Larsen Poultry Ranch - homesteading journey

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

I bred my rabbits Oct 4-6, so getting close to kindling time, I'm going to put the nest boxes in soon. It will be second litters for Paprika and Cinnamon, and third litter for Pepper. Pepper has had 7 kits each time before, Cinnamon had 6, and Paprika had 5. I'm hoping they have decent numbers this time, but mostly just hoping they are actually pregnant and keep all the babies alive.

 

[AmberLops]

Hoping for the best for you does/kits!
First litters are almost always awful...2nd litters are so much better.

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

Hoping for the best for you does/kits!
First litters are almost always awful...2nd litters are so much better.

Yeah, the first litters were bad. Pepper's first was 7 kits, but she had them all over the cage and box, three didn't make it right away. One was cold but I held it until it warmed up, the other three were in the nestbox under fur; she raised those remaining 4 just fine. Her second litter was all in the box and all 7 lived. Cinnamon's first litter was 6, end result was 3 that made it. Paprika's first litter was 5, none made it. It was the heat though, that caused the losses to Cinnamon's and Paprika's litters, I made a thread about it. They both were good moms, just stupid human bred them at the wrong time.

I'm hoping paprika's kits turn out the same as last time, they were chunky little things. I'd like to try and keep a doe from this litter to breed with my new castor Rex buck, then half the kits should have Rex fur too. They would be meat litters though.

 

[Baymule]

For cold, on the wire, babies, just stick them in your bra. Warm up one side, then turn the little ice cubes over. They warm right up and your hands are still free to do your chores.

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

For cold, on the wire, babies, just stick them in your bra. Warm up one side, then turn the little ice cubes over. They warm right up and your hands are still free to do your chores.

Yeah, I tried to save the ones from that first litter, but they were already gone. I've got a little more experience now, but it all depends on how long they were on the wire.

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

So, I think Frost was shooting blanks, due dates came and went, and no baby bunnies. I'm going to try again on the 16th. I think I'm going to pair Paprika and Cinnamon with Frost, and see if Pepper will be nice to Expresso. I don't even know if he's ready but there's only one way to find out. She's chinchilla colored, and may have double chinchilla gene. I know he has full color C gene, but not what he's carrying, except I don't think it's chinchilla. So that pairing might help figure out some genetics, possibly on both sides.

 

[Baymule]

Bummer-no babies.

 

[AmberLops]

Fingers crossed for babies next month

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

I put Frost and Paprika together on the 16th and she was a good girl and lifted right away. Two success fall offs! Expresso's cage is right there and he was super interested in the action. I was hoping he'd learn what to do by watching Frost.

I then put Pepper in with Expresso and he was really trying. She wasn't having anything to do with him though and refused to lift, which she's done the last few times I tried to breed her. He was sniffing her all over and even licked her ears a few times. I gave it about 15 minutes and although he was, um, active, he wasn't in the right zone most of the time even if she had lifted for him. I even tried holding her up a little but he was just confused as to why I was in the cage.

Yesterday 11/17 in the morning I put Cinnamon in with Frost and she kept herself tucked in the corner and refused to cooperate. I even tried taking her for a ride around the block in the car, took over 6 minutes but still no dice. I ran out of time to try Pepper and Expresso again.

Tonight 11/18 I put Cinnamon in with Frost and she lifted right away! Frost was super happy and was doing his little foot stomping afterwards. They had three fall offs! Then I put Pepper in with Expresso and she was actually receptive but he still was having trouble figuring it out. I think part of the problem is that he is a little bigger than she is, so he's not, ahem, lining things up correctly. I need to weigh him but I think Expresso is probably bigger than Frost. I think Pepper was getting frustrated at Expresso's lack of success and she started chasing him around the cage. I will try them again tomorrow morning if I can get going early before work.

 

[Baymule]

Rabbit Romance.