The Care and Breeding of Rabbits
Set-up
Before you buy your first rabbit you need to think about where you will house it. My recommendation is a wire cage that is appropriate to the size of the rabbit. Small breeds need smaller cages than large breeds. For Dutch (which will be my chosen breed in this article) an 18 inch wide by 24 inch deep cage that is 12 inches tall is sufficient for their needs.
You will also need to decide on a water container. Both crocks and water bottles are adequate and each has its advantages. Bottles will hold more water, but may leak through the nipple and grow algae in the bottle. Crocks are open topped and may allow algae growth and for the rabbit to pee/poop in the bowl, but they won't leak. Both are good options and you will need to choose the container that best fits your set-up.
If you need a water container, you also need a food container. I absolutely recommend a J-feeder with a perforated bottom (not the wire) instead of a bowl. The rabbits tend to pee or poop in a bowl, scratch the feed out, or turn the food bowl upside down. With a J-feeder, the fines will fall through the holes in the bottom and the rabbits will have a harder time destroying their feed.
Shelter is also important. Your rabbit should NEVER sit in the sun as this is an excellent way to overheat your animal and cause it's death. You also need to keep a rabbit away from wind and drafts. Rabbits will easily handle temperatures into the teens (Farenheit) even outside if they are securely sheltered with a roof and walls that block wind and drafts. Heat is also a stresser. With good ventilation, plenty of water, and shade your rabbits can survive temperatures above 100 degrees (Farenheit). It is important to allow them space to stretch out. A rabbit does not sweat and must release excess heat through their ears and panting.
Before you buy your first rabbit you need to think about where you will house it. My recommendation is a wire cage that is appropriate to the size of the rabbit. Small breeds need smaller cages than large breeds. For Dutch (which will be my chosen breed in this article) an 18 inch wide by 24 inch deep cage that is 12 inches tall is sufficient for their needs.
You will also need to decide on a water container. Both crocks and water bottles are adequate and each has its advantages. Bottles will hold more water, but may leak through the nipple and grow algae in the bottle. Crocks are open topped and may allow algae growth and for the rabbit to pee/poop in the bowl, but they won't leak. Both are good options and you will need to choose the container that best fits your set-up.
If you need a water container, you also need a food container. I absolutely recommend a J-feeder with a perforated bottom (not the wire) instead of a bowl. The rabbits tend to pee or poop in a bowl, scratch the feed out, or turn the food bowl upside down. With a J-feeder, the fines will fall through the holes in the bottom and the rabbits will have a harder time destroying their feed.
Shelter is also important. Your rabbit should NEVER sit in the sun as this is an excellent way to overheat your animal and cause it's death. You also need to keep a rabbit away from wind and drafts. Rabbits will easily handle temperatures into the teens (Farenheit) even outside if they are securely sheltered with a roof and walls that block wind and drafts. Heat is also a stresser. With good ventilation, plenty of water, and shade your rabbits can survive temperatures above 100 degrees (Farenheit). It is important to allow them space to stretch out. A rabbit does not sweat and must release excess heat through their ears and panting.
Buying Your First Rabbit
You should buy your first rabbit from an established breeder. Your breeder should have been raising rabbits for at least 2 years and/or have recommendations as a breeder from other well established breeders. You can find lists of members and breeders on the American Rabbit Breeders website, in their membership listing, and on the American Dutch Rabbit Club website. Some state clubs will also list breeders on their websites. Word of mouth is best. Go to a show and ask the judges and show personnel for recommemndations. Do your research. Don't buy the first rabbit for sale and don't buy your rabbit from photos on the internet. You should also not ask for recommendations on social media. Many breeders don't take the time to read and post frequently online and your choices will be more limited. If you can attend larger regional shows, you'll meet many more breeders and have a much better start in the Dutch breed. Don't forget to ask a breeder(s) to be your mentor. The person you purchase a rabbit from should always be willing to answer your questions and help you on your journey. If that person is not interested in supporting you, then find another breeder.
You can expect to pay from $20-$200 for a good start in Dutch. While most rabbits will fall in the $40-75 range, you will find a wide range of prices. The old adage "you get what you pay for" is true in Dutch to a certain degree. You can find excellent rabbits for $20 and average rabbits for $200, but for the most part you will find that rabbits in the $40-75 range are generally solid animals that will start you on the right path. Any breeder should be able to explain what they like and dislike about a sale animal. If they are unwilling to be honest, find another breeder. Do not expect to buy a "winner" as rabbits change from day to day, especially as young stock. Coat condition, flesh condition, competition, and the judge will all affect whether your animal is a winner. Instead, look for an animal that will give you a good foundation for breeding. Find one with many good qualities and buy a breeding pair that complements each other. For example, if your buck had good depth of body but needs width in the hindquarter, find a doe with a wider hindquarter. Buying a trio from a breeder will allow you to excel in your own breeding program faster. Animals that may be linebred (several animals in the pedigree that can trace back to the same animal) will also allow you to create better rabbits in your own program faster.
