Some Questions about developing your own lines of rabbits...

[TinysMom]

whaleyk98 wrote:

Peg, I totally forgot to add my black buck. He is my favorite too. He is about 4 months old. So I have a total of 4 bucks right now.

As for the new buns, the tri and pointeds, Im not sure what sex they will be as they arent even born yet or have just been born. I do know that I have way too many bucks right now so I am leaning towards does if she has any. It is really confusing...and I know Im not the only person to have this problem....to figure out what color goes with what. I have done so much research on this topic that I have started writing it down in a journal,lol. There have been some really great works on this subject and you can bet that I have them all saved on my favorites!

Please don't get mad at me - or offended...ok? Please?

If you're planning to breed for show...I would not be putting deposits on animals that aren't born yet or are just born. You have no idea what their body type will be...and the general principle from what I've always heard is "set your type first..then work on color...".

 

[whaleyk98]

No, Im not mad. I understand that. I have not put down a deposit on anything and I dont unless I can see a pic or see the rabbit in person first. Although I am learning, I am also a very cautious person for the most part and I like to see what I am buying before I buy it. I ask to be put on the waiting list so Im there incase something that I do want comes out of a certain litter.

 

[TinysMom]

That's good - I'm glad you're like that.

I did get on waiting lists that didn't require deposits so that I had a shot if I was looking for certain colors or whatever...

 

[pamnock]

TinysMom wrote:

Pam - would you recommend someone start their own lines that way?

Is that how you started your lines?

We used a modified version, breeding related rabbits together and adding in an occasional new rabbit that had the traits we needed.

Often the best rabbits are produced from breeding 2 separate lines and crossing those.

One thing I often see is the big breeders buying. They are also throwing something else into their line to improve and to avoid inbreeding depression. In fact, crossing in other breeds is actually rather common in some breeds.

Pam

 

[JadeIcing]

Pam could you give a example of breeds that would be ok and why. Sorry if I should but out I find it intresting.

 

[pamnock]

Surprisingly, Holland Lops are crossed into a number of breeds including Lionheads and Netherland Dwarfs.

Dwarf Hotots are often crossed with Netherlands or other breeds such as Mini Rex.

Many rare breeds are out-crossed to widen the gene pool.

Many "American Fuzzy Lops" are actually fuzzy Holland Lops.

Angoras were widely crossed into many breeds years ago, and crop-ups still occur today (the fuzzy Holland and fuzzy French Lops for example).

Many breeds are crossed with other breeds to bring new colors in (Mini Satins x Mini Rex).

A rabbit does not have to be "pure-bred" to be shown, but it must be to be registerable.

Pam

 

[JadeIcing]

Thanks Pam. See I didn't know that last bit! Always learn something new.

 

[RAL Rabbitry]

The statement starting your own line to me means a certain amount of mixing to make the line your own. If you buy a trio from someone and work from them you are just perpetuating their line in my opinion.

When I started I bought two bucks from two different breeders and 3 does for my black and broken line. All of my blacks, brokens and otters come down from these two bucks. They are still around and get bred to their grandaughters and great-granddaughters. I have only added a handful of breedings from other bucks to get the otter gene into my herd. Luckily the offspring of these two bucks worked well together so I can cross them.

My castor line comes down from two bucks as well and a couple of does. They share some ancestory way back and work well together. Only one outcross buck has been added and I knew that his line would work with mine.

Roger

 

[TinysMom]

RAL Rabbitry wrote:

The statement starting your own line to me means a certain amount of mixing to make the line your own. If you buy a trio from someone and work from them you are just perpetuating their line in my opinion.

Roger

Roger, this is a GREAT point. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Blaze_Amita]

I know I've done similar to that, though i worked it as rach had a buck she'd been working the lines to(tri mini rex), and i got a tri doe to go with him that had the body type that was slightly better( Though Mr. Butter was still nice himself- gorgeous color and head) and we bred, and each kept a daughter, and I've bred the daughter out to my blue buck that I got recently and the babies are very nice. So now i'm going to rebreed that breeding in a few months and keep one from that litter and I'm getting a different doe from another litter to go with that baby(which i'm hoping to pull a buck from) and just keep working the line out. I pet homed the original mother, she didn't like the showing and breeding thing. She was a bit of a fight to get her to keep taking care of her babies, but she loved human kids so.

 

[SilverBirchRabbitry]

Right now I'm starting my French angora breeding program with some show quality bunnies, from reputable breeders. I have decided to buy the best stock possible so that way I'm hopefully breeding better bunnies in the long run

Anyways my breeding program consists of:
Celestial's Fuzzy Mcgee - He has won 3 legs with me so far - He was born November 28th 2008. He is a fully pedigreed REW buck. He has amazing type & wool aswell. So he is a nice herd buck. My main show bunny :]

Fairhaven's Mistletoe - Unpedigreed - Proven buck - Nice starter, could have better wool but type isn't too bad - he is a REW - Going to attempt to show him this fall Picking up this coming monday actually along with Loretta Lynn

Fuzzie's Loretta Lynn - Pedigreed, Show quality - Lilac doe - Fuzzy Mcgee's auntie - Proven, has medium sized litters ;] Getting with Mistletoe on Monday!
& last but not least:

Lilylane's Nightshade - 4 months old - Pedigreed and show quality - AMAZING coat and type. - Black doe - Showing this fall & breeding to Fuzzy Mcgee in late fall in hopes of nice babies for spring shows!

Yep that is what I'm starting with, the only one who throws me a bit is Mistletoe, but we will see what he produces and how he does in the show ring I'm only getting him because him and Loretta Lynn or sort of a package deal I take her and she wanted him to go aswell because they are a breeding pair I guess lol

But I think 2 bucks and 2 does is a nice start. That is just my personal opinion. My future plan is too:

Breed Fuzzy Mcgee to Nightshade and Loretta Lynn, then I will keep a buck and a doe from each litter, breed a buck from Loretta's litter to Nightshade and a buck from Nightshade's litter to Loretta, and then the does back to my 2 bucks, then I will have 4 more litters and then continue from there. It is really hard to explain on here, I will continue an in depth explanation of my plans later lol

 

[TinysMom]

That sounds like an excellent plan.

When I start breeding again...I'm going to have rabbits from two different breeders - so that as Roger pointed out - I won't just be repeating their breedings.

I'll actually be starting out with three does and two bucks.

 

[whaleyk98]

Thats what I am doing. I have some from an east coast breeder and some from a west coast breeder. Putting the best of both world together....lets see what I can accomplish =)