Page:Care and Management of Rabbits.djvu/205

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UTILITY VALUE OF RABBITS

So many extravagant claims have been made for the utility value of rabbits that it is necessary to give some attention to the subject. We have already discussed the prolific tendency of rabbits and mentioned the size of the average litter.

The small back-yard breeder, who probably will keep only a single hutch of the kind recommended elsewhere, which provides room for three does and a buck will naturally want to know just what sort of a production he can count upon from his little rabbitry.

We have already cautioned the beginner not to expect to raise every rabbit that comes in each litter and we want to say again that no rabbit should be compelled to nurse more than six to the litter. We consider that the very limit of possibilities for profitable operation.