knowing type when babies.. HARLEQUINS

[ladysown]

I won't see the answers for a week...but I thought I'd generate a conversation here.

I have a litter of five kits off the doe that gave me my typey kit that got a leg at the Dorchester show.

There's one kit I've been watching since it was five days old... other than completely wrong in colour...(I like magpies better than japs) it has the same build that the kit in the first litter did.

and at day 21 is the biggest and chunkiest of the litter.

Am I wrong to think that telling type is possible at day five?

At what age can folks start telling what kits will be ones you want to watch? Do you even bother? I'm just talking TYPE not markings. Markings are fun, but overall I want type.

What kind of things do you consider when watching kits grow out?

 

[ottersatin]

Lady sown,
No you are NOT wrong.
The rabbit is made in the nestbox,
if it has the body type you are looking for
it should have it when it matures.
Of course all rabbits when going through their teenage stage
get gangly and the type seems to disappear.
They look like something else, it is at this time that often,
the baby gets tossed out with the bath water.
Not every rabbit progresses as thought but in most cases
if it's there at birth it will be there when it is done.
Many things can stifle the outcome, it has to do with
feeding and grooming as the rabbit matures.
There is also a bit of luck involved.
I would hang on to those that you feel have the best type.
You can always deal with color later.
Ottersatin.

 

[ladysown]

good to know that it is possible. You hear so many differing opinions that part of me wonders if I"m just fooling myself. But then I hear about long time breeders who can pick them in the nestbox...gives me hope anyways.