Am I Crazy?

[Katduck]

I have a doe that's 1/2 Beveren and she is Vienna marked. I would like to get a Buck to breed to her and hopefully get some blue eyed kit. Actually I wanted a pair of Beverens, but there are not in this area. I found someone not to far away who has some but she didn't want to sell to me because I raise meat rabbits. :x I told her I wasn't going to eat the rabbits that she sold me, just the offspring. And also I am very attached to my breeders and treat them almost as pets. Since they are going to be around a while I want rabbits that appeal to me (such as the Beveren) She thought about it and said she had an older buck that still produces that I could have if I was interested. He's 4 and she wants $40 for him. Am I crazy? I did pay $75 each for my Angoras and went to Portland to get them. And there are no other Beverens around this area. Later we might go to california to get some (that's where she got hers), but we don't want to wait until or if that happens. 4 yrs isn't bad for a buck, right?

 

[ladysown]

no, four years isn't bad for a buck. I would counteroffer and see if she'd take $30 for him though. but I don't know the market rate in your area for beverens.

 

[Anntann]

Offer the $30, see what she says, but if you really want a buck, and he's the only one you can find....

The other thing to consider is that you can breed your own replacement then. 4 years old...even if you only get 2 breedings from him..keep a doe and buck from the first litter "just in case".

 

[DevonW]

$40.00 for a Beveren?!?! Where is she located?!

I'd jump on that like white on rice. They're on the watch list for the American Livestock Breed Conservancy. They're also a heritage breed. You can barely find them anywhere. There are people out there who will pay big $$$ for one.

I paid $150.00 for a 5 year old buck, and it was the best purchase I have ever done, and I got several litters out of him, and even though he stopped producing a year and a half later, he had paid for himself, and I had a bunch of sons out of him that I could continue to breed.

I have a 7 year old buck who is still producing, and I've always heard as long as you keep the buck breeding he will most likely be able to produce a litter until the day he dies.

 

[Katduck]

Thanks all, especially Devon. I will call her today and get the buck. The only problem is the kits will only be 3/4 Beveren. So I would have to breed back a daughter to the buck to get a good replacements and to do that I would have to get rid of Delilah cause I don't have room for another doe

I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Maybe hubby will get the barn built soon. Unlikely since DS is headed for College this fall and we need to come up with $$ to pay for that.

Kat<br /><br />__________ Mon May 03, 2010 9:55 am __________<br /><br />Went and picked up my buck yesterday. I got a pedigree with him. I talked to the lady quite a bit on the phone prior to pickup and I've going to get a call from her when she has another litter ready to go. I just have to figure out where to put a new doe! It turns out that this buck is the father of my Delilah. I had an opportunity to buy him a while back, but wasn't interested in Beverens at that time. Delilah just had a litter yesterday, so I will be breeding him to Donna next week for a 1/2 Satin 1/2 Beveren litter.

DH is out of town and I wanted to get the buck while he was gone because he really wanted to get started with Beverens. It will be a nice surprise since he knew I was having such a hard time finding one.