My Mini lop Keepers at six weeks

[Smith's Rabbits]

Well our two mini lop litters just hit six weeks. I finally have some idea of who I am keeping so here are some pictures of the ones I am sure I am keeping ( at least to 4 months) at the bottom will be the ones I am thinking of keeping. I wanted to keep a total of ten from these two litters but since I only have three does out of 15 babies! I don't think I want to keep back seven bucks! Right now I am aiming for 8 total. The six I already have chosen and two more, whichever two bucks are the best out of the Gold tipped black steels and the broken blacks.

The Keepers

left to right in the top two pictures : Lilac buck, broken gold tipped black steel buck, Broken lilac doe(on top), broken chestnut agouti buck, broken silver tipped black steel doe, and gold tipped black steel doe. These are from two different litters.

Just the girls

Some posed pictures of my "keepers"
Brk GTBS buck

Brk chestnut agouti buck

Gold tipped black steel doe

Brk Lilac doe

Brk STBS doe

Now the ones I am considering
The two broken blacks

I also have three gold tipped black steel bucks I am considering keeping, either one of them and one of the broken blacks, or both the broken blacks or two of the three gold tipped black steels. I took pictures of them last night, but they didn't turn out (blurry) so I will try again later with those. Let me know what you think so far.

 

[Peach]

Time will tell with these guys. Can't really determine too much until 8 week,but I take my Mini Lops to another experienced breeder for a second opinion. I keep an eye on crown/head development and back leg straightness. Around 8 weeks I look at their overall type/body.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

OMG! You captured the Easter Bunny??? :shock: I can see him in the background in the fifth picture! I hope you believe in "catch and release"... there will be a lot of disappointed kids next Easter otherwise.

Well, now that I got that off my chest, on to the mini lops...

What a nice assortment of colors! They are adorable! I especially like the color of the broken lilac doe. Congratulations- I hope they mature nicely for you.

 

[Peach]

I agree with mamma love the colors. Haha Im kinda glad the recent buck I kept was a broken even though I was planning to not have brokens at all...it's nice to have a variation of colors

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

very nice pictures and bunnies. As goes for the brokens to help to make up your mind between the two bucks. I would keep the one with the most color. They have allot of white on them.

 

[Smith's Rabbits]

The "Easter bunny" in this case is Fancy my REW Satin doe.

Mary Ann - They do both have a lot of white, but the color is my least concern, I am wanting to keep back the BEST I have. Whichever two bucks are the BEST between the two broken blacks and the three solid Gold tipped black steels. By best I refer to type, body, head, ears and crown and especially to shoulders as that is where my other bucks are a bit long.

I will get better posed pictures of the ones I am deciding between next week when they will be 8 weeks old, an I will make a new post for them then.

 

[skymya]

its like a rabbit rainbow..

 

[ladysown]

Recognize that I don't know that much about mini lops.

When I look at the two of them. The first peaks higher than the second which I don't know if that's what you want. The second seems smoother overall and to me is more visually appealing.

Based on the pictures of them side by side, I assume the smaller one is the second one pictured? What do you need in your herd ... size? type? head? I like the looks of the second one better at this age.

 

[Smith's Rabbits]

What I need most I think is shortness. Roundness. They should be the same width as they are long. Like a basket ball with a head when viewed from the top. Its hard to tell at this age but we will see.

 

[rittert3]

What I saw the other night and was hessitant to speak up about... It seams like you have some borderline charlies in there, I'm new to the breeding/ show rabbit game so I don't want to say a whole lot and seem like a "know it all" when I really don't. I guess from what I've read they are fine for developing type as long as you breed them back to darker rabbits but are not showable.?

 

[curlysue]

They are adorable!