Meat Rabbit Math | How Many Do You Need?

[@kaye7066]

The rabbit scraps that you don't eat your chickens, cats, dogs (or bears if you bear hunt) might. Don't forget about bone broths too! You can also do lots of cool stuff with rabbit fur and hides. If you're creative enough and put in the time and effort there is very little waste. Even their poop can be used in the garden!

[@aquietsojourner4683]

Three harvests a year and a bit of fishing sounds like a sustainable deal. With a decent garden, of course.

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

It sure could be.

[@matthew-ww6vs]

Still needs more fat

[@kevymoranski3887]

You also need a bread thrift store. Oh, and a liquor store.

[@kevineldridge9452]

@@kevymoranski3887 Grow your own grains, make your own bread & booze...?!? ;^p

[@yosephbuitrago897]

Kevin Eldridge easier said that done

[@ScottKeeports]

Very well done. The math doesn't lie and the whiteboard breeding schedule was very beneficial. I appreciate homesteaders who tell it the way it is. Keep the videos coming.

[@frafranildo]

Thanks a lot for sharing. You've made it a lot easier to start, because now I know what to do and what to expect. It's people like you that make the internet awesome.

[@itsamysticlife3500]

This is a great video. Love the presentation. If i may add a few tips to this wonderful info. Bucks may go heat sterile during hot weather. In most cases it's temporary. Just realize that you may need to give your rabbits the summer off. I always put my young new breeder does in a cage near other bred does. They do watch what's going on, and they kinda do learn from seeing the neighbor mom doing her thing. When it gets time to breed, I make sure the doe can see the buck for a few days, and I add some sunflower seeds to her diet a week before breeding. This makes a big difference in success. I bred angoras and angora crosses for fiber, meat and pet sales. I had cages for 8 does and 2 bucks. All of my cages had a shelf in them so the rabbits could have a vantage point, and it gave mom a place to relax away from her kits.

[@mekon1971]

I live in Texas - it gets hot! I keep 2 bucks/4 does because I basically don't breed from end of May to End of October, which only gives me 7 breadable months. Well, technically, I do the 1/2 but have 1 set breeding and 1 set maturing to breeding age. (i.e. keep 2 does from May kindle and pick up a non-dna related buck from a "after easter" sale to replace the aging buck. I'll keep a really good mother, but generally dress them out after 1-2 breeding "seasons". We eat approximately 1 per week, so 52ish per year (empty nesters). The balance are sold/traded and the $ from selling a few pays for the feed for the rest. Feed is about $16.00/50# and supplement with grass clippings, garden scraps, kitchen scraps, and hay.

[@mekon1971]

@Dan Segarra Not from a catch bag, but I use a weed eater and go find some overgrown areas and cut that and they love that. I don't treat my yard with any chemicals. In the wild their diet is probably 90% or more grasses.

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

@@mekon1971 domestic rabbits haven't been wild in over 100 years, so a "wild diet" doesn't apply. In fact, when fiber gets over 25% it actually slows down gut function and inhibits vitamin absorption. True wild rabbits also don't take in that high of percentage of grasses. Wilds eat a large (surprisingly so) amount of barks and woody plants. Almost HALF of their diet in fact is woody plants, not grass.

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

@@68Tboy you must be new around here. Never did I say anything about trusting any feed company. Watch more of our videos before you tell me what my opinions are. I pointed out that the comment about diets in the wild being over 90% grasses is bull. Plus that science shows a diet in domestic rabbits with more than 25% fiber sllws growth and inhibits gut function. I'm well aware of when feed started being manufactured. A true rabbit feed wasn't even developed until the late 70s.

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

@@68Tboy rabbits were domesticated in the 1400s (possibly 1300s as research is ongoing), so your "thousands of years" isn't correct either. As rabbits were domesticated and we changed their feeds we changed the animals themselves. That's how selection works. Animals that thrive on how we feed get used for breeding. Those who don't, die whether by nature or culling. Yes, you can feed rabbits a "natural" diet. Some will thrive, some won't. Regardless, it doesn't change my above comments.

