# Too late to try?



## Rocky Knolls Rabbits (Oct 20, 2011)

I should have put my Mini Rex doe in with my buck back after I got them all settled in last month but I didn't...so my question is 'Is it too late in the year to try and get her bred?  Looking at the calendar they'd arrive towards the end of November. Would that be too late for a litter?  She's had litters before I bought her and was told she had 6-8 each time and was a good mother so I'm tempted but if it's too late in the year to be safe for her and the litter I'll wait until spring.


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## woodleighcreek (Oct 20, 2011)

Rocky Knolls Rabbits said:
			
		

> I should have put my Mini Rex doe in with my buck back after I got them all settled in last month but I didn't...so my question is 'Is it too late in the year to try and get her bred?  Looking at the calendar they'd arrive towards the end of November. Would that be too late for a litter?  She's had litters before I bought her and was told she had 6-8 each time and was a good mother so I'm tempted but if it's too late in the year to be safe for her and the litter I'll wait until spring.


Nope! I just bred 2 of my does.


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## Rocky Knolls Rabbits (Oct 21, 2011)

woodleighcreek said:
			
		

> Rocky Knolls Rabbits said:
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I see your in S.C., I'm up near the MD/PA line...I'm not sure if that makes any difference or not.


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## Ms. Research (Oct 21, 2011)

Are your rabbits outside?  That would be my only concern.  I live in New Jersey so it does get a bit chilly around end of November.  I would still try but put extra hay in the nest box to keep new kits warm and out of the elements.  They need some protection, along with the adults.


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## woodleighcreek (Oct 21, 2011)

As long as your buck's  Testicals are not shrivled up, then you should be fine!


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## Ms. Research (Oct 21, 2011)

woodleighcreek said:
			
		

> As long as your buck's  Testicals are not shrivled up, then you should be fine!


Just curious.  Why would the testicles be shriveled up?  Due to the cold?  Or because of the seasonal change?  I know that it's hard to breed rabbits in the winter (Dec/Jan) because of loosing light earlier.  I've read if you put better lighting in your enclosure you can keep them going year round.  

As someone with no experience in breeding and "nuggetless" bucks, I'm kind of in the dark on this one. :/


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## woodleighcreek (Oct 22, 2011)

Ms. Research said:
			
		

> woodleighcreek said:
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You know, Im not entirely sure. I have noticed that they tend to shrivel up-more on the older bucks-in very hot or cold weather.


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## DKRabbitry (Oct 22, 2011)

I have heard of it being too hot to breed rabbits (fertility-wise), but never too cold.  Here in MI, the only issues we have in cold weather are freezing kits from inexperienced mothers.  As long as they are out of the wind and have a good nest built, there is no reason your doe couldn't be bred and kindle in sub zero weather.  I have talked to many people that breed all year and we breed into early winter.  The only reason we don't have litters born Dec-Feb is that it is so cold it is hard to keep water thawed so they are not eating as much so they aren't really getting the nutrition to be nursing kits.


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## Rocky Knolls Rabbits (Oct 24, 2011)

Well I had her visit the buck on Saturday and he appeared to get the deed done so we'll see what happens in a month or so.


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## CYGChickies (Oct 24, 2011)

Good luck! Hoping for a healthy happy litter!

CYG


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## homesteader (Oct 24, 2011)

Ha! Sometimes heat is an issue. I breed all my does in the evening or early morning. To answer your question would depend on weather the pens are in out of the wind or not, as long as the wind is blocked i would say go for it. Make sure you have more straw in the nest box. Here in Tn And Pa I've had no problem. In fact I'll breed 3 does in Feb for new breeding stock.


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## Rocky Knolls Rabbits (Oct 24, 2011)

I do have it blocked from the wind and I made the hutches so I can pull off the plywood walls and put up rabbit cage wire to allow air through in the summer.  If I would have thought it out I would have put the wire on the hutches then screwed the plywood overtop the wire, but it won't take much to fix that in the late spring.  I now need to make the nest box out of the scap plywood before it gets too late...procrastination has a way of kicking you in the behind.


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## Petit Jean Bunnies (Dec 1, 2011)

As long as you have an enclosed barn of hutch that you have them in there is really not a problem with winter breeding. You have to make sure the kits don't freeze to death due to exposure, but I've noticed if you put a heat lamp on them or a heat pad under them, and keep the drafts out you should be good!
Another thing for future reference would be to save fur that the mother pulls for her spring and summer breedings {when she will most likely pull more due to the heat} and save it for winter breedings in a little ziplock baggy with a label to know which doe it is from. It will just help to keep them warm and safe with all the extra padding.


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