BREEDERS- Questions!

[Hllh04]

These 3 are 6 weeks old, and are almost as big as their mama. I cannot see how they'd be nursing off of her anymore, lol. I will wean them at 8 weeks. I have been told many mixed opinions on when to wean. (Inside the house in a temp place due to weather outside. I'm a worry wart.) When do you wean your babies? I am assuming that if I weaned them now, they would be fine.
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I'm new to rabbits and hope to show.
I am in 4H.
I've been posing all 3, and I love one of the chestnuts. (I believe I am posing right.)
Those that show- Possible show prospect..? (Local 4h, I'm also looking into other rabbit shows but.. I'm a horse person just getting into rabbits, so I'm not familiar with much!)
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Also, my rabbits that I currently have are not registered. Only two are G2. As far as I have gathered, I must get to G3, and up to breed standards to get them registered correct?
These three are DM.
To show them, do they need to be registered??
Many questions.. thanks to whoever reads/answers!!

 

[SableSteel]

Yes, you are posing correctly.
They need to have 3 generations on the pedigree (parents, grandparents, great-grandparents) with all information, including weights & ear #s, to be registered but they do NOT need to be registered to be shown. I show rabbits without pedigrees all the time.
Especially in the dwarf breeds, they do tend to get nearly as big as the mom. As long as she isn't attacking them, I would leave them in there for 8 weeks. I generally wean between 6-8 weeks, the longer you go the more vigorous they are to handle the stresses of weaning, but I have weaned as early as 4 weeks without issue. Show breeders tend to wean later than meat breeders, as the show breeders want every kit to turn out as strong as possible, while the meat breeders care more about general production quantity, and getting that doe onto another litter as soon as possible. Show breeders usually wean 6-8 weeks, meat breeders usually wean 4-6 weeks.
That chestnut looks to have decent type, though chestnuts are not currently allowed to be shown under the lionhead standard. Blacks, Chocolate, Sables, Seals, Tortoises, and Whites are the only colors that can be shown right now. The breed was only added to the ARBA standard a few years ago, so they are still working on adding more colors. If you are familiar with horse colors, a chestnut in rabbits is genetically the same as a bay in horses.
Lionheads are also a bit difficult because of their manes; their manes are usually thicker as a kit and molt out as an adult. A lot of the lines that show well as adults are too fluffy to be shown as kits; they need a break of normal fur between their mane and flank wool or else they will be disqualified. Additionally, they are a dwarf breed, so some rabbits in the litter might show up with no dwarf gene. These will go over the breed's weight limit, and usually have longer ears and a longer body style. That lionhead doesnt seem particularly fluffy for a rabbit that age. They were all born with the naked sides as a baby that indicates they are double maned?

 

[Hllh04]

I noticed that and hope they grow more mane .. both the chestnuts are like this, the steel has a big mane but doesn't pose well. I'll get more pictures today.

 

[Hllh04]

So then I likely need better stock.
This one I'm not sure on color, was calling silver tipped steel.
Silver tipped x blk tort

 

[Hllh04]

Updated pictures of the steel/blue one.

 

[Hllh04]

Better pose

 

[dogwoodblossoms]

Looks to me that the black steel's ears a little to far apart and are a little big, but I'm also used to Nethies, so it might be okay for a Lionhead lol. But if I had to guess he/she is a false dwarf.
You mentioned you might need better stock, which is probably true, the first rabbits you get for showing usually aren't as good as you thought. I'd recommend just getting a another doe closer to the standard (that is if your buck is good quality).
Also, the first litter of bunnies usually isn't the best SOP to the breed

 

[Hllh04]

Looks to me that the black steel's ears a little to far apart and are a little big, but I'm also used to Nethies, so it might be okay for a Lionhead lol. But if I had to guess he/she is a false dwarf.
You mentioned you might need better stock, which is probably true, the first rabbits you get for showing usually aren't as good as you thought. I'd recommend just getting a another doe closer to the standard (that is if your buck is good quality).
Also, the first litter of bunnies usually isn't the best SOP to the breed

So I figured.. I am looking for a nice quality buck. There are no local show breeders. And so far this seems to be the nicest somewhat local buck I've been offered for sale.
Jr and Sr pictures.
He is $75. Pedigreed.
Will he regrow his beautiful mane?
I am debating on going to get him.

 

[Hllh04]

1st is Jr.
Others are recent

 

[dogwoodblossoms]

To be honest, I don't know the breed well, but it seems like he might have gone through a molt and it just hasn't grown back. Have you asked the breeder? If the breeder says he will grow his mane back and you believe he is good quality, $75 isn't a bad price. Maybe get a second opinion from another lionhead breeder.

 

[Hllh04]

They said his father is unable to show due to his mane shedding off. And he will never have the hair he did as a JR, and it goes for all bucks. What a bummer!!! Is this true?

 

[dogwoodblossoms]

If the breeder says his father also lost his mane, I would guess the same for him. It's up to you. If you don't have a double maned doe, you might not get babies with enough mane again. The same might also happen to his babies, since the losing the mane seems to be genetic.

 

[SableSteel]

Definitely not true for all bucks, only certain lines.