[@cellasedui6061]

Yeah I don't breed my does in the winter, I live in Canada and it's COLD. The babies would die, breeders around here pause breeding from October to March unless they have indoor facilities or some sort of heating system which most breeders around here don't.

[@barrybr1]

thanks, excellent info, straight talk no wasted chit-chatting

[@jamaicaportal]

In the tropics. Daylight length is not a problem, so we breed year round. Summer heat can be problematic and to overcome that, a gallon jug of frozen water is placed in the pen every afternoon to cool the air. If I plan to breed 2 does, I always start off with 3 and keep the two better ones.

[@simplemanduke7128]

Thank you for your time and efforts in making these videos available to us. This one was excellent.

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

You're very welcome!

[@adventurehippie0514]

​@SpragueRiverHomestead Thank you so much for this information. Is there a way to make this schedule have only 3 or 4 litters a year. We do broiler chickens 2 times a round and I'm very interested in doing rabbits but 5 litters would be a but too much for our family with out broilers as well.

[@zates2272]

Thanks for doing my math. I have no experience, but wanna start ASAP. Thank you!

[@nicolerobertson5764]

For someone who is a visual learner, this video was really helpful! I appreciate all of the great tips you gave as well - this was so helpful to consider and keep in mind from an experienced homesteader with rabbitry! Thank you 🙌😊

[@Sarjex27]

Not quite ready to start bunnies... still have a lot of work to do to get my place ready for anything beyond a few chickens but this was turbo helpful in planning for the future. Thanks for being so efficient in your presentation.

[@bottonsrabbitfarm570]

this is indeed a great lesson. i am a beginner with 3 bucks and 4 does but with this maths I can now calculate my production for this year.

[@foxxiangel6384]

i’m a super visual learner! i might actually draw this out for myself! i love this so much thank you!

[@dennism5565]

I enjoy your videos. You stay on point and make following you easy. Thanks for your non-complicated approach. I also appreciate your husband's videos - no fluff - just topic on hand- his style keeps me from skipping to the next video.

[@illaspero1]

I agree with you on the numbers. I am in the stages of getting ready to breed meat rabbits and I loved how you presented your information. I will be following your channel from now on....Thanks so much for the info. Anything about rabbits and I'm interested.

[@robertyoung7255]

I totally agree, thanks!

[@tonycollins9874]

Thanks for your video it was a big help to me. I am wanting to start breeding my own rabbits and was needing this question answered. You have give me just what i need to start this journey. Thanks again.

[@frankbrunner6112]

in the deep south of Louisiana, air condition room worked well when i raised new zealands

[@christinamoneyhan5688]

I just subbed. I like your no beating around the bush. Straight up to the point with honest figures by the been there done that method. Proof of just what to expect. Thank You. Oh, YA! I did not hear or see any Bambi syndrome.

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

We're pretty blunt on our videos. Thanks for the sub!

[@christinamoneyhan5688]

Just watched your video on best meat rabbits. Great! I really like your openness. Thank you.

[@wereallmadhere9086]

Thank you for posting this video. It is very educational for us meat rabbit newbies

[@Squick99]

Great video! I love that you get straight into the numbers, and also balance the maximum theoretical output with what is more humane. In my mind if you need ~200 pounds finished meat and you could produce it with two does and one buck at an unsustainable rate, why not get three or four does. That gives you more resilience in case one of your does is a bad mom. And if you increase it to two bucks, you can keep a great deal of genetic diversity when you keep your next generation of does and bucks.

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

We prefer to keep more animals that don't have to work as hard.

[@SemiReTired]

I breed NZW/ chinchillas, on a much less aggressive schedule, not as firm to a timestamp either. My does stay relaxed and breed well into year 4. I process at 12 weeks and my kits average 5.5 lbs bone in at that time. I tend to sell more than I get to consume due to high demand,,,lol,,, great info

[@tonymac2178]

Joe Bee do you have pure chinchillas? And where are you located?

[@sweettooth5737]

I’m in PA. Are you anywhere nearby??? I’d like Chinchillas as well.

