Note to reader: rabbits are prolific in nature and can have up to 8 litters a year. This will require your commitment and resources. So, except you are ready for this, do not keep two mature rabbits of opposite sex together - the doe may end up getting pregnant within minutes of being together with the buck.



When breeding rabbits find out how old they are. The minimum age for breeding depends upon breed: heavy breeds take 9-12 months before they are old enough to breed; Medium breeds like New Zealand Whites are ready to breed at 6-9 months of age; while small breeds mature at 4-5 months
Too early breeding puts the doe in a dangerous position because they are not old enough to handle the strain of nursing.
One male, or buck, can service as many as ten females but he should not be used more than two or three times a week for best results.


HOW TO MATE RABBITS
The female, or doe, will probably object to having the buck placed in her cage and might attack or injure him. Therefore always place the doe in the buck's cage for mating. Do not disturb the animals and make sure people and dogs are not around. People and dogs can frighten the rabbits and they will not mate.


As a general rule, do not mate brother to sister, father to daughter or son to mother.


When the doe is placed in the buck's cage, he will probably mount her quickly. If after a few seconds the buck falls over on his side or suddenly falls backwards, mating has taken place. Often when the buck falls, he will look as if his whole body has suddenly tightened. Allow only one or two falls. Then remove the doe and place her back in her own cage.

DO NOT LET THE DOE STAY WITH THE BUCK ALL DAY LONG. If mating has not occurred within the first few minutes, remove the doe and try again after a few hours.

As soon as the doe has been mated and returned to her cage, WRITE DOWN THE DATE OF MATING on a small card attached high in the inside of the hutch. If you fail to write down the date you will not know when to feel for the young within the doe at 14 days or put a nest box in her cage before she gives birth.

Sometimes a doe will hide in the corner of the buck's cage, and he will not be able to mount her. If this happens, help the buck by holding the doe for mating. This is very easy to do.

Holding the rabbit for mating

Use either hand to hold the ears and a fold of skin over the doe's shoulders. Place your other hand under her body and between her hind legs. Place one of your fingers on each side of the tail and push gently backwards. This action will throw the doe's tail up over her back, so that the buck can quickly mount and mate her. If the doe's tail is down, the buck will not be able to mate her.


FEELING FOR YOUNG RABBITS
It is possible to feel the small, round babies inside the doe TWO WEEKS AFTER BREEDING has taken place. Keep the doe in her cage. Hold her ears and a fold of skin over the shoulders as though holding the doe for mating. Slide the other hand under her stomach with your thumb on one side of the stomach and your fingers on the other.

Gently press in on the stomach wall with your thumb and fingers and slide your hand backward and forward. If the doe is pregnant, you will be able to feel small, hard, marble shaped lumps as you slide your fingers back and forth with the stomach gently squeezed between them. This "test" is a good one, but must be practiced often to be successful.

Related: Checking for pregnancy http://jfrabbits..com/2017/06/checking-for-pregnancy-in-rabbits.html


KINDLING
Kindling is the act of giving birth. The doe will kindle 31-32 days after mating. A doe will probably eat less food two or three days before kindling. Five to seven days before the kindling date, put a small box, called a nest box, inside the doe's cage. She will give birth in this box. It is usually possible to find boxes which work very well, but if you must build a box it should be lightweight and measure about 30cm deep x 35cm wide x 20-30cm high (12" x 14" x 8-12".


Place nothing in the nest box or the hutch if the weather is warm. The doe will pull fur from her stomach to make the box comfortable. If the weather is cold, place dry grass or straw in the hutch three days before kindling, and the doe will prepare her own nest.

Does usually kindle at night. As each baby is born, the doe will lick it and give it milk. Does usually give birth to 4 or 6 babies the first time. After that a doe usually produces 6-8 babies at each kindling.

One or two days after the rabbits are born, carefully look inside the box for any dead babies. Move the fur to one side with a small stick or pencil. Remove any that you find.

When the doe is with her babies, it is important to keep children and dogs from bothering her. If the doe becomes frightened she might injure her young by jumping into the box quickly and crushing them. Or, frightened does eat their babies. Does also will eat their young if they do not have enough protein food. If a doe continues to do this after a second or third time, however, she should be replaced.


The maternity hutch is just an ordinary cage as described above. You could make it a bit bigger so that you can place a nest box in it. The nest box can be placed in the back of the maternity cage.

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