So, with # 1&2 do you require that right from the first litter. Doe #1 had seven and they are doing good. So if doe # 2 only has 4 or 5 next time and doe # 1 only has 7 again, do you count that or do you let them age into it. This is only their first litter. Thanks
I require that from the first litter. I do not generally breed commercial types until they are 6-7 months old, and my Americans not until they are 8 months old.
You work with what you have. If you only have 2 does and they are both crummy, do the best you can, save the best two does out of your best doe, breed them when they are old enough, and cull out the worst doe. Or go buy some quality breeding stock. It will save you money and time long term. But you can grade up within your own herd, it will just take longer and alot of culling.
The #2 doe who is only giving you 4-5 per litter is wasting cage space for a different doe who will produce you 15-20 more kits a year, which is 50-80 more pounds of meat for the same amount of feed. Say that chicken is $2/lb right now (rabbit is worth alot more though) at the grocery store. That small litter producing doe is costing you AT LEAST $100-160 dollars per year in the pocketbook of wasted cage space and meat. Most does I keep around 2-3 years, sometimes 4 if she is exceptional. So if you keep her 2 years, she will cost you at least $300 that another doe could be producing for you.
Doe #1, I would give another chance. Breed her, breed her 5 minutes later and then 8 hours later. You should get a higher litter rate doing it this way.
Doe #2, since you have her, and it sounds like you only have 2 does, give her a go again. If she has a small litter or doesn't take care of them, I would stew her. She is costing you money.
Do you have commercial type breed/s, or crossbreeds from commercial type breeds? How much do the does weigh? Don't guess, use a good scale. Not a bathroom scale. Make sure you do not have like a Mini Lop cross rabbit, or a medium sized or smaller breed, as they will produce smaller litters.
One of Z's smaller Californian does produced 12 kits per litter for 4 years. I did eventually cull her out though and gave her to a 4-H kid, as the Americans were producing more weight on a kit by almost 2 pounds at 56 days, so "Callie" was sent down the road to free up the cage space for a better producing doe.
Cedar- who cannot wait for the freezer to be over so we can clean cages!
