BarredBuff's Homesteading Shenanigans

[BarredBuff]

Unfortunately I can't. I don't have it in me. :/ I know I know..... I'd rehome one of the drakes but we love them both. I do have a possible home for the three females if we decide to try to go back to the original 4. But this woman wants to use them to train her dogs to herd and I'm not sure if they would be treated well. I also know she's out of work at the moment and I don't know if she can afford to even feed them right now. AND they're only half runner duck so I don't know if they're even appropriate for herding. They've gotten a little quieter now that they are no longer broody.

I understand. I probably wont be able to do meat rabbits. I have figured out that if I order/breed them and think of them as meat animals, its much easier.

 

[BarredBuff]

 

[Denim Deb]

Glad you had a good day and congrats on the bunnies!

But, I do have 1 question. When I was younger, I used to breed rabbits and sell them. And, I was always told to not put the male in w/the females since she would fight him, but to put the female in w/the male since then they wouldn't fight. And, I've heard this from a few other places over the years. Was I told wrong?

 

[BarredBuff]

Glad you had a good day and congrats on the bunnies!

But, I do have 1 question. When I was younger, I used to breed rabbits and sell them. And, I was always told to not put the male in w/the females since she would fight him, but to put the female in w/the male since then they wouldn't fight. And, I've heard this from a few other places over the years. Was I told wrong?

That would be wrong. Because I put her in with him and they fought but apparently made up!!! I had no clue about that the babies were on the way!!

 

[Blackbird]

Whooo! It's about time those rabbits got movin'!

I heard the same thing Deb - after I had already done it the wrong way for many many breedings that resulted in babies! I always just moved the male because I figured getting climbed on was enough stress for the female, not gonna drag her around.
Maybe in matters in the end? I'm not sure. It probably has to do with the scent.
I've had some really dense and over excited male rabbits that while in the frenzy anything will do, a feed container, the wrong end, etc. Usually they figure it out..

 

[FarmerDenise]

Sure sounds like you had a super day! Nothing like finding all those babies, good food and having your christmans tree put up. I especially like having home made decorations.

 

[Denim Deb]

Whooo! It's about time those rabbits got movin'!

I heard the same thing Deb - after I had already done it the wrong way for many many breedings that resulted in babies! I always just moved the male because I figured getting climbed on was enough stress for the female, not gonna drag her around.
Maybe in matters in the end? I'm not sure. It probably has to do with the scent.
I've had some really dense and over excited male rabbits that while in the frenzy anything will do, a feed container, the wrong end, etc. Usually they figure it out..

I did some research after I asked, and it was recommended that the female be put in w/the male. So, I dunno.

 

[BarredBuff]

I have done it both ways and babies always come along in the end. I didnt know this female was pregnant, I put her in with him (they fought forever so I separated them) and well babies came.

 

[kcsunshine]

According to Storey's Guide to Raising Rabbits, put the female in with the male. They will fight and often the male will be hurt badly by the female if you do it the other way.

We still have rabbits but quit breeding them a couple of years ago. We just feed them for the good manure they give us. DH is slowly giving them away until he can move them all into the same enclosure. We found we didn't love the meat as much as we thought we did after we had to kill and process them. (I didn't think it would bother him since he has no problem with wild animals, but it eventually did.) So much for SS living.

 

[TanksHill]

Congratulations on all the bunnies!! Glad to hear you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
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