Breeding age for Flemish Giant bucks.

[HansenHomestead]

I have been looking online about the breeding ages for FG's. I am seeing that for a doe breeding age is 9 months old, and minimum weight of 14lbs. I thought I had seen somewhere that the age for a buck was 6 months of age, but when re-trying to find the site I had read it on, somehow the internet wants me to think I am crazy, and must have eaten the site. :lol:

Of course RT is the best place to ask such a question. My Blue FG buck Thunder (Thunder Buddy) is 4 months old on the 16th of this month. I am dying to start having some FG litters, well more like half FG litters until I am able to get my hands on a nice doe, and maybe another cage.

 

[Dood]

He might have his hormones and be fertile at 4 months but large breeds tend to mature slower

What you really need to worry about is being traumatized by a doe who is not in the mood or by one who is too eager and mounts him instead :x

 

[HansenHomestead]

Most of my does "take it" pretty easily. I planned on giving him Luna my easiest doe until he gets things figured out.

I check quite often, and so far his testicles have not dropped. I really don't know how he would do with the ladies he's honestly just a big pile of love mush, BUT I have noticed lately that when I put a doe in with one of the other bucks, Thunder perks up, gets excited, and starts thumping until Phantom gets the job done, lol.

 

[Dood]

If his testes haven't dropped then he will be shooting blanks as his high body temperature will kill the sperm

 

[HansenHomestead]

Okay I was looking over my male rabbits of all ages. I picked up one of my meat mutts that is 15 weeks now. I was double checking to make sure the *** change fairy hadn't struck anyone. While checking him out I noticed the loose skin where his testicles are going to drop.

So that got me got to thinking about Thunder. I flipped him over, and REALLY looked at him. He's quite fuzzy so his "boys" aren't as easy to see like they are on my Cals. So after pushing around some fur what I see is his testicles are more defined, meaning. It's not just the flap of skin, I can clearly see/feel them, BUT they are not as pronounced as my also 1 year old bucks.

What I am thinking is that they are gearing up to drop relatively soon.

Yes?

 

[EnglishSpot]

The NZs have consistently been ready around 7 months, so I would expect Thunder to be ready by about then.

 

[HansenHomestead]

Hey woman, SHH! Don't saaaay that!!