[@lovemydoglive]

what do you sell them for?

[@johnhortons6811]

Just starting thanks for your support

[@alexricard2000]

Thank you for the breakdown from a knowledgeable viewpoint. Doing my research, you have been very helpful!

[@annieamilaness5044]

Great video, I’m just getting started with breeding rabbits and this was really helpful.

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

Glad it was helpful!

[@lydiasammy1857]

@@SpragueRiverHomestead George I would like to if rabbits is pregient will she still let the buck mount her

[@lydiasammy1857]

Dose rabbit go over her due date if so how long

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

@@lydiasammy1857 a pregnant doe will sometimes let a buck mount, but she won't lift for him (usually). They'll also make grunting noises to discourage him. A doe can go as long as 38 days, so if she looks and acts pregnant then give her some time.

[@zainudinaja3194]

thank you for the knowledge and I from Indonesia will increase my knowledge of raising rabbits

[@pistolpeds]

A great resource for new starters. Very well done and thank you.

[@MLXJARIS]

This was very informative. Could you also show the layouts of your pins? Thank you

[@kenjohnson6573]

I had 2 Bucks and 4 Does in a city environment in Ft. Worth, Texas. Feeding a family of 5. I staggered the breeding for a litter every 2 weeks. At 4 weeks they were weened and the kits from 2 does would go in a growing cage. The doe got a month off to recover. I fed the kits rabbit pellets and calf manna. When they were 60 days old, I harvested the young ones, and re-breed the doe. Live weight was 5 lbs. Harvest weight was right at 2 1/2 lbs. This provided us with plenty of rabbit. Additionally I only harvested in a month which had an "R" in it. It was just something my Grandfather told me he did as a kid hunting wild rabbits. I also had other sources of meat.

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

The "R" tradition is because wild rabbits have the highest rates of parasites during the growing season (March-August).

[@appliedauthenticity]

Straight forward, and detailed, THANK YOU!

[@MotoMarta]

Thank You!! I've seen this formula before and thought it was a bit aggressive and idealistic to rely on but not knowing much about rabbits thought maybe that's just how things work with rabbits and I need to adjust my expectations. So good to see you clarify it and that my gut feeling was right, damn you ever knowing gut feeling!

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

Always trust the gut. Thousands of years of evolution can't be too wrong.

[@JAClary]

Hey, I have zero interest in breeding rabbits except as an academic exercise, but I wanted to say that your handwriting was great, and you were very clear in your explanation. Great video, thank you for producing it.

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

Thank you!

[@FrugalFarmerChannel]

Rabbits are smart because they know how to multiply. Thanks for sharing!

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

That just put a smile on my face. Nice one!

[@jonalderson1725]

Thanks for information and keeping to point. No fluff in video. Also thanks for noting that schedule was aggressive and may not be best for does.

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

Glad it was helpful!

[@tamarabaug8366]

We can't breed in summer here as it's too hot and bucks are heat sterile. This year first breeding for winter started Nov. So we will breed into spring and then done till late fall.

[@SuperMasterTurtle]

I live in Arizona, so I am glad you said that about the heat.

[@rhiwlen3290]

Great presentation. I hadn't considered how quickly they burn out and stop producing. Still in the planning phase, but I will take your recommendations into consideration when I get started.

[@weknow.2304]

This was one of the most informative videos I've seen on the subject so thank you!! Just subbed!! And how don't you have more subs lol, you guys are awesome and I def appreciate the help!

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

Glad the info could help. We tried to build the complete series covering everything we've learned in the last 8 or so years, but we continually find better ways to explain the subject.

[@valeriemetzger501]

Thanks for the visual! Definitely helps me see where i was slightly off. Getting ready to pull the trigger for starting my rabbitry. ❤

[@johncox8882]

My NZW averaged 7 kits per doe. My English lops averaged 10 kits per doe. So when the English were not raising pure bred for sale they got crossed to my California buck for a great meat rabbit. Sadly the California does only averaged 5 kits per litter. They were great confirmation and won me several ribbons as they came from a breeder that cared more about show standards than production. Thought some more real world numbers may help.

