Should I just give up and cull?

[pogo0685]

I got 2 does and a buck last august from some friends. I have been trying to breed them since. I have had no luck. So I need to know what to do. At first I just put them together and let him fall off 3 times. a few times of that not working and I put them together in the morning and in the night. A few more times of that not working and I put them together for 2 days. From that I got 1 doe that started to make a nest but then quit, and then one doe that made a huge nest but never had babies and now is maintaining the nest but I have not put her with the male in 2 months. So yesterday I got 2 new bucks, with the plan of getting 4 or more new does, BUT I was thinking that maybe its my buck that is bad so should I even try to breed these girls with the new boys or should I just cull them, buy new girls and start fresh? The old trio of rabbits are Californians and the new boys are rexs, if that matters at all. Thanks!

 

[ChickenPotPie]

Before I comment, will you share a bit more information that may be helpful in forming suggestions?

How old is the trio? Where or from whom did you get them? Have you bred and/or raised rabbits before these? What is your climate like? Is there an experienced breeder close to you that can teach you how to palpate?

 

[pogo0685]

I knew I was forgetting something. I am actually not sure how old they are. At least 1 1/2 - 2 years old. I got them from some people we knew who were moving away and we took their goats and rabbits. I have not had any experience with rabbits before, so other than what the internet has told me I don't know much, and we all know how the internet never lies . Climate is Southern Colorado. Hot hot in the day and chilly at night from May - October, Bitterly cold winters. They live in a hutch that has a roof and sides but open front and bottom (I did add nesting buckets and platforms for them when I learned strait wire hurts their feet) In the winter I put up tarps all around them to help block the wind and cold. I do my best to make sure they never run out of water, they might be overweight thinking about it. I feed them rabbit food and hay cubes or grass hay depending on what I have at the time. I have had no luck with finding a breeder who knows what they are doing whom I can learn from. So far I have just bred them and let them sit for 45 days, I figure by 45 days if they don't have babies they are not going to so then I would try again, wait another 45 days, try again, wait again. Its just not working for me and I am tired of feeding rabbits who have not fed me. Thank you so much for any help you can offer me. I really want this to work out.

 

[SA Farm]

If I were you I would try the does to your new bucks before you cull them to find out who isn't producing. Because your does are having false pregnancies (pulling fur, guarding nest), so chances are it's the buck who's not getting the job done. Usually if a buck falls over 3 or more times and the doe is bred twice a few hours apart, the doe should be bred.
Give them a chance with your rex boys and if they still don't produce, looking into finding some new does may be the way to go.

 

[ChickenPotPie]

That is good info to go on. Thanks. Well, I have a few suggestions but am wondering, since you mentioned you live in Southern Colorado....do you happen to be within a reasonable drive to Pagosa Springs? There is a rabbit show there this weekend. It might be the best thing for you to go and talk to a few folks there. Breeders and judges are generally very helpful and friendly and will readily spill out all the information and tips you are able to take in.

 

[ChickenPotPie]

On to my thoughts...Since you are just beginning, I find it best to start at the very basics - confirming you have bucks and does and you know which ones they are. I don't mean to offend by starting there but you'd be surprised how many folks assume which is which based on behavior and don't actually look underneath their rabbits. At their ages now, of course, it's super easy - bucks will have visible, hairless testicles, does will not.

"Falling off"....you have to know what that looks like to know if they actually did the deed. It is not just mounting and then getting off. It is typically, imo, a hilariously dramatic event. The buck will actually fall as if he was in the middle of something important and then suddenly, he is paralyzed (not really, just trying to provide a descriptive visual here) and tips over sideways. The falling off is usually preceded by an audible "umph" and the tipping over followed by recovery (stands back up on all four feet), then in the next few minutes, usually foot thumps, which, I always imagine is the bucks' way of saying "Who da man?!" or . Silly rabbits. LOL

So, once you know who is who, and what breeding actually look like, let's talk about weather and weight. Three days of temps of 85+ can temporarily make your bucks go sterile. It can take up to three months for them to be fertile again. Many folks either take extra precautions to keep their bucks cool and in good working order or they just plan to not have litters at certain times of the year. Weight can most definitely affect fertility. Keep your bucks and does, especially does, in tip top shape - muscular, not mushy. If they are a bit flabby on the outside, they are definitely holding a lot fat internally. To fix this, you're going to have to exercise them. Yes, make sure you are not overfeeding them but they are going to have to exercise to burn the internal fat. Give them a good two months to do this.

On a side note, I just thought I'd mention that unless they came with sore hocks, your Cals should do fine on metal grid floors if it was installed properly in your hutches and is the proper gauge. Typically, only Rex breeds, Belgian Hares, Flemish Giants and a few other large breeds need resting boards or completely solid bottom cages. If sore hocks is a problem, with your Cals, you can breed that out by introducing sturdier stock into your breeding program. Just a friendly suggestion.

 

[Citylife]

I understand your problem and have had it a few times. I would guess your does are overweight and if they have never gotten pregnant it gets harder as they age. Cut food down and try again. Once they have lost a little weight you can give them about a teaspoon of wheat germ on top of their food to help get her in the mood. Breeding her in the morning and then again in about 6 hours should give you a bit better chance. Do not leave them with the buck as you don't want them to get pregnant several days in a row. That can kill her litter and her. I rebreed if they have not kindled in 35 days. Good luck to you.

 

[pogo0685]

Thank you guys for all the replies, I had to go out of town over the weekend and never got a chance to reply. I will look out for the rabbit shows at the county fair next month and also the state fair in August. Thank you for all the advise. If anything over 85 degrees affect the boys then I am screwed because its 100+ here most days and I don't have an air conditioned barn for them to all live in. Thank you all though, I will keep trying with the girls and if nothing in a month or so then I will get new girls. I might just get the new girls anyway and just start trying with them too. Thanks again!

 

[Baymule]

I wouldn't advise breeding in the summer. It's hot, she's pregnant and wearing a fur coat. It is a good way to give a doe heat stroke, which generally kills them. Sounds like your does are fat, with a lot of internal fat, they won't get pregnant. Going to the rabbit show is a great idea, you will find rabbit people to be friendly and helpful.

 

[GD91]

First off, let me tell you my story...
Got 2 does & an unrelated buck. Spent FIVE MONTHS trying to breed them. Tried seperation, tried colony setting, gave more space, reduced space, put them in a shed with lighting, put them outside.... AAAAARRRGGGHH!
Finally produced 2 decent litters at the _same time in April. Now one of those does is on her second litter.

I think it was caused by:
A) the weather warmed up.
B) The does were over a year old & unbred & the buck was 5 months old & unbred.

Take nature into account & just keep trying. Your does may just be warming their engines up. Find what works & keep at it. Also the buck may just be getting it wring, follow through with what you wrote & find out.