# 1st time



## Blue Skys (Nov 17, 2009)

It's my first time with rabbits so please be patient with me, but I got a breeding pair of NZW's and a Californian doe.  I just got them over the weekend.  I was planning on giving them a chance to settle into their new home, but was wondering should I wait until spring to breed them?  They are all about a year old, so I don't want to wait too long, but I'm not sure if either doe has ever had a litter.


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## Goatzilla (Nov 17, 2009)

I would breed both does right now on the same day.  Your chances of producing easy litters is way better now than waiting 6 months from now, especially with rabbits that age. If you have the ability to shelter them from the wind and provide good feed and water you will do ok. I live in the Northeast and breed a few does right through the winter in an outdoor enclosure. The advantage of breeding two does on the same day is that you can foster kits off to another doe if one isn't doing a good job or if one has too many.


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## Blue Skys (Nov 17, 2009)

I am really glad you said that!!  The more I thought about it the more I was leaning towards breeding them right now.  We have pretty mild winters where I am, so it shouldn't get too cold until they are a couple of weeks old, even then, cold is a relative term.  I will try to breed them Friday I think.


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## Blue Skys (Nov 17, 2009)

...


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## ()relics (Nov 17, 2009)

Yeah contrary to the previous info...Spring kindlings are much more productive than fall/winter kindlings....Not knowing what part of the world you live in...and not knowing exactly the condition of your potential breeders....Check my post in the birthing/weaning/etc section....This is just my opinion....BUT I have done it many times....Ideally I would wait until spring....again JMO


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## Goatzilla (Nov 17, 2009)

So spring kindlings are more productive with a rabbit that's going to be 18 months old next spring, and never been bred before vs breeding the rabbits at one year old this fall? the OP was asking info on these specific rabbits, not rabbits in general. I think even a doorknob knows that the spring breeding season is more productive than the fall/winter.  The chances of a doe kindling at 12 months old over a doe that is 18 months old and never bred before is way greater. 





			
				()relics said:
			
		

> Yeah contrary to the previous info...Spring kindlings are much more productive than fall/winter kindlings....Not knowing what part of the world you live in...and not knowing exactly the condition of your potential breeders....Check my post in the birthing/weaning/etc section....This is just my opinion....BUT I have done it many times....Ideally I would wait until spring....again JMO


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## ()relics (Nov 18, 2009)

Goatzilla said:
			
		

> So spring kindlings are more productive with a rabbit that's going to be 18 months... I think even a doorknob..... The chances of a doe kindling at 12 months old over a doe that is 18 months old and never bred before is way greater.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


If i read the OP I see that you bought a "breeding Pair" of NZW's.....I would then conclude that this pair has already produced kits....Or they wouldn't  be called a breeding pair they would be called a Sr. buck and a Sr. doe.....This would mean the doe has already kindled and make the "18 MONTH LIMIT" a non factor....It really is only a theory anyway.
   Secondly...I have asked ALL the doorknobs that I have seen in the last 2 days and NONE of THEM KNEW that piece of info.....
  Thirdly..."Way Greater" is my book is a very relative term....That would make it Your Opinion....
  Thus the Fourth point....YOU must have missed the JMO in the post...Or maybe you Didn't understand...The Opinion I gave was just that   Just My Opinion....
  And lastly YOU missed the part about the local climate and most importantly The condition of the NEWLY purchased breeders...."Ideally I would wait til spring"....I guess if you read it , it is kind of self explanitory.
Kits in the box....Different than words on the screen...check out the pictures.....AGAIN JMO


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## Goatzilla (Nov 18, 2009)

What part of what's in bold here didn't you get? Wouldn't it be prudent to breed the does now, just in case they have never been bred before? Especially since the OP has the benefit of a milder climate?

And yes, I have an opinion, just like yours, except mine is based on 30 years of raising meat and exhibition rabbits. Any breeder who has shown rabbits successfully (wins big consistantly), knows that you have to breed as many litters as you can through the fall and winter to have "quality juniors" for the spring shows. Usually, the consistant "rabbit show losers" are big believers in the "spring is the best time" theory. Some never learn.

Look, I had no intention of getting into an argument here, but you were very quick to "correct my advice" in my post without really considering the fact that the rabbits may have never been bred. it is fact, not opinion that older, stagnant, does do not produce as well as younger recently bred does. If you choose to argue that point, well, I don't think it's worth arguing about.

In the end, I totally understand that not everyone does things the same way, and on this we wil have to agree to disagree. I was merely trying to help the OP the best I know how based upon what I have learned through experience through the years. I apologize if my tone came off as offensive, but it was much less a "flame" as your last reply was. I'll take the high road from here on out. 





			
				Blue Skys said:
			
		

> It's my first time with rabbits so please be patient with me, but I got a breeding pair of NZW's and a Californian doe.  I just got them over the weekend.  I was planning on giving them a chance to settle into their new home, but was wondering should I wait until spring to breed them?  They are all about a year old, so I don't want to wait too long, but* I'm not sure if either doe has ever had a litter.*


*
*[/b]


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## Blue Skys (Nov 18, 2009)

If you want to go back and forth, do it in a different thread or pm.  I was simply asking a question because I'm completely NEW at raising rabbits.  I would like to be able to continue using this forum to learn as much as I can.  

I am interested in hearing many different opinions, that is what makes public forums so informative, many different people, with many different experience levels.  

