comparison

[ladysown]

two litters.
Mixed them up. girls one pen, boys another.

had four girls... they went into an indoor pen.
had 10 boys....they went into the outside pen.

all fed the same.

They had approximately the same amount of footage available per bunny, with the boys getting a slight advantage.

The girls at butchering... 4.5-5 lbs each.
the boys at butchering.... 2.5-4 lbs each.

Totally surprised me the differences in them.

From now on...I'll figure out how to split all bunnies up to about 4-5 in a pen and leave them inside.

 

[MaggieJ]

Seems to me that bucks at butchering age do tend to run a bit smaller than does. I've done some guessing before sexing the fryers and the smaller ones are usually male. Small sample, anecdotal... not statistically significant, I know, but just thought I'd mention it.

 

[currituckbun]

Interesting. I had 6. I had trouble sexing one so it was deemed a boy. I put 2 boys in a small 24 x24 cage and the 4 girls went in the 30x36 cage all indoors. All fed the same amount of pellets, 3/4 cup per rabbit per day plus hay every other day. I do not have a scale. Sorry that is the rub. The two in the small cage were significantly larger than the 4 in the large cage. I am not sure what these stats tell us but I am leaning towards the number in the cage makes a difference not the amount of space.

 

[MaggieJ]

I do think that the number in a cage may be a significant factor as well. Could be it is more stressful for them, which might lead to slower weight gains.

 

[Secuono]

Don't the bucks mature to be smaller than the does anyway? So wouldn't it be obvious or at least most common for does to be larger at any point in healthy growth?

 

[ladysown]

I haven't had it when I've raised them indoors in side by side cages. the extreme difference is what caught my eye. They were all approximately the same weight when I split them. I expected a 1/2 pound difference... not 2 lbs.

 

[arachyd]

Almost all of my males turn out somewhat heavier than my females by 8-10 weeks. When this varies it is always a very heavy female in the litter rather than a small male.

 

[Jessykah]

I think the males tend to be more active. Chasing each other and whatnot...Maybe that is why they are smaller?

 

[5dognightfarm]

Generally in nature the male is bigger then the female relative to how many females he takes on. So, say, Elephant Seals for example, the males breed a LOT of ladies during breeding season, and they weigh a ton whereas the girls weigh 600-700lbs. Deer on the other hand, the bucks breed several does but not nearly as many as E. seals do, so they're bigger but not as much bigger.

Rabbits, on the other hand...in the wild, a doe has more buck partners. The buck will generally get in trouble by his lady if he tries to breed another doe, but the doe is free to breed with several bucks. So...the doe is bigger.

Why, don't ask me. Just something I read somewhere. Or might have been on Nova.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Oh dear me... does that apply to men, too? They are bigger than most of us gals...

 

[5dognightfarm]

Oh dear me... does that apply to men, too? They are bigger than most of us gals...

I decided not to think about it.

 

[hoodat]

Oh dear me... does that apply to men, too? They are bigger than most of us gals...

I decided not to think about it.

Probably the best way. :lol:

 

[bowbuild]

Bucks are ALMOST always smaller, when one is not....I keep my eye on him as potential breeding stock!