|
Post by macmex on Aug 2, 2020 5:17:16 GMT -6
No, I just hung it on the side of the cage. It was important not to put so much milk in the bottle that it curdle a lot. (Couldn't help but that some curdle.) They must have been a bit older than 8 days, as they were jumping out of the nest box. I simply removed the box, as it was quite warm and the box served no purpose.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 15, 2020 7:37:51 GMT -6
Just discovered: 5 bucks and one old doe. There's a local breeder ima check out for another doe. Probably not going to pan out for a while with the high demand.
|
|
|
Post by macmex on Aug 21, 2020 5:53:43 GMT -6
Jerreth brought to my attention that I've packed so much rabbit meat into the freezer, that we're going to struggle with the steer we hope to butcher this fall. So, I'm going to sell some rabbits instead of processing them. I usually do Craigslist. We'll see how it goes.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2020 6:47:13 GMT -6
I'm going to process my extra bucks leaving room for three breeding age does. Haven't made any calls yet. I'm looking forward to sterilizing the entire hutch before bringing more in. My precious time is wasted by scouting for tomato horn worms and the drought at the moment. ha
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2020 15:47:15 GMT -6
Hey, I need some advise. Just to recap what I have in the rabbitry:
D1 -1 Black NZ big doe, but she's pushing 3 years old now. B1 - Blackeye B2 - 1 Albino buck selection from crossing these two. He's pushing 6 mos old now.
I will cross D1 and B1 again, but will wait until consistent cooler weather to avoid harming D1. I'm not relying on her, but I will try.
Thus, I need replacement Does. Note: Something is telling me I need to maintain a full blood NZ line. I don't know why, but I'm trusting it. Blackeye and other crosses for freezer camp kids is fine. Down the line I'll pick up a full blood NZ buck.
Locally there is gal that has 2 mos old does. In Tryon, there are 1 mos old Tamuk rabbits. In Tahlequah, there is George.
I am in the process of culling and sterilizing the rabbitry now, but I am assuming it will remain infested with snuffles. If I bring more rabbits in, they might not be immune to it. I am hesitant to run off and buy two does, but I really need to get ramped up in breeding. If I don't buy two now, only one will probably be old enough to breed to get a good herd going mid winter.
Again, how early can I start breeding the does?
I really need 3 does - two on, one off. I had hoped to have familiar does this winter. So frustrating!!
|
|
|
Post by macmex on Aug 29, 2020 5:07:18 GMT -6
I agree, Bon. You need at least two good does, just to avoid a possible crash. Your black doe may produce for you, but at that age I always assume that a doe may poop out on me at any time. I would definitely get two does.
New Zealand (NZ) is good. You can't go wrong with good New Zealand rabbits.
I am no expert on rabbit illnesses. There are those who are, in some of the Facebook groups, but the problem is that some will go to such extremes that it is not economically justifiable. I'm on the other extreme of the spectrum. The best "remedy" for a sick meat rabbit is to cull it and replace it. If necessary, I'd consider culling every rabbit with snuffles and replacing them after flaming and sterilizing cages.
Remember I had a doe drop dead this June, a week after giving birth to 11 kits? I managed to save most of that litter by jury rigging a way to bottle feed them. I've concluded there's something going on. Here's what I have observed:
1) The dead doe's mother also died unexpectedly, while young (similar death).
2) This litter, though apparently healthy, is just a tad slower in growth than kits from their "aunt."
3) Since saving this litter, I've had two kits die in a suspicious manner. In the evening they all appear well and happy. In the morning I have a dead kit in the cage.
All this makes me suspect something contagious. I am growing this litter out and I'll eat them, but I WILL NOT save a single one for breeding. Furthermore, I won't exchange equipment between their cage and any other rabbit cage in my rabbitry.
I already set aside one of their cousins to be my replacement doe. Once I butcher off this litter (in a couple weeks) I'll solarize and then flame their cage before I use it. It just seems too likely that there's a pathogen floating around there.
I put the kits from the good litter (now about eating size) up for sale, on Craigslist. So far there have been no takers, which has often been my experience when selling rabbits. It doesn't bother me, as we eat a whole lot of rabbit. Having said that, I had a potential buyer contact me this week. He would have purchased a trio, if I had sold him two does from my trustworthy litter and a buckling from he "iffy one." I wouldn't sell him one. I would consider that unethical, as I can't justify setting someone up for probable failure. So, that potential buyer didn't buy anything.