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

Depends on lines for sure. My NZ averaged 9 when I had them. A friend that raises Californians averages 8. Overall, studies indicate that 8 is the average in meat breeds. Thanks for watching!

[@robotron7]

Back in the days, I would rebreed the doe 4 days/kit after she has her litter. So for 8 kits it would be 32 days, for 3 kits, 12 days. Breeding both at the same time allows for sharing of the kits across each nest, so each would be synchronized in rebreeding.

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

I'm really curious as to why you used this method. Understanding rabbit physiology as I do it seems to be just an arbitrary number/method, and one I've never heard of. Can you get me some details/explanation on why the four days? Super curious. Thanks for watching and really looking forward to your response.

[@ljacree5764]

Thanks for this informative video. I have 4 does and 2 bucks. I can breed only 2 does at a time because my rabbitry is small - and I can't house more than 20 kits at a time. So they can get a break by taking turns.

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

It sounds like a good setup. 20 kits is plenty.

[@saulroot1337]

Hi quick question what size is your rabbitry. Height width and length .. thanks

[@bobmoore6248]

I have been dabbling in rabbits for several years. I agree on much. I live in a northern area. I do not breed does more than2-3X a year. Slowly learning more and growing. Kinda keep around 2 bucks and 4-6 does. Am not losing weight due to malnutrition

[@cassityart7001]

Thank you for the amazing detail! Keeping good records of stock is so important.

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

Cassity ART - absolutely agree! We track everything here, from goats to rabbits to birds. Thanks for watching!

[@reesejenkins4877]

THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO; YOU REALLY BROKE EVERYTHING DOWN FOR ME.

[@caleberwin65]

That’s very descriptive. Good job.

[@HalfAHandyman]

I was able to convince my neighbor to join me on this rabbit quest by sending him this video. Thumbs up

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

Awesome! Do you have breeds in mind already?

[@HalfAHandyman]

@@SpragueRiverHomestead the Californian and chinchilla look interesting. Im going to have to build another hutch since all of my bays are currently full.

[@Joshua-nt9cc]

Math got a little wonky when adding up the total. 80 kits at 5# each is 400# LW, NOT 360. Leaving you with 240# of meat from the year of stock. Maybe you decided not to count that last litter since its not processed til mid jan??

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

You're right on both counts. I wasn't counting the litter to be processed in January because it was out of the scope of the year we were looking at, but I also made a mistake in my math. LOL

[@MotherOfThings]

How do you dispatch them? What type of rabbits do you consume? Thanks.

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

We use a Rabbit Wringer for cervical dislocation. Quick, easy and effective. We've used a variety of breeds over the years but presently have Harlequins and Americans as our main breeds.

[@wandershirefarm4281]

Great content ! Keep up the good work !

[@MentalCatalyst]

Americans! We breed year round! Oh, and thanks for the info! It's very helpful and much appreciated.

[@charlescanzater]

Thanks very well done.😊

[@miyu545]

Another approach if you breed the rabbits one week to 10 days after kindling, you can get about 60 or so rabbits to harvest, per doe, per year. Give or take. That's about 300 pounds of meat per doe, per year. Again, give or take a few pounds or kits here and there.

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

Very few breeds will breed back that fast. It's also very unhealthy and dangerous for the doe. If you are harvesting your kits at 8-10 weeks they'll end up around 5#. Dress out percentage is around 60%, equating to roughly 3# per animal. You are looking at 300# live weight, with a dress out rate of 180# (meat). Also, weaning kits at 4 weeks vastly increases your odds of bloat and increases your mortality rate by nearly 25%! You'll keep your doe alive and fertile longer, have healthier kits, bigger litters and a higher survival rate if you give her time between litters. I've seen the numbers you're mentioning in several articles and they just aren't correct. Thanks for watching.

[@larrypatterson326]

Good clear video good information thank you very much young lady

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!

[@lesterrodriguez7575]

Thanks for the awesome breakdown.

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

My pleasure!