Rabbits that you purchase should be clean, bright eyed, dry about the nose, mouth, and paws, glossy coated (unless molting), and in good flesh condition. Do not purchase animals with weepy eyes, snot in the nose, matted front paws, dried fecal matter on the vent area, protruding spines, or of generally unhealthy appearance.
You should buy your first rabbit from an established breeder. Your breeder should have been raising rabbits for at least 2 years and/or have recommendations as a breeder from other well established breeders. You can find lists of members and breeders on the American Rabbit Breeders website, in their membership listing, and on the American Dutch Rabbit Club website. Some state clubs will also list breeders on their websites. Word of mouth is best. Go to a show and ask the judges and show personnel for recommemndations. Do your research. Don't buy the first rabbit for sale and don't buy your rabbit from photos on the internet. You should also not ask for recommendations on social media. Many breeders don't take the time to read and post frequently online and your choices will be more limited. If you can attend larger regional shows, you'll meet many more breeders and have a much better start in the Dutch breed. Don't forget to ask a breeder(s) to be your mentor. The person you purchase a rabbit from should always be willing to answer your questions and help you on your journey. If that person is not interested in supporting you, then find another breeder.
You can expect to pay from $20-$200 for a good start in Dutch. While most rabbits will fall in the $40-75 range, you will find a wide range of prices. The old adage "you get what you pay for" is true in Dutch to a certain degree. You can find excellent rabbits for $20 and average rabbits for $200, but for the most part you will find that rabbits in the $40-75 range are generally solid animals that will start you on the right path. Any breeder should be able to explain what they like and dislike about a sale animal. If they are unwilling to be honest, find another breeder. Do not expect to buy a "winner" as rabbits change from day to day, especially as young stock. Coat condition, flesh condition, competition, and the judge will all affect whether your animal is a winner. Instead, look for an animal that will give you a good foundation for breeding. Find one with many good qualities and buy a breeding pair that complements each other. For example, if your buck had good depth of body but needs width in the hindquarter, find a doe with a wider hindquarter. Buying a trio from a breeder will allow you to excel in your own breeding program faster. Animals that may be linebred (several animals in the pedigree that can trace back to the same animal) will also allow you to create better rabbits in your own program faster.
Rabbits that you purchase should be clean, bright eyed, dry about the nose, mouth, and paws, glossy coated (unless molting), and in good flesh condition. Do not purchase animals with weepy eyes, snot in the nose, matted front paws, dried fecal matter on the vent area, protruding spines, or of generally unhealthy appearance.
Feeding
When feeding rabbits the first thing to consider is the protein percentage of your feed. Feeds with less than 15% protein should be avoided as they contain too many fillers for adequate production and are geared towards free fed pet animals that will never be shown. Do not buy feeds that have colored, puffed additives or which are not purely pellets. These are wasteful feeds that will not keep your animals in show and breeding condition. I prefer an 18% protein feed as there is less waste because there is less filler. This means with a higher protein percentage your animals will poop less. Their nutritional needs will be met and you have less to clean.
Feed needs change depending on the age of the animal. Young Dutch on an 18% protein pelleted feed will consume 2-3 ounces of feed from 5 weeks of age onwards. Young Dutch through adulthood will consume 3-4 ounces of 18% protein pelleted feed. Does with litters will consume from 6-12 ounces of feed depending on the number of young they are raising and how heavily they milk. I never free feed rabbits as they are wasteful with "old" feed and may become too fat to breed.
My rule of thumb for feeding on 18% is as follows:
Does with litters- 1 cup until the litters begin feeding, then up to 1 1/2 cups depending on whether all of the feed is consumed daily
Newly weaned litters (4-6 weeks of age)- 1/4-1/3 cup per rabbit depending on whether all of the feed is consumed daily
Individual rabbits such as growing juniors, brood does, show rabbits, and breeding bucks- 1/3 cup per rabbit, adjusted to 1/3 total cup if the rabbits have not consumed all of their feed daily
Clean, clear water should be available at all times. If you are on well water, you may find that your rabbits will refuse to drink water from other places. You can "trick" them into drinking by adding subtle flavoring to your water with 2 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar/gallon of water when traveling. Those on treated water may have a similar problem when giving rabbits well water.
Hay may given to rabbits but should be used as fiber filler only. Avoid clover and alfalfa as the highprotein content may cause diarrhea, especially in young stock. First or second cutting grass hay is best and finding a local farmer with a $3-5 bale is preferable to buying expensive hay at the store.
