weekly weights for Californians?

I just weighed some of our 4 week old Californians. I need them to hit just under 5 lbs at 10 weeks. Anyone happen to know about how much they should weigh? They were between 1 lb and 1.5 lbs. They are getting split up this weekend or early next week so I can have more control over feed and weight. I've looked for a chart, but haven't found one. I'm hoping someone might have an idea. We haven't had a good litter, or scale for that matter, for me to track to get an idea. Hubby bought me a scale today. :clap:

I don't know exactly what they should weigh each week, but their weight gain will accelerate (as will the amount of food they eat). I keep my rabbits till they are a larger size, often 10 to 12 weeks old. Last week I was weighing a liter that was in a kindling pen (the doe had been removed 2 weeks earlier). I wanted to save one so I checked the weights to help make my decision, it turned out that they weighed from a bit over five up to six pounds (maybe it was a bit over six up to seven pounds, I don't really remember now) I was quite suprised, I had figured they would need a couple of more weeks in the growout pen.

My point is, they start putting on weight really fast at about 4 or 5 weeks.

From the charts on yahoo groups, your rabbits that finish at 5 lbs in 10 weeks will usually weigh between 1 lb 3 oz to 1 lb 8 oz at 4 weeks.

Still lots of variables like mother's milk production, number of kits in the litter, external stresses, etc.

But you are at a good mark!

Have a good day!

Thanks rabbitgeek! Looks like we are on target. I would hate to get DQ over something that could be prevented. How do I get one of those charts? I'm not familiar with any of the yahoo rabbit groups.<br /><br />__________ Mon Feb 08, 2010 8:53 am __________<br /><br />Update:

I weighed them again this morning. They range from 1.2 lbs to 1.72 lbs. They are now 5 weeks. I've split the pen, putting the 3 smallest together to get them up a little. I'll probably separate the larger ones later this week.

We have shown both Californians and New Zealands in meat pen classes with the kids. We help many of the 4-H kids in the area with meat pens. At 5 weeks I like those kits to be hitting the 2 pound mark (usually if they are at least 1 1/2 pounds they will make a smaller fryer and will fall into that 3-5 pound range.. We just recently reintroduced the califorians to the barn (had cut back when daughter went to college, she is back and lives nearby so can help with chores, so the Cali's have returned)

Our first Cal litter is 5 weeks old and good to see the kits are at the growth that we want them! I do have to watch and breed the New Zealands for about 63 day old fryers as if I breed them for 69 they will go over the 5.0 limit and be DQ'd. I just sent a litter to freezer camp that were all over 5.o pounds at 9 weeks. I kept the smallest one (nicest doe) and she was 5.04.

I have found from the 5-6 week old age a well growing fryer will gain between 1/4 to 1/2 pound per week. When the kids were in 4-H, we weighed the kits weekly, it helped the kids learn to gage the growth in the kits and which does were doing the better job. To this day my daughter and I make a game of picking up a fryer and calling its weight out, we then weigh it and see how close we are. We are generally within an ounce or two on the weight!!

Remember on meat pens, weight needs to be as close as possible to each other. But the pen needs to be balanced in body type also. A 5 pound pen with different body types will not do as well as a 4.0 pound pen that is balanced in type! Good Luck in growing your meat pens. I strongly believe that the skills you gain in growing consistant meat pens spills over to your whole rabbitry. You simply do not get a winning pen without a lot of hard work and observation!

Denise