If you keep your rabbits in a colony, you may have some questions about your buck’s behavior. When people say something breeds like rabbits, they aren’t kidding! The rabbit buck is anxious to procreate the majority of the time, and he doesn’t always care about the doe’s opinion in the matter. There are good and bad aspects to including your rabbit buck in your colony.
Should You Put Your Rabbit Buck In a Colony?
I tried our rabbit colony both with our buck Zeddicus and without him. I prefer having him in the colony because he is able to socialize with the other rabbits. They do practice social grooming, and enjoy some companionship. My rabbits were in a colony situation most of their lives, even before I brought them home. Whether that’s the cause or the effect, I do not know. My buck didn’t seem to mind the babies. I would come out to feed them and he would have a couple little ones asleep on his back. It was pretty adorable, but every time I ran back to get my camera they’d come running up to me for snacks. Not all rabbit personalities were well suited to a colony, but this is something you can select for when breeding and culling.
Or Should He Have His Own Space?
Some rabbits when kept with a buck will breed back the very day they give birth. Mine never did this. They had 2-3 months between litters. This could have something to do with the fact the colony was located in my garage and didn’t have as many hours of daylight as it would have if it was outside. The likelihood of fighting increases if you have multiple bucks and too few does they will fight, so send those young males off to freezer camp before they reach sexual maturity at 12 weeks. Bucks will harass the does a bit. Mine would chase them around and around in circles. They were so annoyed with him! That would go on for a few days and then one or the other would give up and they’d be friends and snuggly and grooming each other.
One issue I did have was him harassing a doe while she was still giving birth. I had a mis-sexed second buck in the colony with them, so that may have had an influence. Her nest also wasn’t in a very defensible or private spot. If you do have your buck in the colony, make sure there is plenty of space, and hidey-holes. The does will claim and defend these as their own.
What About A Part-Time Colony?
Some colonies include the buck in the center of the colony but in a cage. He is still able to interact with the other rabbits through his cage, and they can smell each other’s scent, but he cannot breed them. When it’s time for breeding, let him into the colony for a few days. This way you can plan ahead and time when babies will arrive. Another option is to keep him in his own pen. If you do this, bring the does out of the colony and to him when it’s time to breed. If you do separate them and the does are not receptive to breeding, you may want to bring him close enough for the does to catch his scent.
Whether or not a buck is included depends on the goals for your herd, as well as the individual personalities of your rabbits. Do you include your buck or not? Share in the comments!
This post shared at Simple Saturday Blog Hop
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Mm
Saturday 17th of September 2022
The first litter is on jet ski.. ..mini Rex like dad only mini er.Doe had second litter of 12.1 day old she was exhausted.dads in next door with the kids but they come an go .so many day Olds competing with moms milk .the scooter kids are already eating what I feed dad.they slip through the bars.i catch them nursing one at atime but now I'm gonna have to cut them off.i don't want the doe to be lonely but her comfort is all .she's the best but 12 that's a lifetime for us.anyway I'm athinker so it's gonna be soon its all set up but if I move the scooters I want dad with them.he likes them a lot but he's also got his eye on her. Mm
Kathryn
Friday 23rd of September 2022
Best of luck with your litter.
Amber
Saturday 6th of January 2018
I’m thinking of starting my lion head rabbits colony style. I have 1 buck and 1 doe and thinking other getting more. My doe has had a litter before and is a good mom, but I’m not so sure about my buck. The other buck we had died and the buck we have now is only 5 months old. I’m just worried what might happen if he finds the babies. Is it common place for bucks to be friendly with babies, or can they be aggressive?
Kathryn
Saturday 6th of January 2018
There's really no way to know for sure. Generally bucks that are raised in a colony do okay, and you just have to try with your buck and see.
Karly Warsing
Saturday 1st of August 2015
I wanted to ask a quick question. We have a colony that we set up about a month ago and one of the does was already pregnant, so we allowed her to give birth and have two weeks before letting our buck out with the 3 colony does. We let him into the colony today, and so far everyone is getting along. However, two of the does are very adamant against being bred. They growl or nip and once they get away, he does not pursue them. This is why it's been peaceful, but certainly not productive. The 3rd doe has just reached her adult weight and is not mean toward the buck, but has not clue what her part to play in this transaction is. So I assume that the natural setting, the relationship the rabbits will build, and time will all eventually lead to successful breedings. But what is your experience? Does most of the action that leads to litters happen at night? Are does more receptive during certain times?
Kathryn @ Farming My Backyard
Monday 3rd of August 2015
Being near a buck and smelling him for a few days can help. Some people will hold the doe down, but I prefer just to wait and eventually all mine have figured it out on their own. It's also possible he bred them when you weren't watching and will have babies on the way, too.
MJ
Wednesday 18th of February 2015
I am in the process of building a new colony rabbit run (we moved >sadness<) and I was thinking of doing some sort of stall for each of my bucks so that I can have the bucks in the yard but still separate from all the does that they can safely breed (no daddy to daughter stuff). I have 4 bucks and a LOT of does right now... I probably have more bucks than that but only 4 we are keeping. I was thinking I'd make the stalls out of those shelving squares so that the bucks can still see the does and get a little nose to nose time. I'll let him in with them for two weeks when I want babies and then put him back. Long run down the length of the whole thing for a grow out pen- half for does half for bucks. Then I can sort out who is good for breeding and who is good for eating. Really hate that part but kids gotta eat by money or meat! Wish I could attach a picture to show the design I have in mind, but I hope it helps anyone who might want to do the same.
Kathryn @ Farming My Backyard
Monday 23rd of February 2015
Oh, I love the idea of stalls.
Jolene
Tuesday 13th of January 2015
thanks for all your help! we let the buck out after about 72 hours in his own crate, and he was fine - just a bit horny but once the girls let him do his things all was mellow. it turned out that the dead babies I found were from our Lop mama. she made a great nest for her first babe, but then ditched the next four. they came at three separate times, so I'm thinking she had some kind of problem with her labor? she's taking great care of her first one though, and the other mama has had her babies as well, and she's doing great with those. I did switch the nest box... everyone checked it out for a bit but then the rest left it alone, and mama knew right where her babies were. this has been a really fun, interesting experience so far. The babies are just starting to come out of the nests into the colony, which is making me a little nervous as our Lop mama still likes to chase the others sometimes, and I'm afraid she may hurt their babies as well. There's been no real fighting though, just some chasing, and the white mamas are very submissive to her. have you had any issues with dominant does hurting babies of the others? That's my only real concern at this point, as the mamas seem to be taking care of them quite well. I will check out those fb groups too and thanks again!
Kathryn @ Farming My Backyard
Tuesday 13th of January 2015
Oh I'm glad it is going well so far. None of my does paid any attention to the other kits. Hopefully the groups might have someone with a similar experience.