Treats should be avoided as they add unnecessary calories and the wrong treat can cause diarrhea. There are some excellent pro-biotic and mineral additives such as Oxygen and Equiferm XL. Talk to other breeders about what they add and WHY. I will sometimes feed black oil sunflower seeds as a fat booster in the winter, but never in the summer. They need extra fat to stay warm, but extra fat in the summer will cause molting coats and stress. Carrots, apple slices, and sweet potato slices are wonderful while traveling as the rabbits may be more inclined to nibble on this even if they will refuse to eat or drink.
When feeding rabbits the first thing to consider is the protein percentage of your feed. Feeds with less than 15% protein should be avoided as they contain too many fillers for adequate production and are geared towards free fed pet animals that will never be shown. Do not buy feeds that have colored, puffed additives or which are not purely pellets. These are wasteful feeds that will not keep your animals in show and breeding condition. I prefer an 18% protein feed as there is less waste because there is less filler. This means with a higher protein percentage your animals will poop less. Their nutritional needs will be met and you have less to clean.
Feed needs change depending on the age of the animal. Young Dutch on an 18% protein pelleted feed will consume 2-3 ounces of feed from 5 weeks of age onwards. Young Dutch through adulthood will consume 3-4 ounces of 18% protein pelleted feed. Does with litters will consume from 6-12 ounces of feed depending on the number of young they are raising and how heavily they milk. I never free feed rabbits as they are wasteful with "old" feed and may become too fat to breed.
My rule of thumb for feeding on 18% is as follows:
Does with litters- 1 cup until the litters begin feeding, then up to 1 1/2 cups depending on whether all of the feed is consumed daily
Newly weaned litters (4-6 weeks of age)- 1/4-1/3 cup per rabbit depending on whether all of the feed is consumed daily
Individual rabbits such as growing juniors, brood does, show rabbits, and breeding bucks- 1/3 cup per rabbit, adjusted to 1/3 total cup if the rabbits have not consumed all of their feed daily
Clean, clear water should be available at all times. If you are on well water, you may find that your rabbits will refuse to drink water from other places. You can "trick" them into drinking by adding subtle flavoring to your water with 2 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar/gallon of water when traveling. Those on treated water may have a similar problem when giving rabbits well water.
Hay may given to rabbits but should be used as fiber filler only. Avoid clover and alfalfa as the highprotein content may cause diarrhea, especially in young stock. First or second cutting grass hay is best and finding a local farmer with a $3-5 bale is preferable to buying expensive hay at the store.
Treats should be avoided as they add unnecessary calories and the wrong treat can cause diarrhea. There are some excellent pro-biotic and mineral additives such as Oxygen and Equiferm XL. Talk to other breeders about what they add and WHY. I will sometimes feed black oil sunflower seeds as a fat booster in the winter, but never in the summer. They need extra fat to stay warm, but extra fat in the summer will cause molting coats and stress. Carrots, apple slices, and sweet potato slices are wonderful while traveling as the rabbits may be more inclined to nibble on this even if they will refuse to eat or drink.
Breeding, Weaning, and Culling
Rabbits are prey animals. They produce young quickly and profusely. It can still be hard to encourage them to breed!
Dutch are sexually mature at around 5 months of age. Some will be sexually mature as early 4 months and able to breed and reproduce. Some may mature a bit later at 6 months. It is important to observe your bucks and does for signs of sexual maturity before attempting to breed animals under 6 months of age. Does will be more active, flag (wave) their tails, rub chins on/around the cage, and be interested in "buck smells." While bucks will chin, "dance" in the cage, be interested in "doe smells," and sometimes spray urine. Rabbits that are sexually immature will "hide" in the corner of the cage when approached by the opposite sex and avoid trying to breed.
If you have determined that your rabbits are mature enough to breed, then you should check each rabbit over for any signs of illness including vent disease, weepy eye, pasturella, abscesses, and broken bones of any sort. If your rabbits are healthy, it is time to take your doe to your buck's cage. All rabbits are territorial, and a doe may attack a buck if he is introduced to her cage. Breeding should happen quickly with the buck mounting the doe as she raises her hips, pumping his hips quickly, and often falling to the side/ grunting/ screaming when he ejaculates. Bucks may also pull a small amount of fur out of the does back. It is highly entertaining to watch. Does should be removed immediately after breeding and their vent examined for signs of ejaculate indicating a solid breeding. Does may be rebred to a buck between 2-10 hours later to encourage a larger litter. Rabbits are induced ovulators and must have the stimulation of sex in order to release oocytes (eggs). Rabbits also have two uterine horns and two cervixes. So may carry a litter in each side of the uterus. For this reason, avoid breeding your doe to the buck more than 24 hours following the first breeding to reduce the likelihood of dual litters in the horn pair.
