Breeding by the Moon & the Signs

Tonight: First Quarter

45% of the moon is lit

The moon is in Capricorn, a productive earth sign. In the old farm charts, that's the knees.

Today, by the old farm lore

Good time Breeding rabbits Kits due around Wed, Nov 18, on a waxing moon in Pisces.
Okay Setting eggs Chicks would hatch around Sun, Nov 8, on a waning moon in Scorpio. Next good day: Tue, Oct 27
Okay Weaning The signs are going down, in the knees, though the moon is still growing.
Okay Castrating & dehorning The signs are down, but the moon is still growing. Next good day: Mon, Dec 7

Farmers have watched the moon for as long as there have been farms. Some still breed, set eggs and wean by its phase and by "the signs". Here is tonight's moon, the next two months of it, and what the farm lore says, all in good fun.

First Quarter Sun, Oct 18
Full Moon Sun, Oct 25
Last Quarter Mon, Nov 2
New Moon Mon, Nov 9

The moon's phases

Every 29½ days the moon grows from dark to full and back. Here's what farm lore says about each part of the cycle.

New Moon

The dark of the moon

The start of the cycle, when the growing light begins. Rabbit breeders' lore says a doe bred near the new moon throws more does.

Waxing Moon

New moon toward full

The growing moon, everyone's favourite for new life. The almanac rule is to have chicks hatch while the moon is waxing: they're said to be healthier and grow up faster.

Full Moon

The bright of the moon

Chicks hatched just before the full moon are said to be the strongest, and a doe bred near the full moon is said to throw more bucks. Some rabbitries swear by bigger litters too.

Waning Moon

Full moon toward new

The resting time. Old-timers wean, castrate and dehorn on the waning moon, saying there's less bleeding and less fuss, and let the breeding pens take a break.

Breeding by the signs

Every two or three days the moon moves into a new sign of the zodiac. Farm almanacs print the moon's sign for every day, and they split the twelve signs into fruitful and barren. Each sign also rules one part of the body in the old "Man of Signs" chart, from Aries at the head down to Pisces at the feet. When an old-timer says "the signs are in the feet," this is what they mean.

Aries the head Barren
Taurus the neck Productive
Gemini the arms Barren
Cancer the breast Fruitful
Leo the heart Barren
Virgo the bowels Barren
Libra the kidneys Semi-fruitful
Scorpio the secrets Fruitful
Sagittarius the thighs Barren
Capricorn the knees Productive Tonight
Aquarius the legs Barren
Pisces the feet Fruitful

The old rules of thumb

Setting eggs: time it so the chicks hatch on a waxing moon in a fruitful water sign (Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces), then count back 21 days to set them.
Breeding rabbits: the same idea. Aim for kits on a waxing moon in a fruitful sign, and count back about 31 days to breed. Breeders' lore says a doe bred in Aries, Gemini or Sagittarius throws "poor quality bucks." Sorry, Aries.
Weaning: wait until "the signs are going down," with the moon in the thighs, knees, legs or feet (Sagittarius to Pisces). The idea is that the moon has moved away from the belly and the breast, where the appetite sits.
Castrating and dehorning: on a waning moon with the signs going down. Never in Scorpio, and never "in the heart" (Leo), or the animal is said to bleed.
Which zodiac? The almanacs use the astrological (tropical) zodiac, not the star constellations, and so does this page.

If you'd like to follow the tradition

Worked out from today, never in the past. Dates are approximate, within a day or so.

Setting eggs?

By the signs Set on Tuesday, October 27 to hatch on Tuesday, November 17, a waxing moon in Pisces .

By the full moon Chicken eggs take about 21 days. Set on Tuesday, November 3 to hatch around the full moon on Tuesday, November 24.

Planning a litter?

By the signs Breed on Sunday, October 18 for kits on Wednesday, November 18, a waxing moon in Pisces .

By the full moon Rabbit gestation is about 31 days. Breed on Saturday, October 24 for kits around the full moon on Tuesday, November 24.

Weaning a litter?

By the signs The next day with the signs going down is Sunday, October 18, with the moon in Capricorn , the knees.

The next 60 days

Each night's moon and its sign at about 9 pm. New, first quarter, full and last quarter moons are marked, and fruitful days (moon in Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces) glow green.

SMTWTFS

Oct 18 First Quarter

19 63%

20 73%

21 82%

22 89%

23 95%

24 99%

25 Full Moon

26 99%

27 96%

28 91%

29 84%

30 75%

31 66%

Nov 1 55%

2 Last Quarter

3 34%

4 24%

5 16%

6 9%

7 4%

8 1%

9 New Moon

10 2%

11 5%

12 11%

13 18%

14 27%

15 37%

16 48%

17 First Quarter

18 69%

19 78%

20 86%

21 93%

22 97%

23 100%

24 Full Moon

25 98%

26 94%

27 87%

28 80%

29 70%

30 60%

Dec 1 Last Quarter

2 39%

3 29%

4 20%

5 12%

6 6%

7 2%

8 0%

9 New Moon

10 3%

11 8%

12 14%

13 22%

14 32%

15 42%

16 First Quarter