Young Buck

[man-alive]

I know your supposed to wait till they reach a certain age or weight and all that jazz... But whats the signs that a buck is ready? Can I visually check him to see if he is close? And is there a major problem with breeding too young? I know that the buck may not know what to do. I know that if he does know what to do the breeding may not be succesful. And that if all goes well up to that point that the kits in the litters will most likely be few to none. My idea, and it is just an idea I have in no way tried or even think i'm going to try this out. So... that being said, my idea or better yet, what I was wondering. Is if we started breeding bucks at a young age... by the time they are the real breeding age they have already gotten a few practice runs in. This may sound comepletly rediculous to someone with experiance. But if we already understand that nothing may come about by breeding a young buck early except him getting practice, is there a problem with doing so? Now there might be a million reasons why not to do this so thats why i'm posting on here so as to be able to hear those million reasons why. So if someone knows why this is bad I would like to know.

P.S. I Haven't tried this, and until I have proof that it won't physically hurt my rabbits I will not try this. So don't be worried.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

You can start trying at 5mos or so, but make sure you can see his "bizness". They won't be ready until after their testicles drop. Best way is to put the buck in with an older, easy breeder. A mean one will literally scar him for life...

 

[man-alive]

Well see thats why i'm asking. I can see his "bizness" (i like that phrase by the way) and he is only
3 1/2 months old... :hmm:

 

[akane]

If they are mounting does odds are they can make kits. I've had kits from a 3 month old and her brother so they bred at 8weeks. The problem with using young bucks is they are clueless and less hormones driving them so often nothing happens. Despite being capable they just sit there, eat food, maybe groom the doe, and this could go on for hours before they bother trying to mount which usually starts by mounting the head. Also a pushy doe may get frustrated and smash your buck. They will hump a buck that isn't getting it or if they are really hormonal and it may scare a young buck in to running and not trying anything. Poor Arinsu's introduction to the colony with 4 hormonal does ready to breed was rather stressful as they chased him about mounting him while he had no clue what to do about it except that they might be trying to harm him so he kept running instead of mounting them back.

I usually start by leaving them with really calm but eager does who always lift for many hours while I'm doing some major chore like shoveling out the barn so they have plenty of time to think it through. Sometimes I have left a doe and buck together for days or a week in a large cage but it is not suggested because a doe may decide to castrate her cagemate since they are territorial and you don't see the act happen so you just end up having to wait them out for a month to see if anything happened.