Palpation between 10 to 17 days following breeding is a valuable tool and can allow you to determine if you can expect a litter. Palpation is using your hand to feel for kits within the uterus. You do this by placing the doe on a table and sliding your hand on the outside of the does body along the sides, gently squeezing upwards towards the uterine horns located near the spine of the doe. If your doe is bred, you will feel "squishy marbles" along the length of the uterine horn inside the doe. It's easiest to have another breeder show you how this is done and have you feel a bred animal as this is a skill that is best learned through practice.
Your doe, should she conceive, will kindle (give birth) to her litter 28-32 days following copulation. Most of my Dutch does kindle on days 30-31 though it varies based on color. For example, I have kept records and bred does for many years and I know my torts are more likely to kindle on days 29-30 while my blacks will kindle days 31-32. You should give your doe a nesting box on day 28 or 29 following breeding. Your nestingbox can be made of wood, metal, or plastic and should be approxiamtely 2 inches wider and 1 inch longer than the doe. Partial tops, removable bottoms, and other variations are available. Find one that works well for you, but never be afraid to experiment. Bedding materials may be wood shavings, hay, straw, or shredded paper. My nestingboxes are 3 gallon rubbermaid totes with 2 holes drilled beneath one handle. I zip tie the boxes to the cage after filling the box to the "mid-line" with dust-free pine shavings and then to the top with soft grass hay. Always use material that is low or free from dust. Dust can clog the eyes of the kits and cause "nest-box" eye where they weep, abscess, and may cause blindness.
Does will pull fur from their chest and belly to line their nest. This serves two purposes: it keeps the naked kits warm while they develop coats and expose the teats for easier feeding. Some does will pull so much fur as to look practically naked while others will "forget" to pull fur. It is not uncommon for does to lose their first litter. I always expect a doe to lose their first litter and if they keep it, I'm pleasantly surprised. Various things may cause a doe to scatter or lose her litter. Fear, poor condition, and lack of practice can cause does to just kindle anywhere in the cage instead of building a snug nest. Does should be given 2-3 chances to raise a litter. If they have not successfully raised a litter on the third try, I cull them.
After kindling the kits in the nest, you can count your babies. It is important to count your kits at least every second day as some may die and these should be removed from the nest to prevent loss of the entire litter. Dead kits left in the nesting box will cause the doe to try to remove them herself and she may kick all of the kits out of the box while attempting removal of the dead one. As rabbits have a very short pregnancy, your kits will be born naked, blind, deaf. This is an advantage for a prey animal as they have a better chance at survival, but does pose challenges for a rabbit breeder. Kits must be kept warm via fur from the doe and good nesting material. Keeping fur from past litters can help supplement a nest that is a little low on fur. Within the first day or two, you will notice a soft fuzz of fur. The ears will start to open by day 3-6, depending on size. Finally, your kits will open their eyes within 10-14 days depending on their growth rate. Kits that grow faster will open their eyes earlier and this function seems to be related to weight and size.
Your doe will feed her kits once or twice a day. In the interim, the kits will feed from a "curd" that develops in their stomache after ingesting milk. Does do not have a cavity above their teats like cows or goats and you will be unable to "milk" a doe. In rabbits, milk glands lead to individual ducts in the teat. So the tip of the teat is riddled with many many tiny duct openings instead of a single teat duct. When the kits nurse, they massage the does teat area and this causes those milk glands to express milk through the connected duct into the tip of the teat. It's an interesting way to create milk, but works well for rabbits.
Does will be receptive to breeding within 24 hours of kindling, but it is at this point that you need to decide on your breeding time table. I prefer five litters from a doe per yer with a 4-6 week break from mid-July until last-August due to heat stress on the doe. I sometimes take a "cold break" from mid-December until mid-January as well. If you want more litters from your does then you should plan to breed them 2-4 weeks following kindling. Take a calendar and count out your weeks to see how many breeding you will have per year based on when you breed your doe at: 2 weeks after kindling, 4 weeks after kindling, and 6 weeks after kindling. Does should not sit open for more than 3 months as you may find conception is difficult after your does have been open for more than 3 months. It is not impossible to have a litter from a doe open longer, but it is more difficult.
Weaning occurs naturally when the doe no longer has milk for the kits, but in reality most does are drying off by 4-5 weeks of age. I encourage my does to wean their kits at this age and to milk no longer than 5 weeks by breeding for and retaining these does. Kits left with a doe too long will compete with her for food, water, cage space, and comfort which may make your doe too thin to rebreed in a timely manner. I wean my kits between 30-35 days, unless the kits are a little small, the doe is still milking, and they seem to need a few extra days. By 40 days, I wean all of my kits and allow my does to regain body condition before kindling again. I have poor luck in tryint to move a doe with litter to a new larger cage so that the doe and litter may stay together longer. So, unless you are kindling in a very large cage and have adequate space for EVERY RABBIT BY BODY WEIGHT to be comfortable until weaning, you should consider weaning by no more than 5 weeks of age. Typically, I keep 2-3 kits together until 8 weeks of age when I separate all of them into individual cages. Rabbits which are kept together too long will: compete for food, compete for water, exhibit dominant behavior such as humping, chasing, biting, scratchin, and fur/whisker chewing. These behaviors can make your Dutch a non-showable animal. As I want to show my kits and keep my does in good condition for breeding, I wean between 4-5 weeks of age and separate them into individual cages by 8 weeks.
