About to give up on rabbits

[dipence71]

I have not had any real luck with any of them. My DD Holland Lopps wont breed. We got one litter last year after many tries and several peanuts. The one male baby did awesome and got Grand Champion buck at the county fair and we were happy.. well somehow and I really dont know how but both he and his brother ripped up their ears this winter so they cant be shown now. Tried rebreeding and have had 2 no goes in a row. Our California had a "false"prgegnancy then found her dead this morning and she was due to have a litter any day. she was swollen and one side was extremely hard so I opened her up and she had a huge hard "ball" of mummified kits.
I have had a very hard time getting the rabbits bred. Trust me the do the deed and I have even left them together overnight and several times in a few days in a row.
Do I give up and just start over or just give up.
If you have rabbits that you cant get to stop breeding bring them to me they will stop!!!!I must be rabbit birth control

 

[tortoise]

Rabbit birth control! lol

Check your environment and overall rabbit's health. Overweight does are less likely to get bred. I believe heat can cause sterility? If I remember right?

If there's no health or environment problems, I'd cull /sell everything, maybe take a break and start over with unrelated stock.

 

[citylife]

As tortoise brought out your does are most likely over weight. Rabbits do not need treats, they just need their pellets and hay. If you feed a CA rabbit a cup of food a day they should be fine. But, if food is still in their feeder at the next feeding I adjust their feedings. I do not give hay daily, but when I do I back off some on their pellets. Does wont take or only have a few kits if overweight and bucks get lazy.

Now for the hard thing to tell you about.....................
You do not want to leave rabbits in to breed together for days! There is a good chance they will get pregnant everyday. So, with a 30 day gestation its equivalent to you getting pregnant, then 3 months later getting pregnant again, and then 3 months later getting pregnant again. Now, you have 3 pregnancy's in different stages. She gets pregnant each day, so when she does start to kindle she will potentially be in labor 3 days with 3 separate litters. An all around bad situation for the doe and her kits.
Have you read the book "Storeys Guide to raising meat rabbits"?
It's well worth every penny! The information is fantastic. I have raised rabbits 4 years now and the book still sits next to my couch.
I am sorry you have had all these troubles. Only you can decide whether to continue or take a break.
Good luck in your ventures.