Rabbit questions NEED ADVISE??

[Deebo]

Hey guys, the wife wanted a bunny, for years. I have built her an elaborate bunny coop under my "used to be lean too", which is now a fully enclosed room off my storage shed with sliding windows and siding....
Questions. I built the first rabbit hutch (overbuilt), it is about 2 feet by four feet. Has hardware cloth for the sides and floor. Do rabbits need a "nesting box", and can this one big pen be sufficient for two females?
Figure I will get a separate pen for the male, and have some meat rabbits, but I will probably be the only meat eater on that one.
More questions to come..
Help a fella out.

[A Watchman]

Deebo,
I always kept my breeding stock in separate hutches. The meat rabbits went into a "butcher" hutch together. You will need a box for the pregnant doe to make a nest in, to have her litter in a private place. Add a little hay, and she will pull her own fur to complete the soft landing spot. When breeding, put the doe in the buck's cage and watch .... it only takes a minute or two and remover her. Does have been known to use their teeth to castrate males who have entered her domain. your herd can expand very quick with their 28-31 day gestation cycle.

[Coastie dad]

Oh Baby! Watchman is right on everything he said. We are running two bucks and 3 does now down from 6 breeding pairs. I have litters popping all the time.
And yes, stress will cause the doe to kill her litter. A barking dog, a first time litter, etc. But they usually bounce right back. Our rabbits are used to the Pyr barking at night, so that doesn't stress them anymore. But I lost two litters in the spring due to a coon prowling and the dog trying to catch it. Once the coon was eliminated, peace and tranquility reigned in the kingdom once more and the rabbits became fruitful and multiplied.

[Coastie dad]

Another tidbit...
We run cages side by side so the females can cuddle through the wire and socialize, but a female will kill another females litter, especially if the second one is expecting also.
And you know that if the female throws her legs behind her straight out during breeding she is ready for breeding and is accepting of the male. Contrary to popular belief, not every copulation takes. It may look good, but if she isn't in the right position, it's just fun and games.

[Inor]

Deebo -

DO NOT breed rabbits!!! There are more than enough rabbits in the world. If you want rabbits just drive down to M.T. Acres (only about a 4 hour drive for you) and I will give you all the rabbits you want. We have those little bitty ones that are about the size of a baseball and the great big desert hares that run about 40 MPH and are the size of a medium sized dog, and everything in between. When you look out at sunset, it looks like the ground is alive from all the damn rabbits!

Mrs Inor and I have taken to calling the road into town "the rabbit road" because of the damn things! We used to try to not hit them when driving but that proved to be impossible and just made us look like a couple of drunks driving down the road. So now we have just gotten used to the unique "thump-thump" sound when we run over them. That and the occasional "crunch" when we get the bones just right.

[Coastie dad]

Inor, I'm ashamed of you. You should eat what you kill. I bet you wouldn't waste that food in a SHTF scenario. You think just because you're rich and famous you can kill creatures and waste the Food? There are humane ways to deal with the rabbits. You need to put electric rabbit wire fence along the road to help control them. The old folks used to plant enough food for the rabbits and themselves. Just because I'm 26 years old and live in my mom's basement doesn't mean I don't know what I'm talking about.

[Inor]

Inor, I'm ashamed of you. You should eat what you kill. I bet you wouldn't waste that food in a SHTF scenario. You think just because you're rich and famous you can kill creatures and waste the Food? There are humane ways to deal with the rabbits. You need to put electric rabbit wire fence along the road to help control them. The old folks used to plant enough food for the rabbits and themselves. Just because I'm 26 years old and live in my mom's basement doesn't mean I don't know what I'm talking about.

By all means... Send the old fuckers on out to M.T Acres and we'll net all the rabbits they want!

[Deebo]

Ah, you guys are great. I will try to get some pics.
maybe I will half the big pen? And put boxes on each corner.
Might start selling (illegally) some meat rabbits..Time will tell
Thanks for the input guys.

[Coastie dad]

No, you're just selling rabbits. What occurs afterwards is not your concern. Keeps the hugged bear kiss face types appeased.
If an older guy shows by himself and wants a couple rabbits, I figure they are stewpot bound.
If a mom and/or dad show with kids and they compare colorings, markings, and temperament then it's pet time. But we NEVER advertise them as meat rabbits.

[slewfoot]

Deebo -

DO NOT breed rabbits!!! There are more than enough rabbits in the world. If you want rabbits just drive down to M.T. Acres (only about a 4 hour drive for you) and I will give you all the rabbits you want. We have those little bitty ones that are about the size of a baseball and the great big desert hares that run about 40 MPH and are the size of a medium sized dog, and everything in between. When you look out at sunset, it looks like the ground is alive from all the damn rabbits!

Mrs Inor and I have taken to calling the road into town "the rabbit road" because of the damn things! We used to try to not hit them when driving but that proved to be impossible and just made us look like a couple of drunks driving down the road. So now we have just gotten used to the unique "thump-thump" sound when we run over them. That and the occasional "crunch" when we get the bones just right.

Kind of like this .
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...0DB2&FORM=VIRE
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...5C&FORM=VRDGAR