You can expect 0-10 showable kits in a litter. That may seem a little odd, but Dutch do not always breed "true." Two mismarked/un-showable individuals may produce an entire litter of showable animals and vice versa. In reality, it is important to cull hard and continue to breed for animals that will improve your herd and your chances on the show table. Your first culling can be in the nesting boxes for severely mis-marked babies. Especially if a doe has had a litter of more than 6. More babies equals more stress on the doe. Evaluate each doe for their condition, age, and number of litters before choosing to cull babies in the box. Cull again at 4 weeks. Severly mis-marked or disqualified, and poorly typed animals may be removed to another cage at this time and the better babies allowed to stay with their dam. This will allow them an extra few days of milk and less competition. Any rabbit with genetic problems such as malocclusion, inverted eyelids, pigeon breast, etc. should be culled and NEVER sold to another breeder. Rabbits of an unshowable variety may be useful in some herds, but should never be sold to someone as a "show rabbit." If in doubt, ask other breeders for help. We all love to look at rabbits and I greatly enjoy helping others to learn what we look for in rabbits.
Cull again at 5, 6, 7, or 8 weeks when the kits have started to grow out. It's never a bad idea to hold a few extra nicely marked and/or nicely typed kits until a later date. After 8 weeks of age, continue to evaluate and cull your herd at least once a month, though preferaly every 2-3 weeks. Unthrifty rabbits, rabbits that don't develop well, or ones that have freckles in the nose should be culled from the herd. Choose animals to sell that you would consider showing or breeding yourself and ones that will add to the genetic pool in future generations. Just because your rabbit is "show-marked" does not mean it should be sold to someone else or used for breeding. Evaluate your animals with a look to both your future and the future of the breed.
Rabbits are prey animals. They produce young quickly and profusely. It can still be hard to encourage them to breed!
Dutch are sexually mature at around 5 months of age. Some will be sexually mature as early 4 months and able to breed and reproduce. Some may mature a bit later at 6 months. It is important to observe your bucks and does for signs of sexual maturity before attempting to breed animals under 6 months of age. Does will be more active, flag (wave) their tails, rub chins on/around the cage, and be interested in "buck smells." While bucks will chin, "dance" in the cage, be interested in "doe smells," and sometimes spray urine. Rabbits that are sexually immature will "hide" in the corner of the cage when approached by the opposite sex and avoid trying to breed.
If you have determined that your rabbits are mature enough to breed, then you should check each rabbit over for any signs of illness including vent disease, weepy eye, pasturella, abscesses, and broken bones of any sort. If your rabbits are healthy, it is time to take your doe to your buck's cage. All rabbits are territorial, and a doe may attack a buck if he is introduced to her cage. Breeding should happen quickly with the buck mounting the doe as she raises her hips, pumping his hips quickly, and often falling to the side/ grunting/ screaming when he ejaculates. Bucks may also pull a small amount of fur out of the does back. It is highly entertaining to watch. Does should be removed immediately after breeding and their vent examined for signs of ejaculate indicating a solid breeding. Does may be rebred to a buck between 2-10 hours later to encourage a larger litter. Rabbits are induced ovulators and must have the stimulation of sex in order to release oocytes (eggs). Rabbits also have two uterine horns and two cervixes. So may carry a litter in each side of the uterus. For this reason, avoid breeding your doe to the buck more than 24 hours following the first breeding to reduce the likelihood of dual litters in the horn pair.
Palpation between 10 to 17 days following breeding is a valuable tool and can allow you to determine if you can expect a litter. Palpation is using your hand to feel for kits within the uterus. You do this by placing the doe on a table and sliding your hand on the outside of the does body along the sides, gently squeezing upwards towards the uterine horns located near the spine of the doe. If your doe is bred, you will feel "squishy marbles" along the length of the uterine horn inside the doe. It's easiest to have another breeder show you how this is done and have you feel a bred animal as this is a skill that is best learned through practice.
Your doe, should she conceive, will kindle (give birth) to her litter 28-32 days following copulation. Most of my Dutch does kindle on days 30-31 though it varies based on color. For example, I have kept records and bred does for many years and I know my torts are more likely to kindle on days 29-30 while my blacks will kindle days 31-32. You should give your doe a nesting box on day 28 or 29 following breeding. Your nestingbox can be made of wood, metal, or plastic and should be approxiamtely 2 inches wider and 1 inch longer than the doe. Partial tops, removable bottoms, and other variations are available. Find one that works well for you, but never be afraid to experiment. Bedding materials may be wood shavings, hay, straw, or shredded paper. My nestingboxes are 3 gallon rubbermaid totes with 2 holes drilled beneath one handle. I zip tie the boxes to the cage after filling the box to the "mid-line" with dust-free pine shavings and then to the top with soft grass hay. Always use material that is low or free from dust. Dust can clog the eyes of the kits and cause "nest-box" eye where they weep, abscess, and may cause blindness.
