I raised and bred rabbits while in 4-H. Did it for 6 years. I will answer any questions that I can.
The average gestation period for rabbits is 31 days; however, it can vary from 29 to 35 days.
Clean and disinfected nest boxes should be placed with the doe three days before she is due to kindle or when fur pulling is observed. Remove the nest box when rabbits are two weeks old.
The young can be weaned at 4 weeks, but they may remain with the doe until 8 weeks.
When breeding, ALWAYS take the female to the male. A female will be aggressive to the male if he is put into her home, but will accept a male is she is in his home.
Breeding can usually begin at 6 months of age for both sexes.
Some leave the doe with the buck overnight. Others put the doe in, watch it, and when they have mated, remove the doe. If you do the latter, put the doe back in with the buck 1 to 12 hours after the initial breeding. This will increase the likelihood of pregnancy and may increase the number of offspring.
Keep a calendar and accurate records of the day you breed the doe. You should test her for pregnancy between the 10th and 14th day after the initial breeding. There are two ways to do this. The overall preferred method is to palpate the lower abdomen of the doe with your thumb and forefinger checking for nodules about the size of a marble. The other method is not only more risky but also more inaccurate. This method is to mate the doe with the buck again. This can cause problems because the doe has two uterine horns, each of which can carry babies. It is possible for one horn to be fertilized on the first mating and the second to be fertilized on the second mating. This will create a hormonal imbalance and cause the babies in both uteri to not form right, causing her to pass blobs instead of babies at the date of kindling. There is also a chance these "mummified" blobs could cause complications leading to the death of the doe.
Do not keep more than one rabbit in each cage when the rabbit is 3 months or older. Rabbits mature faster when alone, do not fight, and do not breed, thus eliminating unexpected results.
Hope this helps answer some of the questions.
