Meat Rabbits that aren't breeding HELP!!!!!!

[autumnprairie]

ok I hope I am posting this in the correct spot.

I need someones help, in April I bought 3 meat rabbits one died ended up being a dogs playtoy that was my buck he has been replaced back in July. with a 1 year old buck that they said had sired a litter and a
6 -7 month old doe both are NZ whites.

I have put her with him every month since then and to no avail NO KITS. My other NZ doe just turned 6 months in September and I put her with him for 3 days. she should have her kits by now and nothing.

Grr do I buy another buck from someone else is it my buck or my does?




am I doing something wrong?

 

[crazyturkeydesigns]

ok I hope I am posting this in the correct spot.

I need someones help, in April I bought 3 meat rabbits one died ended up being a dogs playtoy that was my buck he has been replaced back in July. with a 1 year old buck that they said had sired a litter and a
6 -7 month old doe both are NZ whites.

I have put her with him every month since then and to no avail NO KITS. My other NZ doe just turned 6 months in September and I put her with him for 3 days. she should have her kits by now and nothing.

Grr do I buy another buck from someone else is it my buck or my does?




am I doing something wrong?

It's probably not you, providing they are getting the proper nutrition. If you started trying in July, heat was probably your biggest culprit...heat can cause temporary sterility in bucks. With our American Sables (a little smaller than the NZs), I usually wait until 8 months of age just to be safe unless I feel the doe is ready and mature.
There's a lot of info online about breeding, so maybe doing a little digging will help too. Here's a good article about breeding (it's a little general in some parts, but I still really like it): Barbi Brown's breeding article
Good luck and keep us updated!

 

[brentr]

Do you actually see them mate? See the buck mount , the doe lift her hindquarters, and then see the buck fall over to the side - the sign of a successful mating? That would be where I'd start.

Another area is feeding. What do you feed your rabbits? They should get a ration that is 15-18% protein, etc. A good pelletized feed would have everything they need. Are your rabbits in good condition? Too fat or too thin. Does that are too fat have trouble conceiving, and bucks that are too fat have low desire. Yet another is a visual inspection of both rabbits. Buck: testes descended, full and plump looking, penis clean and normal looking, clearly visible when you gently draw back the skin around it? Doe: vulva area clean, no discharge, color pink to almost purple (the darker the color of the vulva when you expose it, the more ready the doe is to breed)? General inspection for both: eyes and ears clean, fur in good condition, not molting, eating and drinking well?

Some things I have found successful in trying to breed rabbits: I feed my rabbits in the evening, and I have found that if I put the doe in with the buck just before feeding he is more active and aggressive for mating. Then he gets the post mating reward of his pellets (after I take the doe out). I have also found that putting my doe & buck in side by side cages for several hours before putting the doe in with the buck can help. It lets them smell each other and "get acquainted" so to say. That can trigger the doe to be more receptive.

If you have the connections, try your doe with another buck and/or your buck with another doe and see if there is success. Agewise, your rabbits should be mature enough and ready to mate.

I am no expert, and if all the things I mention are in order for you and your rabbits, I don't know what cause might be affecting your breeding program. I hope you find success soon.

 

[autumnprairie]

I have seen them mate every time I am beginning to wonder if he is sterile. unfortunately I dont have another buck to verify this. unless I have my dates wrong and she still has a week or so left before she kindles

 

[DKRabbitry]

I have been having fertility issues with some of my bucks. Two of them are proven breeders and I have had 7 does miss between the two of them the past 2 months The 2 does I bred to a different buck took. It is really getting on my nerves. Good thing I have a surplus of bucks right now... too bad I have to resort to the ones I didn't really want to use. I plan on giving mine two more tries each, and if the does miss again they are gone

 

[autumnprairie]

I went to go check on her and guess what she had BABIES dont know how many but they are there. when can I check to see how many?
This her first litter

 

[oneacrefarm]

I went to go check on her and guess what she had BABIES dont know how many but they are there. when can I check to see how many?
This her first litter

You can check as soon as she seems to be done. Make sure they are all in the nest, that none of them are dead and remove any bloody hay, afterbirth, dead kits from the nest. You don't have to worry about not touching them, I touch mine everyday from day one and have never had a doe reject her kits. You should be checking the kits everyday to see that they have full bellies and that none have died in the nest.

Congratulations on the popples!

 

[crazyturkeydesigns]

You can check as soon as she seems to be done. Make sure they are all in the nest, that none of them are dead and remove any bloody hay, afterbirth, dead kits from the nest. You don't have to worry about not touching them, I touch mine everyday from day one and have never had a doe reject her kits. You should be checking the kits everyday to see that they have full bellies and that none have died in the nest.

Congratulations on the popples!

I do the same...when I first started in 4-H I remember people telling me that you couldn't touch the babies because the doe would reject them and if you did you'd have to put vix/vanilla on the does nose blah blah...but I've always handled them, never had a problem. I think it's really important to get any dead kits out because if you don't they will start to decompose and then you have a much bigger problem on your hands. I do usually give the doe something (like oats) and pet her forehead before I dig in the nest, but it's really just as a treat to her for doing such a good job.
Congrats on babies!! I've got 2 new litters right now and it's just so exciting!!

 

[DKRabbitry]

Awww I want babies so bad!!! I haven't had any for like 4 months... It's killing me!! Congrats on your new arrivals!
We always touch ours right away. Like the others said, gotta check for any dead ones and clean up a bit.

 

[Snowfie]

Congrats on your rabbit babies! YAY!

Another week or two I hope to have some myself. Go bunnies!