Does will pull fur from their chest and belly to line their nest. This serves two purposes: it keeps the naked kits warm while they develop coats and expose the teats for easier feeding. Some does will pull so much fur as to look practically naked while others will "forget" to pull fur. It is not uncommon for does to lose their first litter. I always expect a doe to lose their first litter and if they keep it, I'm pleasantly surprised. Various things may cause a doe to scatter or lose her litter. Fear, poor condition, and lack of practice can cause does to just kindle anywhere in the cage instead of building a snug nest. Does should be given 2-3 chances to raise a litter. If they have not successfully raised a litter on the third try, I cull them.
After kindling the kits in the nest, you can count your babies. It is important to count your kits at least every second day as some may die and these should be removed from the nest to prevent loss of the entire litter. Dead kits left in the nesting box will cause the doe to try to remove them herself and she may kick all of the kits out of the box while attempting removal of the dead one. As rabbits have a very short pregnancy, your kits will be born naked, blind, deaf. This is an advantage for a prey animal as they have a better chance at survival, but does pose challenges for a rabbit breeder. Kits must be kept warm via fur from the doe and good nesting material. Keeping fur from past litters can help supplement a nest that is a little low on fur. Within the first day or two, you will notice a soft fuzz of fur. The ears will start to open by day 3-6, depending on size. Finally, your kits will open their eyes within 10-14 days depending on their growth rate. Kits that grow faster will open their eyes earlier and this function seems to be related to weight and size.
Your doe will feed her kits once or twice a day. In the interim, the kits will feed from a "curd" that develops in their stomache after ingesting milk. Does do not have a cavity above their teats like cows or goats and you will be unable to "milk" a doe. In rabbits, milk glands lead to individual ducts in the teat. So the tip of the teat is riddled with many many tiny duct openings instead of a single teat duct. When the kits nurse, they massage the does teat area and this causes those milk glands to express milk through the connected duct into the tip of the teat. It's an interesting way to create milk, but works well for rabbits.
Does will be receptive to breeding within 24 hours of kindling, but it is at this point that you need to decide on your breeding time table. I prefer five litters from a doe per yer with a 4-6 week break from mid-July until last-August due to heat stress on the doe. I sometimes take a "cold break" from mid-December until mid-January as well. If you want more litters from your does then you should plan to breed them 2-4 weeks following kindling. Take a calendar and count out your weeks to see how many breeding you will have per year based on when you breed your doe at: 2 weeks after kindling, 4 weeks after kindling, and 6 weeks after kindling. Does should not sit open for more than 3 months as you may find conception is difficult after your does have been open for more than 3 months. It is not impossible to have a litter from a doe open longer, but it is more difficult.
Weaning occurs naturally when the doe no longer has milk for the kits, but in reality most does are drying off by 4-5 weeks of age. I encourage my does to wean their kits at this age and to milk no longer than 5 weeks by breeding for and retaining these does. Kits left with a doe too long will compete with her for food, water, cage space, and comfort which may make your doe too thin to rebreed in a timely manner. I wean my kits between 30-35 days, unless the kits are a little small, the doe is still milking, and they seem to need a few extra days. By 40 days, I wean all of my kits and allow my does to regain body condition before kindling again. I have poor luck in tryint to move a doe with litter to a new larger cage so that the doe and litter may stay together longer. So, unless you are kindling in a very large cage and have adequate space for EVERY RABBIT BY BODY WEIGHT to be comfortable until weaning, you should consider weaning by no more than 5 weeks of age. Typically, I keep 2-3 kits together until 8 weeks of age when I separate all of them into individual cages. Rabbits which are kept together too long will: compete for food, compete for water, exhibit dominant behavior such as humping, chasing, biting, scratchin, and fur/whisker chewing. These behaviors can make your Dutch a non-showable animal. As I want to show my kits and keep my does in good condition for breeding, I wean between 4-5 weeks of age and separate them into individual cages by 8 weeks.
