Stud, or dud?

HansenHomestead · Mar 8, 2016

We started off with 4 Cals. 3 bucks, and 1 doe. (*** change fairy) We ate one of the bucks a few months back, have bred our doe twice. She has done a wonderful job, and the buck we bred her to is fantastic. Both always willing to bred, and don't mess around when doing so. The other buck AK-47 I have tried to breeding him several times, and he won't do it, or at least not do it right, lol.

If she puts up a bit of a fight it gets him going, he'll mount here, hump a little, and then stop caring, OR he will literally just want to lay with her, and nibble her ears. Which is cute yes, but he never finishes the job. I've even put him with my easiest doe Luna. She always lifts, never puts up much of a fight, and it's still the same thing with him. He will mount, hump a little, then back off. Then come back a minute later mount again, hump for a sec then back off. Never a fall off. Heck I never even find a drop of semen on the doe at all. All my breeders are almost a year old. The only 2 breeding bucks I have are Phantom, and AK. Phantom has Sired 7 litters without fail. AK has Sired NONE!

I am starting to get frustrated with AK's performance, or more like lack of. He's a good buck, really hand shy, and jumpy, but he has a great body, and deep defined markings. I have been thinking about just sending him to camp, or should I give him another shot? As of late when I go to bred, I toss the doe to him first in hopes that he will make his mark, but he has not.

I am also starting to regret eating BillyBob, because he at least was a good breeder.

macksmom98 · Mar 8, 2016

Lots of learning happens in the rabbit business, I have so many regrets about this past year. All you can do is learn and move on, but I would say if you have a buck that has tried three times with multiple does and nothing, now I would move on. I wish I had a long time ago.....I kept our buck because I like his confirmation and color, and now it's been a whole year since mine has had any kits.....I won't be messing around with animals who don't want to breed anymore...

Rainey · Mar 8, 2016

I would move on--but then i'm still on the steep part of the learning curve.
I wonder about our bucks--the one we started with and the one we kept from last year's litters to breed this year. We've gotten kits every time we've tried and had anything that looked remotely possible for a breeding. But often we don't get fall-offs (which everyone seems to say is what you want) and often get just one or maybe 2 mountings. But if we get kits, do those other things matter?
Today we had our first litter from the new buck. We've bred him to our other 3 does. One other there was a fall-off. The other 2 the breeding looked inconclusive. One questionable is due in 2 weeks, the other was just bred today. So we'll have to wait and see.
Neither of our bucks sprays (for which I am grateful) but maybe it just means they're wimps. I don't know. So much to learn. Today I'm just pleased to have the first litter of the year, nine healthy kits, no runts

karenl · Mar 8, 2016

Is he a buck? Hee hee just checking

Our new buck started out same way we just put hand on head to keep doe still he got one try take her away then take her back in evening same hand on does head let him play for 2 mins do the same for a couple of days. By the 3rd day he was all done in under a minutes with 3 covers.

HansenHomestead · Mar 8, 2016

Oh yeah, I don't think those 2 hanging things are just extra fat storage, lmao.

I have everything! Kept the does still, lifted for him, left them alone, cage switch, put the easiest doe with him, still NOTHING!

Just to prove the point to myself once more I took my Cal doe, and put her with him again, and he still nothing. I gave them 15 minutes together while I sat in the chair, and kept an eye on them, and he still didn't do it. I took her from his cage, and put in the top cage with Phantom, and BAM! 3 covers in 20 seconds, no issues at all.

The only that I did notice between the 2 boys is that. With AK did bring her hind end up, but not a whole lot. When I put her in with Phantom she went full on hinny in air! It's the same with any doe I toss at him.