Early Spring breeding....NOT

[Hopalong Causually]

Interesting conversation. I'm going to use a timer and give them two hours more light each day for a week and then try breeding them again. I'll report on the results.

 

[MWind]

We have learned that it is best to simulate spring about two weeks before we plan to breed. We do this by putting a heat lamp with just a regular 100 watt bulb on a timer so that it is daylight for 12 hours in the barn. We place it on the end with our does. This gets their bodies into thinking it is spring time in January or February. If you don't have a heated barn then you would probably want to use the heat lamp bulb instead so that the temp is between 50-60 degrees during those two weeks.

 

[Pastor Dave]

We generally have 50-60deg temps occasionally in February. That is when I shoot for breeding. I open the shed doors at 50degs and let them have air and natural light. If I can get an empty cage next to a buck or doe wanting bred, I put the two in proximity to each other. Temp goes up a little and they have enjoyed some "Spring" temps and get frisky, it's time.

 

[Hopalong Causually]

It has now been a week since I left the light on in the rabbit shed for an additional 2 hours each night. I tried all three does with my buck over the past two days. The oldest doe raised for one quick fall-off and allowed one more fall-off about fifteen minutes later before she decided that was enough yesterday. My most productive doe went through a similar routine today with two fall-offs and then a lot of vocal grumbling until I took her out. I tried my youngest doe today, too. She is almost a year old and absolutely refused the buck for ten minutes before trying to mount him. This behavior threw me for a loop and I immediately pulled her out. I'll give her one more week with the extended lighting of the shed and try again for the third time. That may be her last chance.

 

[Tale of Tails Rabbitry]

She is almost a year old and absolutely refused the buck for ten minutes before trying to mount him. This behavior threw me for a loop and I immediately pulled her out. I'll give her one more week with the extended lighting of the shed and try again for the third time. That may be her last chance.

The first time I saw this behavior with a first-time doe, I pulled her out to check that she really was a doe.

And she is still the one that is difficult to breed: runs the buck, backs into a corner, will not lift, humps him when he is too tired out, chasing her and then being chased by her, to try (no matter which buck), but she does motherhood well and has big meaty babies, so I put up with her and assist. Only twice did she ever just accept the buck without her "ritual" but that was after a week or two after the first try and the many that followed. Then that did not work either, so....

 

[Pastor Dave]

This response by the doe tells you and the buck she is responsive. Leave her in there because she is ready to let him mount her.

 

[Bunnylady]

I had one doe years ago that always fought the buck. I don't know if she just wanted to know if he was "man enough" or what, but I figured, as long as it didn't get too intense, just wait and watch. After a few minutes of fireworks, she would let him breed her. This doe also did absolutely no nest preparation until mere minutes before kindling, but when she started, it was Katy bar the door, she made the fur fly! Great mother; she just had her way of doing things.

 

[Tale of Tails Rabbitry]

This response by the doe tells you and the buck she is responsive. Leave her in there because she is ready to let him mount her.

I SO wish that were true with my doe, but apparently she did not get that memo.

I watched her in a buck's cage for hours at a time and she just continued to wear him out until they both went to sleep. I thought I could out last her once, but she did the same thing day after day for two weeks. She has been a good producer, just a more than reluctant participant in the actual 5-second mating process.

 

[Tale of Tails Rabbitry]

I had one doe years ago that always fought the buck. I don't know if she just wanted to know if he was "man enough" or what, but I figured, as long as it didn't get too intense, just wait and watch. After a few minutes of fireworks, she would let him breed her. This doe also did absolutely no nest preparation until mere minutes before kindling, but when she started, it was Katy bar the door, she made the fur fly! Great mother; she just had her way of doing things.

Well, my doe does not fight him, just runs around, and when he gives up, she humps him until she gives up, and a few minutes later they do this whole ritual again and then again...and so it goes until they both give up and fall asleep. However, I do think that same doe has the same nesting genes yours did.

 

[Hopalong Causually]

Well, what I think I learned from this is that the durn things have enough individuality as to show the folly of making generalizations. I keep trying to figure out what this or that behavior indicates and, sometimes, it doesn't indicate anything. It's just one rabbit being itself.

I'll give this youngest doe one more try in about another week and let her with the buck for a longer time. It looks like the other two does have been bred and I really didn't want to have three litters all at the same time anyway.