# How many Does in your heard?



## Legacy (Apr 12, 2011)

How many does is a good size herd for produce a lot of meat?

I have 10 kids so we go through a lot of meat.

I've currently got 3 producing does and 2 more "in waiting" that aren't quite old enough.

My goal is to get about 8 does producing meat rabbits for personal use and 2 or 3 producing for the pet rabbit market.

Does 6 sound like a reasonable number for a family of 12?


----------



## rabbitlady4433 (Apr 12, 2011)

I'm not sure how many you would need.  Right now I have 2 does with 2 does on the way.  At this point I sell 1/2 of every 2nd litter to offset feed cost and have some in the freezer, but inevitably we run out before the next litter is due.  So, I'm increasing my herd by two's until I manage to get to an 'even' point.  (And two is about the number I can sneak in before my husband notices   by then it's to late and they're already home!)

We are a family of four.


----------



## 20kidsonhill (Apr 12, 2011)

I think you would need 2 males and 4 to 6 does to keep a steady supply of rabbit meat, and if you have a bumper crop you could always pass some on.


----------



## missfire (Apr 14, 2011)

I have 8 Does and 1 Buck, I breed 2 does at a time 1 or 2 weeks apart so the litters are spread out. By the time the first does are weaned out I rebreed them and the last does are haveing their kits. If I was to rebreed the does at 3 weeks you could double the kit numbers. Does can be rebred the same week they give birth but it's kinda hard on them but thats what the commercial guys do. So you acually could double it again so you would have approx. 12 to 18 to butcher every week or so. 

I have 18 to put in freezer camp in a week with 2 does to deliver this weekend.


----------



## Legacy (Apr 14, 2011)

I don't really want to put the strain on my does to rebreed as often as the commercial guys do it.  One of my girls is having a hard time raising the litter she has now. I will wait to rebreed her until she has weened them and she has gained some weight and gotten healthier. 

One of NZ white does is bred to a Champagne and I am really hoping for a bunch of black babies out of her so I can put them in my heard.

My 2 does "in waiting" were killed by a dog a few days ago so my next two "in waiting" are still about 3 or 4 months from being old enough.

I think I need to buy a few more.

I'm really wanting some standard rex to add to the mix. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the pelts. They are proving impossible to find.

I'm still thinking 8 does would be good and doing it like you do. Breed 2 of them every week or 2. That way, I keep a steady supply without over working them.

Thinking I need another buck too.


----------



## missfire (Apr 14, 2011)

One Buck is plenty for breeding once or twice a week, in fact keeping him working makes him more fertile. Haveing said that there is the downside being if he gets sick or one of the Does hurts him during breeding your without a backup. I am looking for a backup Buck from another breeder right now to mix up the herd instead of useing one of his. Good Luck.


----------



## dewey (Apr 14, 2011)

To give an idea of meat yield, each doe can yield around 100+ pounds yearly of dressed meat in the freezer...if based on 5 litters per doe, 8+ kits per litter.    

Commercial growers have a more intense breeding program than that but they also have a very high stock replacement percentage, around 50%, I think, without an increase in yield. 

We need 8 does for our own personal freezer use plus extras for other uses, along with bucks for different uses and back up bucks.


----------



## rickerra (Apr 25, 2011)

I just got my mature (2yo) breeding trio.  Two does who are sisters and an unrelated buck.  I was already thinking ahead to the eventual need for replacement breeders and herd growth, so I had one of the does mated to a different unrelated buck than the one I got in my trio.  The 2nd doe is mated to my buck in the trio.

So both litters will only be related as cousins... both having sister moms.  I'm hoping that is distance enough genes as to not worry.  I'm planning on getting sister does from one of the litters and a 2nd buck from the other.  So no brother/sister love... only cousin love.  Haha.

Does this sound like a good plan?

Cheers!


----------



## Boyd (Apr 30, 2011)

25 breeding does, 1 proven buck, 2 junior bucks one of which accidentally proved his worth


----------

