# To rebreed or not?



## Lil-patch-of-heaven (May 24, 2010)

Well ... I was starting to think the does were not going to kindle after all. I bought two bred Cali does which were SUPPOSED to be over six months old. When I picked them up and read their pedigrees I saw they had actually been bred at only 4-1/2 months old. They are now a bit shy of 6 months. The buck is almost a year old. Theycome from a showing rabbitry. 

On day 31 one of the does had kindled 7 nice-looking healthy kits and covered them with fur. They are 2 days old and all appears well. The other doe had a dead kit on the wire and nothing in the box. I tried to revive it. It was still pink but appeared yo have a bite mark on the shoulder and a broken rib. That Dow later on the day started pulling fur. I checked on her but nothing else happenening until just after dusk when I found her in a bloody box with about 8 kits she appeared to have delivered within a few minutes' time. She was cleaning things up. Everything looked ok and I figured she really valued the privacy, since it seemed she killed the first kit and held off the rest until dark so I've kept very hands-off. All appears to be going well. Kits are moving up when it's hot, looking good, burying themselves at night. Doe visits at dusk at least. 

I'm trying to decide if I should rebreed. The does are still young. If I do not breed soon it will be too hot and they will get a few months off. I'm not worried about maximizing kits at this point -- more concerned with doing what's best for the rabbits. I wonder if a successful mothering experience is best followed quickly by another one?  And I know does should not be put off too long before first breeding but that doesn't apply -- just wonder if there are other breeding timing issues I don't know about?  

I would appreciate any input. My first inclination when I saw their actual ages was to put them off until September, especially if they didn't kindle. With both of them doing very well at this point I wonder  if it's good to let them kindle once more before fall?  I'm really looking at what's best for the does and their long- term health and mothering ability. 

Thanks for any suggestions or info!


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## Citylife (May 24, 2010)

In my opinion I think its fine to rebreed after the babies are weaned.  Sounds like your girls are good new mommies so far.  And the 2nd one, sometimes when they are cleaning babies and they are new they dont yet know when to stop and they get carried away.  
I say leave them alone as much as you can and just make sure mommy is getting pleny of food.  Sounds like they are doing well.

Good luck

The lady with 4 dogs, 4 city chickens, 4 meat rabbits, 7 kits and a lizard


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## Fancypants4569 (May 26, 2010)

Yep, I agree with CityLife


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## Lil-patch-of-heaven (May 27, 2010)

Thanks so much for the input. 

Later that day I did a closer inspection of both litters since both does seemed calm. Turns out they both kindled litters of ten and both are down to eight. All in all not bad for such young first timers. I think something was wrong with a kit that died at 3 days old. It just didn't seem to have the stamina and wasn't nursing well although all the others are fat and growing well, pretty similar in size, and launching themselves in tiny leaps. Eight is probably enough for them to try to feed anyway. 

Temps went up pretty sharply today and i had to give them all frozen bottles to stay cool. I'm thinking that if this keeps up I'm going to give them a few months off after all unless I end up installing fans or something. They are in the coolest place in deep shade with full air circulation but today was just too hot. I had to use the hose to mist several of the pens and one corner of the pasture for the other animals (not rabbits -- don't want them wet) so I'm thinking if temps continue climbing -- and they probably will along with humidity -- I don't want them kindling in late July. 

Though I'm guessing at a young age they might even handle it better in fact. Still, I have two large young does that produce large litters and know how to take care of them so it looks like the makings I'd hoped for and don't want to risk them at this point. 

thanks again, and I will be puttingback into production as soon as the weather seems safe.


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