Rex for meat and fur

[firedragon1982]

I have my first litters hitting 12 weeks this weekend. I have noticed one does litter is now mostly molted into their first true rex coat, but are at about 4 lbs 12 oz currently. The other litter is at 5 lb 5 oz already, but are hanging on to the baby coat still. I've read about waiting for the 6 month mark for true adult prime on the coats, but I don't have room to continue housing 10 bucks... That one litter that is hanging onto baby coat had 6 bucks!

Since it is my first process with my own litters and first attempt at tanning/tawing, should I even worry about the pelt this time around? Any advise?

 

[promiseacres]

Good question. Following

 

[Latestarter]

If they are at butcher weight and you need the space, I'd say go for it and send them to freezer camp. use these first pelts for practice since you've never done it before, no sense waiting and then potentially ruining more valuable pelts.

 

[Pastor Dave]

I strictly do meat because my attempt at reaching 5lbs by 10 weeks results in tender, immature hides. You really do get a good quality hide waiting til 6 mos.
My litters become sexually active between 10 weeks and 12, so I really don't like keeping them in a meat pen together past 10 weeks.
You can work on them when they're young hides, but be careful because mine ended up full of holes.

 

[firedragon1982]

I strictly do meat because my attempt at reaching 5lbs by 10 weeks results in tender, immature hides. You really do get a good quality hide waiting til 6 mos.
My litters become sexually active between 10 weeks and 12, so I really don't like keeping them in a meat pen together past 10 weeks.
You can work on them when they're young hides, but be careful because mine ended up full of holes.

Yeah, I already separated the boys from the girls at weaning, and then checked every few days for the last few weeks to make sure I got them right. But space is very cramped right now, having 5 boys to a cage and 2 and 3 girls to a cage, they eat and poop an enormous amount! Definitely ready for the room back. Unfortunately not many people have been interested on craigslist for the rabbits at this point. Only 2 people, and one's does are related to my buck, and she wanted a further genetic separation, and the second one never replied. Oh, technically there were 3 people, one thought they were minis even though I said standard in the add... Oh well, more experience for me! And I think the jr hides would be good to learn the basics on at least for the alum/salt process. So many articles out there!

 

[Pastor Dave]

Don't rule out braining. It doesn't take much, and a blender can make a smoothie real quick.
The Native Americans always said each animal's brain can do that one hide. However, I get a hog or beef brain and you can do the whole batch.
Sounds like you know what you're doing though. Mine don't usually stack up too much unless I can't get mustered up to go out and butcher.

 

[firedragon1982]

I also read that instead of brains can use egg yolk, and goodness knows we have plenty of eggs right now (a dozen a day! More than peak of production last year!)

 

[farmerjan]

Too bad you aren't closer, I have been looking for some standard Rex with the idea of meat and pelts but the only ones around here are mini's that I've found. I haven't been scouring the bushes for them, but every time I am at a swap or somewhere, I do look. Didn't even see any at the WV state fair last year and they have a pretty big rabbit show.

 

[DutchBunny03]

If the rabbits had different sires and/or dams, it is probably genetics. Prime butcher age for a good pelt is 10 months, so they still have a while to finish maturing. Good luck!

 

[Pastor Dave]

Good thing I don't do the hides. I would be so overrun with grow-out pens!
I currently have 10 cages and two spares.
4 does, each one can utilize their own grow-out pen, and two bucks. But I breed two does, and alternate my other two so they're offset.
I usually have two meat pens, two litters of kits with the does, and the other two does kindle again by the time my meat pen litters are ready to butcher. I wean at 5 weeks, and as the litters are moved out, the does get a couplafew days off, then bred again.
The cycle continue every 5 weeks. Meat pens are butchered, litters weaned, and offset does kindle. I get abt 4 maybe 5 litters a year per doe.