Update on the rabbits

It's nearly midnight and I just got home from the movies where me and some friends watched the hunger Games part 2. I read the book and loved the movie too. Since I am not tired, I figured it might be a good idea to give you an update on the rabbits

As I got my rabbits rather late in the year, the breeding season for them was rather off, seeing as the young once only arrived in the beginning of July. For me this means extra cost raising them through the winter when there is no food and I have to buy supplement food. Not very self sufficient if you ask me but it was unavoidable this year.
The plan for next year is to have babies from January through to March, so that they can be butchered in September/October and I don't have to raise them through the winter.

Yesterday I tried to get a grasp on how much the little once weight. They are five month old now while many people told me they butcher their rabbits as early as 12 weeks, I wanted to have a t least some meat on them and wanted them to turn 6 month before I butchered them.

I used to keep two of the little rabbits together until mid last week when I thought that one of them looked rather small compared to the other and I separated them all. Turns out I was right. Snowy and Muffin shared a box are two opposites for various reasons. Snowy is a massive 6,5 kilos, while Muffin is just 4,5 kilos. Muffin also has a slight issue with her two lower front teeth from what I noticed. I will see how this week turns out and if she is putting on some weight but if not she will be butchered next week. Junior and Blacky are both 5 kilos each but Blacky will stay with us for one season at least as a breeding doe.

Snowy, a massive 6.5 kilos

Muffin age 5 month 4.5 kilos

Junior 5 kilos

Thumper, my 2013 breeding buck

The 2014 plan is that I hopefully get one more litter fathered by Thumper in either late December or early January. I put him and Mia together again today, and hopefully that union will be fruitful, if not I am out of luck and Muckel will have to get the job done as Thumper will be my Christmas Meal.
Blacky who was born in July will be a breeding doe for 2014 and I will try to put her and Muckel together at the end of January.
Mia, my other breeding doe was put together with Thumper today and if God will, we have babies shortly after Christmas. If that works out, I will put her with Muckel at the end of January/beginning of February. If all things work out, I will raise 3 litters in 2014 with a potential 4th one depending on how things go.

Blacky, 5 kilos, 2014 breeding doe

 

Mia, my breeding doe

Muckel, my 2014 breeding buck