You can expect 0-10 showable kits in a litter. That may seem a little odd, but Dutch do not always breed "true." Two mismarked/un-showable individuals may produce an entire litter of showable animals and vice versa. In reality, it is important to cull hard and continue to breed for animals that will improve your herd and your chances on the show table. Your first culling can be in the nesting boxes for severely mis-marked babies. Especially if a doe has had a litter of more than 6. More babies equals more stress on the doe. Evaluate each doe for their condition, age, and number of litters before choosing to cull babies in the box. Cull again at 4 weeks. Severly mis-marked or disqualified, and poorly typed animals may be removed to another cage at this time and the better babies allowed to stay with their dam. This will allow them an extra few days of milk and less competition. Any rabbit with genetic problems such as malocclusion, inverted eyelids, pigeon breast, etc. should be culled and NEVER sold to another breeder. Rabbits of an unshowable variety may be useful in some herds, but should never be sold to someone as a "show rabbit." If in doubt, ask other breeders for help. We all love to look at rabbits and I greatly enjoy helping others to learn what we look for in rabbits.
Cull again at 5, 6, 7, or 8 weeks when the kits have started to grow out. It's never a bad idea to hold a few extra nicely marked and/or nicely typed kits until a later date. After 8 weeks of age, continue to evaluate and cull your herd at least once a month, though preferaly every 2-3 weeks. Unthrifty rabbits, rabbits that don't develop well, or ones that have freckles in the nose should be culled from the herd. Choose animals to sell that you would consider showing or breeding yourself and ones that will add to the genetic pool in future generations. Just because your rabbit is "show-marked" does not mean it should be sold to someone else or used for breeding. Evaluate your animals with a look to both your future and the future of the breed.
Showing
There are different rules for different shows, but some things remain the same. Your rabbit should always be healthy, permanently and legibly tattooed in the rabbit's left ear (look down on the rabbit with the head pointed away from you and that left ear is the one tatooed), and brought to the show in a carrying cage with a solid tray to prevent pee on the floor. Most carrying cages will have a wire bottom to allow poop and pee to fall into the tray and will open from the top. These carriers are much preferred to a dog/cat styled kennel which opens from the front. Visiting a rabbit show before exhibiting at one is a great way to find out some of the standards of showing. It is also a great way to learn how to handle a rabbit. You don't treat them like a suitcase with a handle, you always lift them from underneath the belly. It is easiest to learn these skills by having someone work with you and show you how to handle safely for both you and the rabbit. If I am at a show, ask me and I will ALWAYS show you how to handle.
4-H Shows will vary considerably between states and even counties within a state. Most will follow ARBA rules, but often with a twist. I always encourage these shows to start following ARBA standards so that their kids will be prepared for an ARBA show. Most will keep the rabbits on the county fairgrounds in cages owned by the county club during a set number of days. They may or may not provide food and water containers, so be prepared to take you own. They may or may not offer to feed and water your rabbits. I prefer to feed my own with my feed and the amount that each rabbit needs. Switching feeds can cause issues in the rabbit's digestive tract as they are dependent on good "gut flora" (bacteria) to help them process their food. So keeping your rabbit on their usual feed is important. If your county fair offers to water, that is great! It will help you to make sure your rabbit always has water, but make sure you check on your animal often throughout the week. Your county show will have rules available in a rule book. Read them. Read them again. Take them with you and ASK QUESTIONS!!! If you don't understand something, there will definitely be someone willing to answer any question you have.
ARBA Youth Shows have a set of rules that must be followed. They are sanctioned with the ARBA which means they must have ARBA licensed judges to judge the animals. These judges have studied for years to learn about all of the recognized breeds, but they are human and will not be an experienced authority of EVERY nuance of EVERY breed. They do the best they can, and if they have raised your breed will be more knowledgeable than if they have not. You do not have to be a member of the ARBA to show at ARBA youth shows. You should read the rules for ARBA shows and be prepared to ask questions. Most shows will have paperwork that must be filled out. Some are pre-entry and it is important to follow the entry deadlines. Some will be day-of-show. You will arrive at least 30 minutes before the close of entries to fill out your paperwork and pay your entry at a day-of-show entry. Some shows use individual cards called remark cards for each rabbit. You will need to fill it out with the tattoo, breed, sex, and class-age of your rabbit as well as your name at a minimum. Some shows only use a "control sheet" with your information and the list of rabbits you are showing. Find out what the rules of your show are before going.
ARBA National Convention is a great place to learn about rabbits. You'll likely be overwhelmed the first time you see it. So many rabbits! So many people! So many vendors! You can attend the convention without being a member of the ARBA and this is a great way to find our more about rabbits and your chosen breed without feeling the stress of showing. If you are ready to show at the ARBA Convention, you do need to be a member. Luckily for youth member, there are also youth events such as Breed ID, poster contest, and Judging that you may participate in. Some of these contests are available even if you don't attend. So check out the ARBA website for more information. The convention moves around. So if it is too far for you to attend one year, you may be able to attend another. Sometimes members will send rabbits with other breeders to the Convention, so if you can't attend you may still be able to show. It's important to read all of the information about Convention provided by the hosting club and the ARBA before you attend. It's a great experience, but it's important to get tips from fellow breeders on what to take.
