BREEDING AND CARE OF RABBITS 



The better stock you breed from at the start, the more 

 marked will be your success. 



Try to establish your own strain, so you may know 

 every sire and dam for several generations back, then 

 it will be an easy matter to tell why certain specimens 

 are running poor in some points. Try bucks to differ- 

 ent does until the doe is found that will produce the 

 best stock from the certain buck, then breed these two 

 together. Do not use short-legged, heavy-boned bucks 

 with short ears, regardless of their colors, as the stock 

 will never amount to much, unless its sire and dam 

 have good blood. Begin breeding the does and bucks 

 at about seven months of age. Watch the litters close- 

 ly and aim to improve each one. Your first litter 

 should come about March 1st, and if the weather is 

 extremely cold extra precaution should be taken to 

 keep the youngsters from freezing. A hot water bottle 

 wrapped in flannel and placed in one corner of the 

 nest box the night the doe is due to kindle will prove 

 a help to her. 



Never breed does or bucks unless both their coats 

 are in perfect condition, for silky fine coats never 

 came from a buck or a doe that was moulting. This 

 fault is one of the hardest things to breed out that one 

 has to contend with. Good silky, glossy coats will 

 produce the same kind in the youngsters. Three days 

 before the doe is due to kindle feed her bread and 

 milk each day until she kindles and then continue 

 feeding both her and the youngsters bread and milk 

 until she weans the young, which should be at about 

 two months of age. Some breeders let them run with 

 the doe until they are three months old. The day the 



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