Backyard Production of Meat Rabbits in Texas - World Rabbit ...

Table 4. Management Schedule for 6 or 8 Litters Per Doe inOne Year.Litters per Age to wean Time to Litterdoe per year litter rebreed doe* interval**6 28 days 28 days 59 days8 28 days 14 days 45 days*Age of litter.**Number of days between litters if no infertile matings.appears to be in poor bodycondition (underweight andrough fur) the mating shouldbe delayed until body conditionis restored.When the doe is 28 dayspregnant, provide her with anest box for the new litter(Figure 5). Nest boxes areusually made of 1 /2-inch plywood,with dimensions of10 x 16 x 8 inches (width,length, height). A top piece forthe nest box is unnecessary.Fasten screen wire ( 1 /8 inch)to the bottom of the nest boxusing wood molding and finishingnails. This feature promotesdrainage so that the kits(newborn rabbits) remain dry,warm, and comfortable. Thenest box should contain cleanFigure 5. Nest box dimensions and design.dry grass clippings, grass hay,wood shavings, or shreddednewspaper to keep the newborn,furless kits warm. Sincethe doe may start to build anest when the nest box is firstprovided, you may need toadd more bedding material upto the time that the litter isborn. However, some doesmay show little interest innest building until just minutesbefore the litter is born.The delivery of newbornrabbits, which usually takesplace in the early morninghours, is referred to as “kindling.”The typical size of thelitter for commercial rabbits isseven to eight kits. Inspect thenewborn litter promptly, sothat you can determine thenumber of kits, remove theafterbirth and any dead kits,and manage the nest. Nestmanagement consists of placingthe live kits together intothe nest constructed by thedoe, and then covering themwith fur that the doe haspulled to provide warmth. Ittakes only a few seconds toinspect the litter every morning.A doe will not mind thisbrief but essential managementpractice. This inspectionand handling of the kits willnot cause the doe to abandonor lose interest in her litter.A first-time doe is less likelythan an experienced doe tomake a good nest. You mightneed to help her line the nestwith fur and deliver her litterto the nest. If the first litter islost, always give the doe asecond chance to successfullyproduce a litter. If the secondlitter is also lost, the doeshould be dressed out or soldfor meat.Litter ManagementDoes nurse their kits onlyonce a day—usually in theearly morning hours—forabout 3 to 4 minutes. Especiallyin a large litter, this givesthe kits a brief period to feedand compete for subsistencefor another 24 hours until thenext nursing.A good management practiceis to equal out the numberof kits per doe by transferringkits from one nest toanother. The transfer of kitsbetween does for nursing iscalled “crossfostering.” Forthis useful practice to be successful,the does should bemated no more than 3 to 4days apart. The main advantageof this practice is thatcompetition for milk amongkits is reduced in litters that8