All this to say that I think your possibilities for replacement rabbits look good and doable to me. This is a good time of the year to set yourself up for a productive winter.
|
|
|
Post by macmex on Aug 29, 2020 5:19:56 GMT -6
I forgot the mention: large breeds of rabbit are generally bred at 5 mos. of age. They shouldn't be weaned until a minimum of 5 weeks. I prefer to wean a few weeks later than that.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2020 10:43:46 GMT -6
Thank you George. Funny: I was going to solarize cages this week in the intense heat, but it will be cloudy (and hopefully rainy!) all week. LOL Still good to get them out there. I've been torching as I go. The design was for this purpose, but being down to three buns will give me the opportunity to scrub with bleach and torch the shed before winter.
Blackeye, because he's so big is still isolated and outside of the hutch. I suspect D1 and the gift rabbits were carriers. I'm going to switcharoo with cages, get her in isolation.
|
|
|
Post by macmex on Sept 7, 2020 8:27:24 GMT -6
She asked a fair price. Mine are also "meat mutts." I just raise what I find to work well, adding new blood when necessary. I'll probably be getting a new buck, a White Satin, from a friend, in the coming week. I'll have to butcher my old New Zealand buck, which I find a little hard. He's probably got another year of service on him and I've worked very hard this summer to keep him healthy. Nearly lost him to the heat at one point, but pulled him through.
|
|
|
Post by macmex on Oct 2, 2020 6:50:53 GMT -6
If she grabbed hay with her mouth, then she believes she's pregnant and will probably build a nest. There is a thing called a false pregnancy, but one has to treat it just as if it were really a pregnancy, since generally one doesn't know of sure whether it's false or not.
My oldest doe, Blackeye's mom, has gotten a little grumpy and goes for me when I scrap out her cage. Sometimes she even goes for me when I'm putting food in her dish. I'm just cautious about how I do things and tolerate it. After all, she is now a "senior citizen." I'll cut her some slack
Over on Facebook, in a meat rabbit forum, I saw a neat invention. Someone made sling hammocks for their rabbits. Apparently the rabbits loved them! I'm not that handy, otherwise I might try it.
By the way, Blackeye's mom is probably now the largest doe I've ever had. She seems to keep growing! She's huge!
|
|
|
Post by macmex on Oct 8, 2020 9:18:12 GMT -6
My guess is that the rabbit itself did this. You'd be amazed how active they are, when they think no one is watching. I bet the rabbit undid the wire, and being very proud of itself, proceeded to play with it until it got hung up on the cage in its new location. If you hadn't gotten to it, it would probably have unhooked it again for another round of play.
During kidding season we hang a baby monitor in the barn, where the goats bed down. That's right next door to the rabbit area. When we first did this we were amazed at the racket caused... by the rabbits. They really party at night!
|
|
|
Post by macmex on Oct 11, 2020 8:20:56 GMT -6
Blackeye's momma is having babies this morning too. She was pulling fur when I took care of the rabbits. First litter of the fall!
|
|
|
Post by macmex on Oct 15, 2020 12:57:00 GMT -6
We had terrible problems, raising rabbits, for a couple of years after moving to Oklahoma. They were being bothered at night. I moved them to their current location and then they started producing for us. Before that we ate two or three sets of breeding stock, thinking it was their fault.
Blackeye's mom made her nest but hasn't kindled yet. Maybe tonight. I need to look at the calendar. Wait, I just looked. She's due on Saturday.
|
|
|
Post by macmex on Nov 1, 2020 19:30:43 GMT -6
I just hit them with a flame, as in weed burner. The heat sterilizes them.
I checked the newest batch of kits on Saturday. i don't know how many there are (at least six though) but they are nice and fat. Every one is white with black spots. I think I have another doe due to have her first litter within a week or two. I need to check the calendar.
|
|
|
Post by macmex on Nov 2, 2020 6:43:20 GMT -6
Sometimes does will lose their first, or even second litter, due to immaturity. This is just like sheep. First time mommas often neglect their lambs, losing them.
If she's had successful litters before, then I would suspect something is disturbing her at night This will cause a doe to neglect or even kill her own kits.
You could easily soak that feeder in a bucket of water a few hours and then set it out where it receives sunlight. I'd consider that adequate cleaning for the problem you're having.
|
|