[@CopperStateCustomAdmin]

cLEAR CONCISE AND TO THE POINT, VERY VERY HELPFUL. tHIS WAS THE BEST VID I've SEEN YET. wow.... caps, sry. lol

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

Glad it helped!

[@tropicallivingoverseas5202]

I miss my meat rabbits. Used to give me 9-14 kits per kindle. Can't wait to be able to start up again. I bread my 3 girls twice a year and has plenty of meat for my needs. (60 rabbits) I had a New Zealand buck and 3 New Zealand/California mix does.

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

That's a good mix and healthy numbers in every litter.

[@MrZnarffy]

Good video. Will probably do some variant of this, but it is a good starting point at least.

[@phyrewillow6463]

Exactly the prince info I was looking for! Thanks!

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

Hope it helped. Thanks for watching.

[@thomasreto2997]

Thank you for the information. Wife and I just might make this commitment.🌈😃🤙

[@nuwamanyawilbroad4245]

An Interesting & Educative channel thanx.

[@mystwolfe7791]

If they are silver fox rabbits you need as many as you can feed. 1/3 are for cuddling, 1/3 are for getting whisker kisses from, 1/3 are to listen to the cute puppy noises.

[@BrianBetron]

Nice run through of the math. First time viewer. I subscribed.

[@DigitalResurrection]

Could someone have 4 does and switch between two does each breeding for 5 kindles? Would that be better?

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

Hello! I've actually addressed this quite a few times in other comments. This video was done to show what's possible with the smallest number of breeders. You can alter or expand as needed to meet your requirements. Thanks for watching.

[@shyloevans9241]

I'm about to start and i was going buck and 2 does and hope for 4 a year and I was estimating 120lbs a year so I'm not too off lol

[@nicholasbrassard3512]

This is awesome, if only i could find such presentations for other livestock as well :)

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

I'm working on one now for Cornish cross meat chickens. What other livestock are you looking for?

[@nicholasbrassard3512]

@@SpragueRiverHomestead chickens and goats also, looking forward to your chicken video!

[@TheRogZone]

Quail seem to be much talked about in place of chicken for the urban farmer. Have you raised quail in a small setting?

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

@@TheRogZone we haven't done them yet but are planning to give them a go in the spring. A dear friend of mine has raised them, and says they are fabulous for urban growers.

[@Mccaid]

Would it be better if we got 4 does and halved the load? I live in mississippi myself and probably wont be breeding much in the summer. Also i have pigs and chickens, and kill a few deer every fall so i dont need all of our meat to cime from rabbits.

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

For MS, that would probably be the best plan, as the Summers are just too hot for summer breeding. When we lived down there our program varied a bit, but looking back we had the best success when we finished kindling by June 1st and didn't start fall breeding until mid to late September. Just watch their feed during the summer off time to keep them from getting fat.

[@bethrobinette8515]

Great, practical information! Thanks. Do you raise the meat just for yourselves or do you also sell meat? If you sell, what price do you ask?

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

We can't sell processed rabbit in Oregon without having it processed in a USDA facility and stamped. We do sell our excess live rabbits to a buyer who is licensed and processes them for sale though.

[@bonnieriehl9802]

This is fantastic information. Thank you so much!

[@wesh388]

I got a lot of useful information from this video, thank you!

[@77gmcnut]

Thank you. Very helpful information.

[@brewsterking9973]

I love you guys , I'm glad there's finally good info ;)

[@splitarrowfarm]

Love this, we just bought 2 does and 1 buck of Californian and 1 buck of New Zealand so that we can mix and match as well as get some pure breed for sales and we are really excited to watch the rabbit math in action.

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

That is awesome! Good luck!

[@TwoHams]

How old should rabbits be to harvest for meat and pelts? Do the friers have good pelts or should you age the rabbits you want to keep pelts from longer?

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

For pelts you need them in a prime, senior coat. That's about 8-9 months in the bigger breeds, and 6-7 in the smaller breeds. You'll have to adjust around molts as well. Fryers generally still have the downier baby coats and thin skin. Roasters will have thicker skin but not as much as a senior, and often a coat that is transitioned out of the baby coat but not into the fully developed senior coat (we call this a junior coat).

