How to get coppers?

RR MiniSatins · Dec 5, 2013

I was just wondering if it was possible to get the copper color (castor or chestnut agouti in other breeds I think) by breeding two other colors together besides another copper?

Dood · Dec 5, 2013

Copper is just a chestnut with a lot of rufus factors in the angoras and satins.

Yes you can get copper from two non-copper rabbits.

RR MiniSatins · Dec 5, 2013

What would be the best colors to work with to get good copper color?

akane · Dec 6, 2013

It's basically the default color along with black. Unless you are only crossing recessive colors you will see chestnuts and/or blacks. The problem, that I don't know if it applies to satins but does apply to every other breed, is that the shade of a chestnut or castor varies a ton. You can get really red rabbits or really grey rabbits or rabbits with swirly grey sides instead of even color. It's suggested to buy good quality castors and only breed them together unless you really know what you are doing and then you can introduce a black or a red to modify the color in the direction you need to.

skysthelimit · Dec 6, 2013

The best color to get good coppers, or any chestnut agouti for good rufus, is chestnut agoutis with good rufus. Unless the other colors have a pedigree of animals with strong rufus behind them, you will not get a good deep color (too much black surface color).
Red will give you a clean color, but it will turn your undercoat from slate to cream, not what you want with Coppers. It is recommended every few generations, but it will mean you will have to cull for a while to get what you want. This is a great read. http://www.asrba.org/varieties/Copper_Satins.pdf

I do not, use any Reds in my Chestnut agoutis, though I suspect the otter buck I recently got carries Red, and I have a really nice clean chestnut kit now that makes me suspicious of him. Mainly because tort is not acceptable in my main breed, and I need to look at my SOP out in the barn, but I don't think it is in Satins either. I'll get back to you on that one.

I have rainbow peds, and let me tell you first hand, my chestnuts agoutis have suffered greatly. Although my otters have excellent rufus because of it.