It's my first time with rabbits so please be patient with me, but I got a breeding pair of NZW's and a Californian doe. I just got them over the weekend. I was planning on giving them a chance to settle into their new home, but was wondering should I wait until spring to breed them? They are all about a year old, so I don't want to wait too long, but I'm not sure if either doe has ever had a litter.
1st time
- Thread starter Blue Skys
- Start date
I would breed both does right now on the same day. Your chances of producing easy litters is way better now than waiting 6 months from now, especially with rabbits that age. If you have the ability to shelter them from the wind and provide good feed and water you will do ok. I live in the Northeast and breed a few does right through the winter in an outdoor enclosure. The advantage of breeding two does on the same day is that you can foster kits off to another doe if one isn't doing a good job or if one has too many.
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- #3
I am really glad you said that!! The more I thought about it the more I was leaning towards breeding them right now. We have pretty mild winters where I am, so it shouldn't get too cold until they are a couple of weeks old, even then, cold is a relative term. I will try to breed them Friday I think.
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- #4
()relics
Overrun with beasties
Yeah contrary to the previous info...Spring kindlings are much more productive than fall/winter kindlings....Not knowing what part of the world you live in...and not knowing exactly the condition of your potential breeders....Check my post in the birthing/weaning/etc section....This is just my opinion....BUT I have done it many times....Ideally I would wait until spring....again JMO
So spring kindlings are more productive with a rabbit that's going to be 18 months old next spring, and never been bred before vs breeding the rabbits at one year old this fall? the OP was asking info on these specific rabbits, not rabbits in general. I think even a doorknob knows that the spring breeding season is more productive than the fall/winter. The chances of a doe kindling at 12 months old over a doe that is 18 months old and never bred before is way greater.
()relics said:
()relics
Overrun with beasties
If i read the OP I see that you bought a "breeding Pair" of NZW's.....I would then conclude that this pair has already produced kits....Or they wouldn't be called a breeding pair they would be called a Sr. buck and a Sr. doe.....This would mean the doe has already kindled and make the "18 MONTH LIMIT" a non factor....It really is only a theory anyway.Goatzilla said:
Secondly...I have asked ALL the doorknobs that I have seen in the last 2 days and NONE of THEM KNEW that piece of info.....
Thirdly..."Way Greater" is my book is a very relative term....That would make it Your Opinion....
Thus the Fourth point....YOU must have missed the JMO in the post...Or maybe you Didn't understand...The Opinion I gave was just that Just My Opinion....
And lastly YOU missed the part about the local climate and most importantly The condition of the NEWLY purchased breeders...."Ideally I would wait til spring"....I guess if you read it , it is kind of self explanitory.
Kits in the box....Different than words on the screen...check out the pictures.....AGAIN JMO
What part of what's in bold here didn't you get? Wouldn't it be prudent to breed the does now, just in case they have never been bred before? Especially since the OP has the benefit of a milder climate?
And yes, I have an opinion, just like yours, except mine is based on 30 years of raising meat and exhibition rabbits. Any breeder who has shown rabbits successfully (wins big consistantly), knows that you have to breed as many litters as you can through the fall and winter to have "quality juniors" for the spring shows. Usually, the consistant "rabbit show losers" are big believers in the "spring is the best time" theory. Some never learn.
Look, I had no intention of getting into an argument here, but you were very quick to "correct my advice" in my post without really considering the fact that the rabbits may have never been bred. it is fact, not opinion that older, stagnant, does do not produce as well as younger recently bred does. If you choose to argue that point, well, I don't think it's worth arguing about.
In the end, I totally understand that not everyone does things the same way, and on this we wil have to agree to disagree. I was merely trying to help the OP the best I know how based upon what I have learned through experience through the years. I apologize if my tone came off as offensive, but it was much less a "flame" as your last reply was. I'll take the high road from here on out.
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And yes, I have an opinion, just like yours, except mine is based on 30 years of raising meat and exhibition rabbits. Any breeder who has shown rabbits successfully (wins big consistantly), knows that you have to breed as many litters as you can through the fall and winter to have "quality juniors" for the spring shows. Usually, the consistant "rabbit show losers" are big believers in the "spring is the best time" theory. Some never learn.
Look, I had no intention of getting into an argument here, but you were very quick to "correct my advice" in my post without really considering the fact that the rabbits may have never been bred. it is fact, not opinion that older, stagnant, does do not produce as well as younger recently bred does. If you choose to argue that point, well, I don't think it's worth arguing about.
In the end, I totally understand that not everyone does things the same way, and on this we wil have to agree to disagree. I was merely trying to help the OP the best I know how based upon what I have learned through experience through the years. I apologize if my tone came off as offensive, but it was much less a "flame" as your last reply was. I'll take the high road from here on out.
Blue Skys said:
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- Thread starter
- #9
If you want to go back and forth, do it in a different thread or pm. I was simply asking a question because I'm completely NEW at raising rabbits. I would like to be able to continue using this forum to learn as much as I can.
I am interested in hearing many different opinions, that is what makes public forums so informative, many different people, with many different experience levels.
I may not use the correct terms, excuse me for that, I'm completely new to raising rabbits.
I am interested in hearing many different opinions, that is what makes public forums so informative, many different people, with many different experience levels.
I may not use the correct terms, excuse me for that, I'm completely new to raising rabbits.
If you are set up for it I don't see any harm in breeding them now. Ya the litter may be smaller but first time litters are usually not as big anyway. I have 3 does due in two weeks. All 1st timers. I have one maybe two requests for show stock. If I have small litters oh well. I can breed again and have meat for the freezer at that time.
