Well we've had our rabbits for some months now and we've gone from 3 rabbit to 20 rabbits in very sort order. I moved the rabbits from the tool shed to the goat barn and added a poop catching system that is working wonderfully. My computer is not wanting to up load the picture of the catch system but, it's rather easy to explain. I took some old alumimum that was shaped like a gutter and nailed it to the wall under the cages with a 6 inch drop over 10 feet. Then I took a piece of alumimum tin sheeting with small wavey ribs and laid it in the guttering and wired it to the bottom of the cages (towards the front) and it works great. The dropping wash out easy enough and fall on the edge of the concrete so that they can be pushed into the compost pile with a broom. I have a box fan that blows continuesly through the hall way but, the old barn draws a wonderful breeze though it naturally even when the air outside doesn't seem to be stirring at all. I just feel better with the fan going for one of those "just in case" days. I also have been putting frozen water bottles in their cages twice a day and they seem to really enjoy them. It took them a day or two to figure them out but now when I reach into the bag and start pulling out bottles they start getting excited and running around the cage. They enjoy licking them first and then will lay beside them, ontop of them and one young doe looks like she is bear hugging it. Now that we have plenty of corn being shucked and put away every day we are feeding the shucks to the rabbits along with lots of other goodies that we pull up or disreguarded left overs. I was amazed to see that they prefered the shucks over the actual ears though. I have also started on a 55 gallon bulk tank water system and am waiting on the new nipples to come in to complete it. Here are some pictures.
A red doe that I just had to have.
<br /><br />__________ Sun Jun 24, 2012 9:24 am __________<br /><br />Oh, I forgot to ask a few questions.
I tried to breed the doe so that she would birth again just after her litter was weaned but, she would not stand at all for the buck. I tried helping and put her in his cage several times but, each time she would not take. What can I do next time to help increase the chances of timing my births like this?
This doe had 10 on her first litter, 2 died when they got stuck behind the nest box and cage but, the rest are health and happy. The second doe had 4 on her first litter and all 4 survived and are also healthy. How should I judge a does first litter if I were going to keep a doe to increase my stock? The obvious choice would be the doe who throws the most young but, I don't want to judge to harshly with a first timer.
A red doe that I just had to have.
I tried to breed the doe so that she would birth again just after her litter was weaned but, she would not stand at all for the buck. I tried helping and put her in his cage several times but, each time she would not take. What can I do next time to help increase the chances of timing my births like this?
This doe had 10 on her first litter, 2 died when they got stuck behind the nest box and cage but, the rest are health and happy. The second doe had 4 on her first litter and all 4 survived and are also healthy. How should I judge a does first litter if I were going to keep a doe to increase my stock? The obvious choice would be the doe who throws the most young but, I don't want to judge to harshly with a first timer.
