Causes for sudden lack of interest in breeding?

[brentr]

On Sunday evening I palpated my doe who was at day 12 past breeding date, found no kits (or so I thought), so I put her in with a buck (Buck A). She was receptive and was bred 3-4 times (I left her in for about 20 mins). Two hours later, she was put in with another buck (Buck B) and was begrudgingly receptive and was bred 3-4 times. Again, she was only in for about 20 mins. I had planned to also breed her Monday AM as well, but did not have time to do so. Monday night, about 24 hours past first breeding, I put her in with Buck A again. She was not receptive at all, nipping and growling at him. The interesting thing is after an initial sniff of her tail by him, he showed no interest in mating - nothing for the time they were together. So I swapped the doe and Buck B into each others' cages, left them overnight to try and get them excited by picking up each others' scents. Next morning (Tues AM) brought her to Buck B. Same exact result with Buck B as Buck A! She was NOT receptive, and he showed no real interest in breeding. A few sniffs of her tail, but nothing else.

Has anyone else experienced this? What might it mean? On Sunday night, with the initial breeding by both bucks, they were raring to go, and went right after her. The next times, nothing. She was not friendly, but I would definitely describe the bucks as not interested, not scared off by her.

I am being a little more agressive in trying to breed this doe because she has a string of unsuccessful breedings since her last litter, which was in May.

Would it be possible that in 24 hours her hormone levels would change if she were indeed pregnant and cause this type of behavior? Can bucks "smell" that she is not receptive/pregnant? I'm almost more perplexed by seeing identical behavior from the two bucks than the doe's behavior. She is typically begrudgingly receptive when breeding.

Thanks for your help.

 

[doubled]

I would not breed 2 days in a row, multible times within about 6 hours yes, but not 24. number-one she might have a litter in nest then 24 hours later have a litter on wire, two- have one and reject the other, three have more kits than faucets available causing litter not to grow as fast as should. Fat and heat can sterilize a buck, do you have other Doe's bred by same buck that had litter's? And Yes she can reject a Buck if she's pregnant or no longer READY ect.

 

[therealsilkiechick]

i would assume she is pregnant and yes the bucks can tell she would give off a different scent. sometimes i swear the girls can tell the hormone change cuz they quit trying and start that barking noise or just loose intrest. i'd not breed 2 bucks that close together with same doe. how do u know who the daddy is? u can have both father babies in one litter. i'd breed to one then after she missed or babies weened breed to other. i'd want to make sure i could tell it wasn't something one of the bucks was doing. if done at same time how would u know who was causeing the prob? what happens if u get a certain color u want or a defect pops up u don't want? since 2 were used u'd have to practice breed to find how u got that special one u want to try to make more of. if a deffect then u have 3 breeders u have to figure out who is throwing it and why will take twice as long to figure out because u have to weed out who is throwing what and why to fix or avoid it happening again.

 

[brentr]

i would assume she is pregnant and yes the bucks can tell she would give off a different scent. sometimes i swear the girls can tell the hormone change cuz they quit trying and start that barking noise or just loose intrest. i'd not breed 2 bucks that close together with same doe. how do u know who the daddy is? u can have both father babies in one litter. i'd breed to one then after she missed or babies weened breed to other. i'd want to make sure i could tell it wasn't something one of the bucks was doing. if done at same time how would u know who was causeing the prob? what happens if u get a certain color u want or a defect pops up u don't want? since 2 were used u'd have to practice breed to find how u got that special one u want to try to make more of. if a deffect then u have 3 breeders u have to figure out who is throwing it and why will take twice as long to figure out because u have to weed out who is throwing what and why to fix or avoid it happening again.

I breed my rabbits for meat for my family. No concerns about paternity questions here. The bucks are different colors/breeds (NZR and Am Blue) and I actually think it would be kind of cool to have a litter with kits from each sire (but I wouldn't be able to tell for sure, as you mention.) Thanks for your thoughts, though.

 

[Citylife]

Storeys guide to raising meat rabbits is well worth the price.

the lady with 4 dogs, a foster dog, 5 city chickens, 6 meat rabbits and their kits.