Is 5 months to young for a doe? (Plus video and need names)

ButtonsPalace · Dec 16, 2016

I have about four 3-4 month old does and I want to breed them in January or February. Since they grew out over the winter all of them are HUGE! I can't say any specific weight seeing I have no scale but the doe I processed from the same litter felt like she weighed at least a good 5-6 lbs live. In January the younger two does will be going on 5 months at the very end of the month (Wouldn't be breeding these until about mid February) but the older does will be going on 5 months so I was wanting to breed them middle to end of January. However I don't want to breed them too young. The two older does for a while were constantly humping each other and all of their friends but they've all settled in very nicely. Here's a video of the buns I'm keeping for breeding. The blue and chocolate need names.. I think I picked a name for the brown but can't remember to save my life. The two black bunnies are Obsidian and Onyx, the little lion head is my buck named Fluffernut (He's actually for sale, I'm asking $45 because he's a DM and he's a Black Tipped Chocolate Torte.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA2FJtbPIyg

SarniaTricia · Dec 16, 2016

Buttons
Yes and No

I have a meat mix I bread at 4-5 months...... she has been a very successful mama
I have a show line Harlequin that I waited 7 months before I bread her.... she has also been a successful mama

My reasoning behind waiting on the Harlequin was because she hadn't reached minimum show weight for her breed. (7lbs)
The meat doe came from a really good reliable mom (who I have) and I felt she was very close to full size. (I recognize 8lbs as full size for my meat rabbits)

What ever breed your rabbit is, or closest it resembles ... find out minimum show weight for Senior and use that to judge. (or 7-8 months)

My scale travels back and forth between two barns, so I don't always have it... If you have access to a bathroom scale, weight her on that.
You can guess.... bring out her mom or an adult doe and put them on a table together and look at them; compare size.

ButtonsPalace · Dec 16, 2016

They are Silver fox and silver fox cross. I'll bring in my NZ/Chin doe and compare them in size to her because I know she weighs 10 lbs and her daughter I kept weighs about 8.5-9.. They will be 4 months exactly on the 30th, I'll post pictures of them beside my bigger doe and that should give a better size reference, and maybe make it easier to help with my problem haha!!

ladysown · Dec 17, 2016

I find rabbits don't show signs of readiness until they are 70% of their adult weight. Once they show signs, I breed them. would rather breed a bit early then to wait a bit and have them put on fat.

4-5 months, doesn't matter what breed...just get them bred.

ButtonsPalace · Dec 18, 2016

Right now I can't help but be in shock, a girl was asking if I had any rabbits for sale and I only have the two does waiting to be put in the freezer, so I figured hey if she wants them why not, there's nothing wrong with them and they are pretty sweet does for not being handled much. So I brought them in snapped some pics and then thought Hey! Turtle (My 1-2 year old doe is inside I should compare their size). They are the same size!! A 3 month old doe is the same length as my Sr. Doe!!! How big could these does get if they are already this big?!?! Should I breed them so they stop growing?!
The Lilac is 4 months old December 30, and the Blue is appx. 2 years old

ladysown · Dec 24, 2016

breeding them doesn't stop their growing, might slow them down. You should breed when your does show signs of readiness.. seriously don't look at age, look at the RABBIT. are they acting like a baby yet? Don't breed them. Are they more settled, getting the odd day of attitude? Breed them.

I wish people would stop being so hung up on a calendar with rabbits... they mature at different times....

ButtonsPalace · Dec 25, 2016

That is something I've noticed, they all mature differently. I just don't want to breed them if it's going to hurt them because they're to young. The two bigger black does have been mounting and humping everyone. I've been watching their attitudes. None really act like babies but not quite as mature as an adult. I'm surprised at how huge they are, growing like weeds