National Dutch Show is the Dutch Specialty Show for our American Dutch Rabbit Club. You don't have to be a member to attend, but you must be an American Dutch Rabbit Club member to show. While the National Dutch Show moves around like the ARBA Convention, it is most often in the midwest because it takes many breeders to put on a successful show and many of the Dutch breeders are located in the midwest. It also takes a lot of entries to pay for all of the components of a National Show. The National Dutch Show is also a great way to meet other breeders, find sale animals, sell rabbits, and enjoy the camaraderie of Dutch breeders from across the nation. This show has it's own rules as well and you should plan to join the ADRC, read the guidebook, read the show rules, and ask questions.
There are different rules for different shows, but some things remain the same. Your rabbit should always be healthy, permanently and legibly tattooed in the rabbit's left ear (look down on the rabbit with the head pointed away from you and that left ear is the one tatooed), and brought to the show in a carrying cage with a solid tray to prevent pee on the floor. Most carrying cages will have a wire bottom to allow poop and pee to fall into the tray and will open from the top. These carriers are much preferred to a dog/cat styled kennel which opens from the front. Visiting a rabbit show before exhibiting at one is a great way to find out some of the standards of showing. It is also a great way to learn how to handle a rabbit. You don't treat them like a suitcase with a handle, you always lift them from underneath the belly. It is easiest to learn these skills by having someone work with you and show you how to handle safely for both you and the rabbit. If I am at a show, ask me and I will ALWAYS show you how to handle.
4-H Shows will vary considerably between states and even counties within a state. Most will follow ARBA rules, but often with a twist. I always encourage these shows to start following ARBA standards so that their kids will be prepared for an ARBA show. Most will keep the rabbits on the county fairgrounds in cages owned by the county club during a set number of days. They may or may not provide food and water containers, so be prepared to take you own. They may or may not offer to feed and water your rabbits. I prefer to feed my own with my feed and the amount that each rabbit needs. Switching feeds can cause issues in the rabbit's digestive tract as they are dependent on good "gut flora" (bacteria) to help them process their food. So keeping your rabbit on their usual feed is important. If your county fair offers to water, that is great! It will help you to make sure your rabbit always has water, but make sure you check on your animal often throughout the week. Your county show will have rules available in a rule book. Read them. Read them again. Take them with you and ASK QUESTIONS!!! If you don't understand something, there will definitely be someone willing to answer any question you have.
ARBA Youth Shows have a set of rules that must be followed. They are sanctioned with the ARBA which means they must have ARBA licensed judges to judge the animals. These judges have studied for years to learn about all of the recognized breeds, but they are human and will not be an experienced authority of EVERY nuance of EVERY breed. They do the best they can, and if they have raised your breed will be more knowledgeable than if they have not. You do not have to be a member of the ARBA to show at ARBA youth shows. You should read the rules for ARBA shows and be prepared to ask questions. Most shows will have paperwork that must be filled out. Some are pre-entry and it is important to follow the entry deadlines. Some will be day-of-show. You will arrive at least 30 minutes before the close of entries to fill out your paperwork and pay your entry at a day-of-show entry. Some shows use individual cards called remark cards for each rabbit. You will need to fill it out with the tattoo, breed, sex, and class-age of your rabbit as well as your name at a minimum. Some shows only use a "control sheet" with your information and the list of rabbits you are showing. Find out what the rules of your show are before going.
ARBA National Convention is a great place to learn about rabbits. You'll likely be overwhelmed the first time you see it. So many rabbits! So many people! So many vendors! You can attend the convention without being a member of the ARBA and this is a great way to find our more about rabbits and your chosen breed without feeling the stress of showing. If you are ready to show at the ARBA Convention, you do need to be a member. Luckily for youth member, there are also youth events such as Breed ID, poster contest, and Judging that you may participate in. Some of these contests are available even if you don't attend. So check out the ARBA website for more information. The convention moves around. So if it is too far for you to attend one year, you may be able to attend another. Sometimes members will send rabbits with other breeders to the Convention, so if you can't attend you may still be able to show. It's important to read all of the information about Convention provided by the hosting club and the ARBA before you attend. It's a great experience, but it's important to get tips from fellow breeders on what to take.
National Dutch Show is the Dutch Specialty Show for our American Dutch Rabbit Club. You don't have to be a member to attend, but you must be an American Dutch Rabbit Club member to show. While the National Dutch Show moves around like the ARBA Convention, it is most often in the midwest because it takes many breeders to put on a successful show and many of the Dutch breeders are located in the midwest. It also takes a lot of entries to pay for all of the components of a National Show. The National Dutch Show is also a great way to meet other breeders, find sale animals, sell rabbits, and enjoy the camaraderie of Dutch breeders from across the nation. This show has it's own rules as well and you should plan to join the ADRC, read the guidebook, read the show rules, and ask questions.