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  #1  
Old 01/27/10, 11:50 AM
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Florida
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I'm new to this

Hi, new to breeding rabbits. not sure what I need to do . I have 1 buck and 2 does right now. they're together as they are 2 months old. do I have to separate them? when? how do I know when they are ready to breed? any more info would be greatly appreciated. thanks
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  #2  
Old 01/27/10, 01:26 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: North Louisiana
Posts: 648
You need to go ahead and separate them. They will be ready to breed at 6 or 7 months old. What breed are they?

Emily
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  #3  
Old 01/27/10, 03:19 PM
aka avdpas77
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: central Missouri
Posts: 3,416
You don't really have to seperate them, buck from the does(if they are large or meat rabbits) untill they are 3 months old, but it would be good to seperate them now. If they are smaller breeds, they should be seperated very soon, If your cage is large enough, the 2 does can stay together untill the are 4 or 5 months old.
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  #4  
Old 01/27/10, 11:26 PM
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Washington
Posts: 1,387
The youngest doe known to have delivered a live litter was only 3-1/2 months old at the time she kindled. That means she was only 2-1/2 months old when she conceived! And... it happens more often than people like to think. I always tried to separate them at 8 weeks of age, and even then, some were "experimenting" with mating.

Now, before everybody starts jumping on me 'cause they've never had this happen to them, please remember that I ran a pretty large commercial herd (over 700) for over 10 years, and had smaller herds for 15 years before then. The more rabbits you have, and the longer you've been breeding, the more things you see. It's just the law of averages.

Pat Lamar
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  #5  
Old 01/28/10, 08:17 AM
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: PA
Posts: 319
"The more ya do the more you will see". Boy, is that ever true !
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  #6  
Old 01/28/10, 09:35 AM
Duchess of Cynicism
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 3,230
Sweet Saloma indicated that one of our young does recently kindled at less than 4 months of age. OUCH!!! I feel that ANY animal having babies before it's body is finished developing runs the risk of being stunted-- falling short of it's genetic potential for size/structure.
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  #7  
Old 01/28/10, 10:39 AM
Katie
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Twining, Mi.
Posts: 19,930
I woukld seperate them now, the buck in one hutch/cage & the 2 doe's in there own cages also. I started breeding our rabbits at 6 months of age.
Some folks like there rabbits in a colony setting but I keep all mine in there seperate hutches & put a doe in with the buck when I want to breed them. Too many fights & unknowns for me with a colony setting.
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