How long do you wait after weaning to breed again?

[Somebunny2love]

Probably a dumb question, but I'm a newbie at this. We're on litter #2 with our Lionheads, and my husband has agreed that I can keep breeding them if I want to! He has even agreed to let me purchase another doe. I'm really excited, and I'm loving the baby bunnies, but I want to breed them responsibly, and I don't want to jeopardize the health of my doe by breeding too frequently.

 

[Bunnylady]

Commercial breeds (the big rabbits bred for meat production) are worked pretty hard - the does are typically rebred when their litters are only days old; the kits are weaned at an early age to make room for the next litter. Most pet breeds simply aren't geared toward that kind of production. For a pet breed, 3 - 4 litters per year is more usual.

 

[secuono]

Some wait until 4-6wks to breed. It's really up to you.
I give mine the Summer off, too hot to risk anything. Breed back at 4-6wks, depending on how many the doe has.

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

depends alot on the doe and her condition and how much she can handle before loosing condition.
lionheads tend to be what i think of as sorta the "little yippy dogs" of the rabbit breeds. they are small and very light and more high maintenence then other breeds. they are more of a "take to shows and win things and breed when you want a couple more to show" rabbit.
they have small litters generally of 2-4. and if they have larger litters, like 6, then usually one or two die anyhow.

meat breeds are bred to be vigorous and keep weight and condition even with fast breed backs. lionheads arent.
i would guess that if you are weaning at 4wks (when i think moms tend to wean them on their own anyhow) that you would wait until 8wks after she kindled to breed her back. and then only if she is keeping condition and not loosing wieght or anything.

alot of it is trial and error. you may breed her and she wont take or she will have them and loose them because she cant feed them. or she may have them and be healthy and happy and all live. have to find out what each doe can handle individually.

good luck

 

[pennylove]

If these are rabbits are your pets, which it sounds like they are, give the doe ample recovery time before breeding her again. Yes, rabbits can and will breed quickly, but that doesn't mean it's the best thing for their health. I would wait 8 weeks after birth to breed again, which is about four litters per year.

 

[DianeS]

Personally, I want to average 4 litters per year per doe. That shouldn't put too much strain on any individual. But I don't space them evenly. I don't want them to give birth in the coldest part of winter - too much chance the litter will get too cold and die. And I don't want them to be in the "mom and litters" cage in the hottest part of summer - too much chance of getting overheated because of where I had to put that particular cage. So for me, that means two back-to-back litters in spring and again in fall. So far so good with that schedule for her.

 

[manybirds]

Probably a dumb question, but I'm a newbie at this. We're on litter #2 with our Lionheads, and my husband has agreed that I can keep breeding them if I want to! He has even agreed to let me purchase another doe. I'm really excited, and I'm loving the baby bunnies, but I want to breed them responsibly, and I don't want to jeopardize the health of my doe by breeding too frequently.

some breeders go just 2 weeks after the last litter is weened some breeders go 6 weeks after and some breeders only go 4 times a year. i personally think breeding 2 weeks after the last litter is weened is a little to much. i would wait at least 4 weeks. i would go at least 4 times a year otherwise the doe gets stupid in the whole baby raising thing and tends to let her kits die

 

[CYGChickies]

We rebreed two weeks after weaning at the quickest but we also play it by ear. Our babies stay from six weeks to eight weeks with mama so two weeks after the babies have been taken out. Usually we start making them available at six weeks and those who aren't taken just stay with mama up to 9-10 weeks. Otherwise the runt just stays an extra week (7). Sometimes does just don't look recovered (haven't replaced pulled fur, seem tired etc, and in such cases we wait.

I try to breed my does at least 4 times a year and skip the really hot months. I have does due in the next two weeks--a little later than I'd like but the girls weren't cooperating this time--and they're the last to breed until mid/late-August of September, whenever it cools back down. I also have fair season coming up and so my show does have all had their last litters until Fall. So far the barn keeps them about 10-15 degrees cooler than outside temperature and it's open on both ends and pulls in great breezes. I'm very pleased with my setup.

CYG