Calling Champagne D'argente Experts

[Blakie83]

Hi Everyone! And the past I used to keep Continental Harlequin magpies. I love them so much and had a great line but I took 5 months off and I had a chance to get D'argent, which are extremely rare that stumbled upon in mind of the woods I've been wanting to sleep for over 10 years! Well I finally procured a buck and a Doe, unrelated of course that come from pretty good lines nothing to show but for pleasure and for meat. I'm guessing they are around 4 months old I was told they were around that age and some research and pictures I seen and their weight I'm guessing they're right. They do look like they have finished silvering but they're about 6 lbs each more or less the female slightly smaller than the buck at this point starting to develop a tiny Dewlap. I just need some information from people who've had this breed before. When is a good time to breed how many months? Also what are expected litter sizes or is it like usual.. luck of the draw. I had silver fox in past. Also do they do well in cold weather as I am in Connecticut they do have plenty of second cup hay and shings under. Hutches used to be for Continentals so they're nice and roomy 3 ft wide 5 ft long with a bedroom compartment for nesting in the back all closed in and then a part that's open on two sides in the front and the fencing at the bottom from the front side. I do have a picture of the female I will upload a picture of the buck later!. That is the female. Also I feed Show hutch 17 buy Blue seal / Kent.; and they get kale other goodies. Anything I need to onow from the pros?

Thanks

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

Woahh do you have any pictures of the Continentals?

 

[Blakie83]

Woahh do you have any pictures of the Continentals?

I did I'll try to look if I can find those but I always clear my phone every few months. And one way I regret getting rid of the Continentals because I had perfected the breed the females would have liters of 10 were wonderful moms had lots of milk never lost a baby. Colors by way of breeding we're always a mix of magpie and Harlequin. They would reach 13 lb by almost 4 months and if people use them for meat after bones they were left with at the least 8 lb of meat. But they were just too gigantic and ate so so much LOL.

 

[Blakie83]

This is the Buck he is almost 4 months old. looks like he has a nice body shape he's a nice size . What do y'all think?. I'm excited to start with this New breed that I've been wanting forever! He's warming up to me doesn't run away but he doesn't come up to me either luckily he doesn't fight same as a female. The hutches were originally defined extra large for so nice they had big big hutches. All with the back compartment bedroom and our next box.

 

[Alaska Satin]

This is the Buck he is almost 4 months old. looks like he has a nice body shape he's a nice size . What do y'all think?. I'm excited to start with this New breed that I've been wanting forever! He's warming up to me doesn't run away but he doesn't come up to me either luckily he doesn't fight same as a female. The hutches were originally defined extra large for so nice they had big big hutches. All with the back compartment bedroom and our next box.

Congratulations on your first Champagne D'Argent! I had to wait years before I got my first Champagnes! Overall he looks like a healthy friendly bunny.

What is your purpose in breeding the Champagnes? Meat or show?

Speaking particularly as a show/meat breeder, I'd like to see a lot more depth, and more width in his hindquarters, though it would be easier to assess more confidently if he was posed. He does look like he has a nice strong shoulder. I can't really see enough to comment on his loin (hindquarters and loin are what you want to prioritize in a meat breed).

For show purposes, at four months I'd like to see his ears and feet a closer match to the color on his body, and I'd like to see more uniform silvering across his saddle and hindquarters. But different Champagne lines develop their color at different rates.

Just a heads-up: I'm sure there is a lot of variation across lines, but I've had recurrent problems with sore hocks and malocclusion in my Champagnes (as well as temperament problems, so it sounds like you got a winner there).

Congratulations again!