[@TwoHams]

@@SpragueRiverHomestead Thanks!

[@barryjanis]

You are the Best !~ Thank you .

[@aperson1181]

If I live in a city and have a house. Can rabbits be kept in the garage or shed during the winter? Where to buy pre-built cages? How much? Can you recommend sources? How to keep them warm in the winter?

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

Rabbits can stand sub-zero temps, so a garage or shed would be fine. Pre-built cages are available from a few companies. We usually buy from Bass Equipment or KW Cages, which are both online. Costs have fluctuated this year (and availability), so we'd suggest just hitting Google or your favorite browser to read up on cages.

[@jssa84]

I breed Holland lops. My breeding season is from Late March to about Nov. Im in NH it got down to - 45 F here. My litter size is only 4 lol I have a herd of 28 bunnys.

[@tannerkilbey10]

Do you breed them as meat rabbits or show rabbits?

[@Watchdog123go]

Very sound advice. Thank you

[@anndennis7163]

When do you choose replacement breeders? Or do you?

[@thisguy6525]

I have had less coherent lectures in school. Great video!

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

Glad it was helpful!

[@gilauth6791]

Very thoughtful information well done thanks

[@lisser0707]

I'm in mostly central Alabama, what months would you suggest to breed? What temp is too hot and too cold?

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

For you, I wouldn't breed in July or August. Very few temps are too cold. We have kindled at -20f without any trouble.

[@Motaki666]

Really informative! Question: (I'm looking at starting with meat rabbits so would be helpful to get some insight) most unspayed does have uterine cancer by age 3 so I would assume you wouldn't want to risk breeding past that?

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

That's not true at all. I regularly keeps does until they stop breeding at age 5-6. Out of hundreds of does I have seen uterine cancer twice. Fertility does start to drop after age 3. They still breed but you'll see litter sizes get smaller. By age 4 most are down to litters of 4 or less. If breeding strictly for meat, I would replace my does once they aren't producing at least 6 to a litter. That should be 3.5 or so.

[@AdamsOlympia]

great info, ty! Just starting to learn about homesteading and I’d love to start my first self-sustaining rabbit population soon. Is it common for local rabbit farmers to trade young bucks annually to avoid inbreeding or having to buy new ones?

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

Hi there. No, you won't usually find breeders willing to swap bucks. Inbreeding is not the concern most people believe, as it takes many generations of close linebreeding to actually inbreed. I would suggest this video as your next watch kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5eVoohrmqeSibc

[@Albertalea]

What would be some reason that my kits at 11 weeks is not up to 5 lbs? Should I go ahead and butcher them or wait?

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

At 12 weeks feed conversion slows, and each pound of weight the rabbit gains requires more food to make. That said, it's up to you in how long you want to wait to butcher. We regularly hold Harlequins to 14 weeks. As for why they are small, there are literally a million variables. Could be feed, too many in the litter, mom didn't have enough milk, bad genetics, a bad match, too cold, too hot, too dark, too bright, etc.

[@GoTocco]

Rabbits can multiply but can’t add or subtract. That why you can cross foster them. A mother can raise kits birthed by another mother.

[@robertchampion7735]

Helped a lot fixn to get started From mississippi

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

Good Luck!

[@emmbabyrocks6830]

So helpful seeing it explained like this

[@jerrysmith372]

This has been so informative. I have been considering rabbits as a source of protein and am still studying the concept. I live in the city and don't have much room. I do wonder if I could manage two Bucks and four Doe's. Growing up we always hunted the wild cotton tails for extra food. They were plentiful where we lived. I've never tasted a farm raised rabbit. I would imagine they would be more tender and less gammy.

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

Imagine replacing rabbit in anything you put meat in. We say it tastes like chicken. Not a powerful taste, but not completely bland either. We've experimented with ways to cook it and found a lot of good ways. It is a tender meat. You may have the room for a stacker unit that could hold 6 rabbits. It'll require cleaning the drop pans every 1-2 weeks, but shouldn't be too hard to manage.

