Starting up the rabbitry

[ellistattoo]

Hello everyone, sorry for the lag in posts...

On December 16th I mated the new doe to my buck, on New Years Eve my buck died to reasons unknown. But last night my bred doe popped out three kits!!! Not the best start I guess but the ball is rolling and I'm having a blast. Pics soon...

On an unrelated note, no UAP manual in my stocking so I'll just have to buy it myself. I got some growbeds this week and soon will start an AP thread on my 1000gal system project...just need the manual first!

[GaryD]

Hi,

Congratulations on the kittens. Resist the urge to get too close to them during the first few days. A new mother may get frightened and trample on the babies. In extreme situations, she will even kill them.

On an unrelated note, no UAP manual in my stocking so I'll just have to buy it myself.

Life is simply not fair!

While the manual is good (I know the author), there's no need to let the absence of the manual stop you from getting started in AP.

Start off by telling us what your broad AP plan is and we'll get you going soon enough.

Gary

[ellistattoo]

LOL Gary, life isn't fair!

Good news and bad news, first the bad-Our new mother must have got spooked because she stomped her kits a day after she popped. Gary, your advise was sound and I'm currently taking steps to put distance between the rabbits and barking dogs (which I think was what spooked her).

Now the good news- I got 2 mature bucks and 4 does on saturday, all californians. Also I picked up a dressed fryer and the wife made rabbit and dumplings. Ya'll are right on the money about domestic rabbit, talk about delicious!!!

Pics as soon as I get some time...

[GaryD]

Mate, you will quickly develop an addiction to broiler rabbit.....it's gourmet food without doubt.

It's lean and fine-grained which makes it easy to digest.....an important point when it comes to feeding the elderly.

Gary

[ellistattoo]

I'm giving the one doe a second chance, rebred her a few days ago along with my recently mature doe. Each girl got a different sire. We'll see what happens in about a month...

[GaryD]

Hi,

It's not unusual that a rabbit doe will have problems with her first litter......particularly given the presence of the dog.

You'll probably find that she'll do better second time around.

Even if she messes up again, she might be worth another chance....given the circumstances. She would have been thumping the bottom of the nesting box - probably to warn the other rabbits about the presence of the dog and, in the process, she's killed the kittens.

Kids and pets need to be closely supervised around rabbits with newborn kittens.

The Californians are good-looking rabbits.

Gary

[Joey]

Hi Ellistattoo

I like your rabbits. As a young boy in holland my father kept rabbits for meat, that ended when we migrated to Australia. It was then illegal to keep rabbits in Australia.
For me I am too much of a softie to kill them so I won't keep them. Being a keen fisherman I am used to despatching fish so killing fish for me is much easier than killing a rabbit.

Cheers

Joey

[ellistattoo]

Hi Joey,

I hear ya on the dispatching, I'm gonna have a hard time sending the kits off to freezer camp. Don't seem to have that problem with catfish though! I just want to be able to produce as much of my family's food as possible, and butchering a cow seems like a LOT more work. LOL I'm very new to all this, but definitely got the bug! Your backyard looks highly productive, that's exactly what I'm trying to achieve. Cut out the supermarket

[ellistattoo]

...the brothel...
IMAG0223.jpg
Finally got some babies, about time!

In the next few days I'll take some pics of the worm bed underneath...

[Pugo]

Looking good my friend !! keep the pictures coming