Dinner rabbits, Journal

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Yesterday-

Made new cage tags for all the new & keeper buns.
Left info off the Amber kit, as idk which I'll end up keeping back.



So, the failing one is fed today, but now the white leg is failing.

 

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Raked out the floor, removed a nest, put up the tags & hung a 3rd light. I'm now thinking 4 would be best. And that shop light on the right sucks...lol

 

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Moved the rex & sf bucks to the buck side of barn.
Then posed a few...Man, I hate how they change.

 

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The flip flopping failing kits were both fed today! So, they both might make it.

 

[farmerjan]

This is going to probably be a dumb question....How many teats does a rabbit have? Or do the kits get on and drink and when they are full fall off and more get on? How many is considered a good average litter?

Like with our hogs, I used to cull any sow that did not have and raise 8 at least. We always counted teats on a sow and if she didn't have 12 she did not stay either. Had several that would have 14 teats and litters of 10-12 were considered good. Had a couple that would have 13-15 and always the runt would get shortchanged... but if they made it, then after a couple weeks there were usually more than one sow that had farrowed and they would go on whomever was laying down grunting... it was funny because you would hear one start to do the grunting thing, and all the pigs were squealing and next thing there would be 2 or 3 sows giving in to the piglets and then they would all be laying down and the pigs would go from one to another to get on a good teat and then they would fight each other to keep the good teat. I tried to have at least 2 due at the same time so I could put some from one sow to another when first fresh, if needed to equal out the numbers. They were in separate pens for the first week or 2, and once the piglets got active then they had access to a bigger lot. Funny how the sows usually would go into "their own spot" to have the pigs and then they would get much more agreeable to be together after a week or 2.
I realize that you have the does separate to kindle, but do you try to breed a couple at the same time and can you foster kits back and forth to other ones in the first day or 2?

 

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This is going to probably be a dumb question....How many teats does a rabbit have? Or do the kits get on and drink and when they are full fall off and more get on? How many is considered a good average litter?

Like with our hogs, I used to cull any sow that did not have and raise 8 at least. We always counted teats on a sow and if she didn't have 12 she did not stay either. Had several that would have 14 teats and litters of 10-12 were considered good. Had a couple that would have 13-15 and always the runt would get shortchanged... but if they made it, then after a couple weeks there were usually more than one sow that had farrowed and they would go on whomever was laying down grunting... it was funny because you would hear one start to do the grunting thing, and all the pigs were squealing and next thing there would be 2 or 3 sows giving in to the piglets and then they would all be laying down and the pigs would go from one to another to get on a good teat and then they would fight each other to keep the good teat. I tried to have at least 2 due at the same time so I could put some from one sow to another when first fresh, if needed to equal out the numbers. They were in separate pens for the first week or 2, and once the piglets got active then they had access to a bigger lot. Funny how the sows usually would go into "their own spot" to have the pigs and then they would get much more agreeable to be together after a week or 2.
I realize that you have the does separate to kindle, but do you try to breed a couple at the same time and can you foster kits back and forth to other ones in the first day or 2?

8-10, though, I've never actually counted.
Rabbits are weird. They are in a blind panic, rushing, spazing out the whole time. They find a nip, suckle furiously and then madly go searching for another one. And that's when kits that are "extras" can get a drink.
Would be nice if they had "assigned" teats like hogs! At least, my mini pigs would do that, then fight each other to keep it.


I like 8 kits. 6 minimum, 10 max. Any more than 10 and I worry they may starve. Any less and I wonder if mom is too fat or a mutt or something else is wrong.
Number also depends on breed and purpose. Show and dwarf tend to breed for fewer numbers, while meat breed for high numbers.

It's funny, every time I breed 2-3 does to kindle the same day, only one ends up bred. And I use multiple bucks. When it's a week+ apart, they all seem to kindle.
I'm waiting on a SF to have hers. If there's not a ton of them, I'll move the 2 runts over to her.

 

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Well, after playing musical cages with several buns, weaning a couple litters, weighing & posing several litters, carring out nearly a dozen to new owners & finally culling 7 more in three days last week...I was a bit cut up!
Time for welding gloves!
They match my welding spats, that keep hay out of my boots.

 

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Yesterday-

Totally different kit is now failing. Wtf. Whiteleg is fat n fed. 1st fader is small, but fed. This new guy is dehydrated, not willing to search for milk at all. Tried hand feeding, but like all others, refused to suckle. Really wish tube feeding rabbits was a thing!


I forgot about the top off of feed at the end if the day to my daily count.
18-20 quarts, plus 4qt end of day.
Now down to 12qt morning and 4-6 end of day. Am feeding more hay, though, as they're begging for it.


Two mutty kits will be dogfood tonight. Once Mutty2.0 is left, I'll move her up to a permanent cage.





Possed the 3 sale buns again, they look better this time. Black is 100% cull/pet, though.