The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1917-11-08

more common mistake tnDn unueIIeeO- |
ing.
Rabbits under three or four months
old should be limited in the amount Of
green food. II allowed too much they
IRE apt to become "pot-bellled." When
II young rabbit Is seen to grow big
about Its belly, the use of green food
should be discontinued and the animal
given plenty Of exercise. Under such
treatment 1t will soon recover, but II
the green food Is continued the disease
usually terminates In commissions and
death. Old rabbits are not subject tc
this trouble.
Breeding.
1t Is not desirable to pair rabbits
until they are at least six months old,
although they may be bred earlier.
Some breeders do not mate animals
under ten months of age. Healthy ma
ture rabbits produce larger and
stronger filters than younger stock do.
Methods Of Mating.
Different breeders adopt different
methods of mating. Some leave the
buck in the hutch Of the doe for but
few minutes, and others leave him
overnight. The older does should be
mated in February, but 1t Is well to
defer mating a young doe until March.
She then has young in April, when
there Is abundant green food to In
duce u good flow of milk. This lacteal
development once we'll established, she
Is likely always to give abundance of
milk for her young. If pairing beg ns
In February each doe may be expected
to produce four filters year, the
young coming ut intervals Of about
twelve weeks, with longer rest In
midwinter.
Preparing for the Young.
The CESSATION period of the rabbit
Is about thirty days. When the doe
Is nearly ready to bear young, her
hutch should be thoroughly cleaned
and disinfected, after which good
supply of soft hay or straw Goat straw
Is best) should be placed in the body
of the hutch to enable her to arrange
her nest. If the hutch is without a
nesting compartment, box should be
placed in u corner. 1t should be IL to
| 20 inches long, about a foot deep, or
| 10 inches wide, and without a lid.
Make n hole in one end large enough
for the doe to pass through easily, and
turn the box upside down. The doe
will arrange her nest day or two be-
fore the young are born. At this time
extra attention should be given to her
food. She should have milk and warm
water regularly, and pan OF clean
water should be kept constantly In
the hutch. While q doe is heavy with
young and for few days after their
birth, extreme care should be taken
to see that she Is not frightened by
cats or dogs or even by strange visi'
tors in the rabbitry. Avoid touching
the nest or handling the young, unless
1t Is absolutely necessary.
Diet While Nursing.
During the first week or two after
having young the doe may be fed al
most entirely on warm milk and bread
This is recommended for the bulk OF
the morning and evening meals. with
small supply of green food. Green
food may be given also in the middle
of the day, and the daily proportion
gradually increased. Boiled mush
made of cornmeal Is also an excellent
food for sucking does, but most othei
pasty or watery foods should be avoid
ed rs likely to derange the bowels
Milk, and indeed any soft food, should
be fed in a separate earthenware dish
especially In warm weather, when II
sours quickly. The dish should bt
washed and scalded often.
WEAVING.
The young may be weaned when
month old, but 1t is better to leav'
them with the doe two or three week.
longer. Remove two each day unit
all are transferred to another hutch
which may be large enough to accom-
I modate any number. They do we'll to
, gether until they are three or fou
months old, when their development
{ will compel separation Of the sexes
After this any number of does ma
9 occupy the same hutch. but unles
5 thoroughly accustomed to each othel
! will fight.
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