Dinner rabbits, Journal

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#11 had 6 kits last night, 2 died. I think they may of been stuck or a hard delivery.
Sucks, she had 7 the first time, but could only manage 4 live this time.
Her sister is due on Monday. She only had a whopping 2 last time, so I'm hoping for more than two and all alive & healthy! 🤞


But in other news...
New boy is here!
Mr "Baymax"(name on ped) is such a pretty color, a lilac otter. No sneezing on the way home, hope it stays that way the next 30 days!
10wks, 5 days old today. So, he was 4lbs 2.5oz at 10wk, 4 days, for future reference once he has kits on the ground.
He'll be 15wks old once QT is over, on Jan 1st.

 

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He sure is a lovely, soft color.

Do you expect/hope kits to be 5-6# at a 12 week harvest? Remember, rabbits are pets to me, so ??? I know are more about harvest info for poultry, pigs and goats.

 

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He sure is a lovely, soft color.

Do you expect/hope kits to be 5-6# at a 12 week harvest? Remember, rabbits are pets to me, so ??? I know are more about harvest info for poultry, pigs and goats.

Goal is 5# by 8wks.
Rex will take more generations to get there. They're smaller rabbits and usually more mellow growing.

1st litter was just under 5# at 10wks, most hit 5# some time between 10 & 11 weeks. Those were sired by the little 6.64# mutt buck. Getting a faster growing SF buck soon & expecting better weights. But this round, they're bred to a 8.3# SF buck, so hoping that also improves weights.
Her sister only had 2 kits, by the 8.3# SF buck, so not really fair to compare them. But they were 4# by 7wks.
My "regular" SF does, net bred to grow fast, one bred to the mutt buck, barely 2.6# by 7wks. Other bred to SF, but they're only 5wks, so can't compare yet, but they were heavier by 4wks and there's 10 of them, vs 7.
I need to make a bunch of line graphs of each litter, as it'll be easier to see which cross is doing best. 😅

 

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I think the mystery kit is a chocolate. Can't wait to see what it really is!



Always gotta be mashed together. 🤦🏽‍♀️

1st litter pair.
Doe's shoulder is changing, ugh, but weight is good. Buck's shape is nice.




1st litter pair.
Doe's shoulder is changing, ugh, but weight is good. Buck's shape is nice.

 

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14's only 2 kits.



Lynx × NZ/Rex kits. 8wks old. So small & slow!

 

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Mutty's kits.
Didn't pose last two, since I realized that I can't tell the 3 blacks apart & they're only 6wks & tiny. I'm thinking all will be culled, along with mom & the sire.
One is biggest, but awful shape. Two have great shape, but small.

 

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Amber kits

 

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Yes, that's a new scale. 😅


Again, weights not matched to previous kit weight, except for the chocolate one.

 

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Finally made some graphs!
I need to mark wean dates & temperature changes, as I'm pretty sure the sudden cold was a problem. The scale swapping/troubles also shows up. I don't think weaning, at 7+ weeks, affected anything.

I didn't start them on their first weigh day, whoopsies.


Fostered castor buck is clearly above everyone else. Can't keep him nor compare him to the others because of that.


I could physically see these not growing and plateauing, but they bounced back nicely.


This one, since I can't tell them apart, I did clusters for the litter instead of individual lines. Not many because there's multiples of the same weight.


Well, all steadily gaining, lol.

 

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Tons of fur in Lynx & 14's nests, no kits yet.

Grumpy's mystery kit has got to be chocolate.

Used pen to mark the 9 black SF kits. Looked into other types of pens that may last longer & ordered some. Almost double for the same product in stores vs Amazon. Terrible. So, waiting for delivery.

4522. She moved when I was taking the rear shot. Gotta get new pics of everyone.




It's nice when you can order something one evening and wake up to it delivered, for free, the next morning. And having a $20 coupon used on it to boot.
I need more coupons though, as I'm now down to needing 11 more trays...lol.
I think 4522 will get 2 trays. And then I can give one to Amber & 11 or put two under Grumpy or Lynx. 🤔



Decided that Amber & 11 needed the pans more for now.
Scraped out the mess 4522 made and used bricks to raise the pans.