At what age do you retire a doe?

[whaleyk98]

At what age would you retire a dwarf doe? What would make you retire her? I have a dwarf that Ive been trying to get babies from for a while. She had had babies for the previous breeder before, so she is seasoned...but she just turned four. Not sure if this is why she is not conceiving? I watch her food intake and lights, ect...its very frustrating and Im not sure if I should retire her or not. Any thoughts?

 

[iluvdutchrabbbits90]

i breed dutch and lionheads i retire mine at 3.

 

[lelanatty]

Her age is probably the reason she is not conceiving. Usually femalerabbits stop breedingaround four years of age. It would be best to retire her at this point, how long have you been trying to get babies from her?

 

[whaleyk98]

Only two tries. I wasnt sure if it was the buck or her...

 

[lelanatty]

It could be the buck too. How old is he?

If you have another buck that you can breed her with you could try that.

 

[whaleyk98]

The buck is almost 3.

 

[lelanatty]

it shouldn't be the buck, but the doe is really getting up there in age, so it may be time to retire her.

 

[whaleyk98]

Okey dokey. Thanks =)

 

[RAL Rabbitry]

I retire a doe when she stops producing or has a hard timekindling or nursing. I have a couple does that are close to 5 that are still producing 2 or3 in a litter. They are not happy unless they have babies with them. One doe stops eating until I breed her and then she is fine. I would guess though that the average age that I retire them is 4.

I would try her with a different buck.

Roger

 

[whaleyk98]

Ok, I think Ill do that before I retire her.

 

[Jaded]

Ive had a doe like yours, she was seasoned and only produced in August - November.
She has just turned four and I have retired her and sold her of as a pet.

 

[Jaded]

And she was a netherland dwarf.

 

[dixonsrabbitry1]

I have a doe that is three years old and still producing. I would say at about 3-4 years is the time to retire them.

 

[timbaland]

Retirement all depends on quality, if they are good mothers and production. I retire around four to five years if the Doe is mediocre and hasn't produce a high quality litter. There are some Does I sold as a Pet only rabbit becuase all of their kindles have gone terribly wrong. Those Does are officially 'retired'. There are still a few with high production Does over the age of five whose age doesn't effect. Though I find it's better to retire sooner than later.

 

[woahlookitsme]

Does 3-4 years.
Bucks 5-6 years

 

[CiaraPatricia]

If you retire a doe at 3 or 4 is it still safe to neuter her at that age? Same thing for an older buck? How old do you think is safe to still be able to anaesthetise a rabbit?

 

[BlueGiants]

You might consider trying again when the weather cools off a bit. I have a few does that refuse to breed when it's too warm. They may think it's just too hot to raise a litter.

We have had brutally warm temps in the Northeast, she may just be more willing if it cools off a little. I'd give her another chance. I have several Mini Rex that are funny like that, but once the weather cools down, they are more than willing.

I'll retire a doe when she doesn't conceive in 4-5 tries. Or when she doesn't "bounce back" after a litter, or when her litters start getting smaller and smaller. As Roger said, I have does that are 4 and 5 years old and love to have babies. I've had does that turned 3 years and refused to ever have another litter...

As far as spaying the rabbit at that age, a good vet would be better able to assess her condition and health. Yes, it's possible to do it safely. (Bucks are always easier than the does.)

 

[RAL Rabbitry]

My 5 year old black otter doe just kindled 6 this morning with no trouble. This is her biggest litter that she has ever had and everything went perfectly. I was very excited to see 2 chocolate otters as well as 3 black otters and a chocolate. The sire is a black otter so the chocs were a complete surprise. Neither one has choc in their pedigree. I will foster 3 of them to a year old doe that just had a black otter and a black so the older doe will not be stressed with 6 mouths to feed. The funny thing is that this doe has not produced as well as herself until her last litter born in January. Persistance pays off I guess.

Roger

 

[whaleyk98]

Oh you are so lucky! Thats the litter I have been trying for. Shes a choc otter and I bred her to a chocolate. She is just so stubborn =(

 

[RAL Rabbitry]

It's the litter I have been waiting for too. I have tried for chocolate otter mini-rex for a year and a half and have lots of carriers but whenever I get a chocolate otter it's the peanut. This litter is not from the carriers I have bred but from my first BIS otter doe that I bred and an outcross HGF black otter buck.

Roger