I may not use the correct terms, excuse me for that, I'm completely new to raising rabbits.


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## BDial (Nov 18, 2009)

If you are set up for it I don't see any harm in breeding them now. Ya the litter may be smaller but first time litters are usually not as big anyway. I have 3 does due in two weeks. All 1st timers. I have one maybe two requests for show stock. If I have small litters oh well. I can breed again and have meat for the freezer at that time.


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## miss_thenorth (Nov 18, 2009)

Blue Skys said:
			
		

> If you want to go back and forth, do it in a different thread or pm.  I was simply asking a question because I'm completely NEW at raising rabbits.  I would like to be able to continue using this forum to learn as much as I can.
> 
> I am interested in hearing many different opinions, that is what makes public forums so informative, many different people, with many different experience levels.
> 
> I may not use the correct terms, excuse me for that, I'm completely new to raising rabbits.


Blueskys, I first got my rabbits at this time last year, and bred them right away.  my winters get down below freezing.  I bred mine right away, and I would recommend doing it.  Rabbits can take cold weather, as long as you provide a nesting box that keeps the kits our of drafts etc, the mom will pull enough fur to keep the babes warm.  don't worry, everything will be fine.      I breed my rabbits all year long.


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## Blue Skys (Nov 19, 2009)

I'm going to breed them tomorrow.  .  When the kits come in December I'll post some pictures!  
Thanks for your reply's, and encouragement!


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## miss_thenorth (Nov 19, 2009)

Good luck!! I just had a doe kindle this morning, I havn't gotten in there to see how many she had yet.


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## waynesgarden (Nov 19, 2009)

Goatzilla gave you good advice.

My own rabbits are breeding right now in the hills of Western Maine where it has been known to get on the cool side during winter.

If indeed spring breedings are more productive than fall breedings, then fall breedings are far more productive than not breeding.

You made the right choice, given the age of your possibly first-timer rabbits.

Wayne


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## miss_thenorth (Nov 19, 2009)

My bunn had 8 babies this morning, (I just checked)  This is a typical size litter for me.  The smallest I've had was 7, and the largest was 10.  I have three does and these numbers are consistent year round.   Again,  good luck with your doe!


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## Blue Skys (Nov 23, 2009)

So...  I think that breeding was successful with the NZ doe, but the Cali doe did not want anything to do with it.  I tryed Friday Saturday and Sunday, putting her with him for about 15 minutes twice a day, and she wasn't interested.  So...  I don't know if she might already be pregnant, or what.  How long should I wait to try again?


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## JoieDeViveRabbitry (Nov 24, 2009)

Are you sure she is a doe and that she isn't already bred?

 When you say "not interested" what do you mean, describe her behavior for me. 
 Is she lunging at him, grunting, whining or crying while he is trying to mount her? (She may be bred)
 Is he ignoring her completely? (Check sex and make sure she is a doe!)
 If she is indeed a doe, check her vulva and tell me what color it is. If it is pale and small she will not want to breed. Wait until she is bright pink/purple/red and more swollen.


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## Blue Skys (Nov 30, 2009)

JoieDeViveRabbitry said:
			
		

> Are you sure she is a doe and that she isn't already bred?
> 
> When you say "not interested" what do you mean, describe her behavior for me.
> Is she lunging at him, grunting, whining or crying while he is trying to mount her? (She may be bred)
> ...


Well, She is not being aggressive, she is just laying there, she won't lift up for him and gets in the corner, where he can't really get to her.  He is very interested.  Her vulva is pale, how often would I check to see if it changes?


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## JoieDeViveRabbitry (Dec 5, 2009)

Seriously you can check daily or every other day.
 If she is not aggressive you can certainly try holding her butt up for him to do the deed. Pick up the doe and hold her so her head is facing your stomach and she is looking right at you. Place doe in bucks cage, in this position. Use two hands if she is a big doe, slid your left hand palm up under her belly and sit her pelvis area in between your thumb and forefinger. Use your right hand to scruff her gently over her ears.
 She should be in the cage with her head hanging out the opening at your chest. 
 Bucky boy should come over and do his thing. You want to make sure your left forearm is not right in front of the does mouth and you may have to release your right hand over the ears to prevent a nip from the buck.

 Some breeders talk about using "tail strings". You supposedly tie a showlace or something to that effect around the does tail. 
 Put doe in cage, when buck mount pull the string lifting her butt up. 
*I have never used this method so I cannot tell you if it works. To me it sounds iffy, like injury could happen to the rabbits, tangling, hurting the tail, etc.*


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## Blue Skys (Dec 22, 2009)

Just wanted to let y'all know that the nz doe kindled this morning.  I had kind of started to think that she wasn't pregnant, but, this morning she had put a little bit of hay and fur in the nest box, so I gave her more hay, and like a mad woman, she started making her nest, I went back a little later to check on her and heard the babies.  I will go and see how many once I'm sure she's done.  i don't know if this is her first litter or not, but crossing my fingers that she's a good mama, and that the little ones live.  

Thanks for y'alls help!

I guess nature will take it's course no matter how I feel about it, or how much I over think it.  

edit because I can't type today.


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## kenman (Dec 22, 2009)

Congratulations! What has come from the Cali?


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## Blue Skys (Dec 29, 2009)

She still has not bred...

I'll give her a little longer yet, and see what happens.


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