[@jerrysmith372]

@@SpragueRiverHomestead Thank you for that information.

[@alangobeh6959]

If you borrow kits from mother A to mother B to ease pressure off mother A, how do you differentiate the borrowed bunnies to avoid breeding bunnies from the same litter? The borrowed kits are of different genes remember?

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

Are you talking about fostering from one litter to another? I'm confused by your terminology. If its fostering, and they are all the same color, you've got some options. What most breeders will do is put a tattoo dot in the ear of the kits being fostered. If no tattoo pen you can use nail polish to make a dot, it just has to be reapplied regularly.

[@alangobeh6959]

Thank you. That way, I can move back the fostered rabbits to their proper siblings in order to avoid the mistake of considering them as the same litter as those they were raised with.

[@HelenEk7]

This is such a great video! Greetings from Norway.

[@Gandalfmandalf]

Nice break down. Appreciate you

[@mqiniselidlamini5520]

Thank you so much ..I have a small concren you have skip May and October...do you have reasons?

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

We didn't skip it. Based on the breed/wean/harvest schedule we lay out here there is not activity in those months.

[@Nielubie78]

How many Does can you have for every buck max? Just curious if a Buck can handle say 10 Does, or is there a ratio to follow?

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

Depends a bit on the breeding schedule, but if you are staggering your breedings a buck should easily handle 10 does. Personally, we've always aimed for 1:5 to keep as much diversity in the herd as we can, and to have a backup in case a buck fails to settle a doe.

[@Zvair]

Thanks for the great information.

[@breannakeel2274]

Could you hold back a buck from the breedings to replace the buck or is it best to buy from a breeder?

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

Yes, it's perfectly fine to keep back a buck. I would bring in a new buck line or doe line every third time you replace breeders at minimum, and you don't have to replace them at the same time. If at any point you start to develop issues just bring in a new animal and replace whichever is producing the problem. Rabbits can be line bred somewhere close to 10 generations before developing issues, but within 2 generations you can start to expose genetic problems in the line like malocclusion, so be cautious and cull when appropriate.

[@leecanisx1006]

Awesome explanation, thank you! Now I have a schedule I can picture when I begin breeding 1 Oct (too hot still here!)! I have two sets of does, so I'm gonna alternate them, so as not to wear them out! Love your channel!

[@StarboundSound]

So how much feed will these rabbits consume per year with two does and one buck and all the bunnies that get harvested?

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6bMqatto8ZsgJI

[@cainsholisticapothecary4083]

What do you do with the bucked doe you replace? I’m new at learning about breeding

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

Any animal you replace can be culled for food or sold to other people who are just starting out. Entirely up to you.

[@debbieholmes6441]

What breed did you first use when you started keeping rabbits? My husband Don raised rabbits when he was a teenager and loved it. I'm thinking about getting some to be able to put good, healthy meat on the table. What all do I need to get to get started? My husband said he doesn't want anything to do with it & it's all up to me!😳😥 I'm brand new to having rabbits. My mother's uncle raised Flemish Giant rabbits. They were so big you could almost put a saddle on them and ride them!🤣🤣🤣 He had one that won the Texas State Fair. It's weight was 45 pounds! This was when I was about 9 or 10 years old. I'm 63 now. I feel like I'm 35 and ppl tell me I look like I'm only 50!😳🤣🤣Years ago I would have thought that was an insult but now it's a compliment!🤣🤣🤣 Thanks for your time! God bless you, SCOOTER🛵

[@SpragueRiverHomestead]

When we first started out we had New Zealand and New Zealand/Flemish crosses. However, if you'll be doing the raising and culling yourself I would pick a breed that's a bit smaller. 10-12# adults can be a bit of a handful. To get started you'll need a hutch or cage for each breeder, plus an additional 1-2 cages per doe for grow outs. I would recommend watching both our video on housing and equipment, as they give more specifics on size and what you really need to keep on hand. Also the videos where we talk about feeding, as having the correct nutrition is vital to the entire process. I know quite a few ladies who handle all aspects of the rabbit raising from birth to freezer, breeding, feeding and general care. You can do it!