breed your rabbits as frequently as you want so long as they do well with that schedule. I know people who consistently use a 1 day breedback schedule, and their rabbits thrive on it. In fact, they're in better health than ever before, kindling larger litters, extremely willing to breed, almost never miss a pregnancy. This mimics wild rabbit behavior, and if the rabbits do so well, what could be the harm? I understand that constant pregnancy may seem unpleasant to a human, but rabbits are not people, and they are built to breed quickly.

You're lucky! Since these rabbits come from stock bred to produce this way, once they reach breeding age you'll probably be able to breed them for maximum production, which means lots of rabbit meat for you and your BF.

Oh, and oats are like rabbit saltines, just the thing for a tender stomach. Those & hay aren't super nutritious all by themselves, but they'll help the young ones' maturing stomachs while you slowly introduce new foods.


SB

 

[HoppyMeal]

The top bun could be a NZ cross depending on what the father was. I have had several that were that color from a NZ red buck. The bottom one looks like a Cali. You will need to wait till they are about 6 months old to breed.

 

[juliusk9]

Rabbits just seem to love these. They seem to like trying to chew them but also love throwing them about and hearing them clatter back down. Make sure you get the hard plastic ones not anything that can be chewed into pieces.
http://www.julius-k9.co.uk/

 

[philothea]

I agree that 4 weeks is too young. It is the one thing I don't like about selling meat pens. They make the validation dates too early at least this year in my county. Breed date was Dec 15 and validation Feb 15. So many kids are going to be disappointed when their rabbits die. I give Benebac powder on the food before they go and even give them a little in a baggy with instructions. Plus provide a good amount of the feed they have been getting and a flake of hay. Anything to give them every chance they can to make it.
I sell my show/breeding stock no earlier than 10 weeks and prefer at least 12 weeks if I can. (Sometimes they want to meet at a show or I am just out of room.)