CoolWaterRabbitry
Well-Known Member
When do all of you start poking and prodding your babies for type? 
When to start looking for type?
- Thread starter CoolWaterRabbitry
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Shaded Night Rabbitry
Well-Known Member
Babies are worked with to pose the moment they start jumping of of the box.
every other night they come in for 30 minutes to do some posing practice, and snap update photos for the website.
I look them over at 4 weeks, and try to make cuts for faults I can see coming in. (Length is a HUGE problem in my nethies. Anything *starting* to look wrong is scrapped as brood or pet.) General DQ's are also looked for at that time.
At 8 weeks, I try to make final cuts down to keepers. If I'm having a problem, and have the space, I'll grow out what I can to 10~12 weeks. Generally I don't have the space, and fight with myself for a few days over who stays/who goes. LOL!
every other night they come in for 30 minutes to do some posing practice, and snap update photos for the website.
I look them over at 4 weeks, and try to make cuts for faults I can see coming in. (Length is a HUGE problem in my nethies. Anything *starting* to look wrong is scrapped as brood or pet.) General DQ's are also looked for at that time.
At 8 weeks, I try to make final cuts down to keepers. If I'm having a problem, and have the space, I'll grow out what I can to 10~12 weeks. Generally I don't have the space, and fight with myself for a few days over who stays/who goes. LOL!
TinysMom
Well-Known Member
A lot of it depends upon your breed and how well you know it.
After breeding lionheads for about 3 years - and staying updated on the breed and the direction it is going - I can tell by 4 weeks old the babies that AREN'T keepers.
How? I weed out the ones with small bone (look at their feet). I weed out the ones with the mule-shaped ears and the snipey faces (almost triangle shaped versus what the COD holders are going for now).
I also start watching their length...by 8 weeks old you can tell if a kit is long in body (way way too common in the breed in my opinion).
I will watch to see who poses automatically...like it is natural to them.
With the flemish (which are newer to me) - I wait till 10 or 12 weeks to really think about it - but still yet - I have some 8 week olds here that I've known for 4 weeks that one was definitely not a keeper by its type.
A lot of it comes from experience though. I used to share my example on here about how (with lionheads) I could tell the "non-keepers" almost at birth. (A major breeder shared with me what she looked for even at birth).
Also remember - with every litter - you may be looking for something different to improve your herd - so perhaps something that wasn't a keeper 6 months ago...may be a keeper now because you are working on improving that particular part of the body.
After breeding lionheads for about 3 years - and staying updated on the breed and the direction it is going - I can tell by 4 weeks old the babies that AREN'T keepers.
How? I weed out the ones with small bone (look at their feet). I weed out the ones with the mule-shaped ears and the snipey faces (almost triangle shaped versus what the COD holders are going for now).
I also start watching their length...by 8 weeks old you can tell if a kit is long in body (way way too common in the breed in my opinion).
I will watch to see who poses automatically...like it is natural to them.
With the flemish (which are newer to me) - I wait till 10 or 12 weeks to really think about it - but still yet - I have some 8 week olds here that I've known for 4 weeks that one was definitely not a keeper by its type.
A lot of it comes from experience though. I used to share my example on here about how (with lionheads) I could tell the "non-keepers" almost at birth. (A major breeder shared with me what she looked for even at birth).
Also remember - with every litter - you may be looking for something different to improve your herd - so perhaps something that wasn't a keeper 6 months ago...may be a keeper now because you are working on improving that particular part of the body.
CoolWaterRabbitry
Well-Known Member
A lot of good points. See, the hotots are 4 weeks old, and I've started watching their type more and more each day, hoping I wasn't jumping the gun. The buck is already looking at a new home with a breeding I bought their dam off of, so I've been watching him very closely for type. The doe I am keeping but am still watching.
I have started posing work with them, they're still a bit...hyper and lack focus; but they are getting the hang of it lol
I have started posing work with them, they're still a bit...hyper and lack focus; but they are getting the hang of it lol
BlueCamasRabbitry
Well-Known Member
I start looking at type at around 6 weeks of age, but won't really know who is pet vs. show quality until about 12 weeks.
I agree with Peg, that it depends on breed of rabbit you have, and how well you know your breed. Some breeders who have been raising rabbits for decades can tell keepers vs. brood/pet when they are just a few days old.
Emily
I agree with Peg, that it depends on breed of rabbit you have, and how well you know your breed. Some breeders who have been raising rabbits for decades can tell keepers vs. brood/pet when they are just a few days old.
Emily
CoolWaterRabbitry
Well-Known Member
Very true. I'm still new to this, but have seen quite a few baby hotots now from other breeders and have gotten quite a bit of advice to know kinda of what to be looking for. They're color looks 100% standard right now *keeps fingers crossed* and they're type is looking well, but will have to really look at them in the next few days into weeks.
Thanks!
Thanks!
