NZ red size

[Milby]

I have a NZ red with satin fur that is 12 weeks old but only weighs about 3 pounds. I know the NZ whites are supposed to get to 5 pounds by 12 weeks. I dont know much about the reds, Is this normal?

 

[alforddm]

Sounds like you have a mini-satin rather than a NZ red with satin fur. NZ reds don't come with satin fur so you would have a cross somewhere in there at the very least.

 

[Milby]

Sounds like you have a mini-satin rather than a NZ red with satin fur. NZ reds don't come with satin fur so you would have a cross somewhere in there at the very least.

the rabbitry I bought him from said his sire was NZ red and dam was NZ red with satin fur. I'm new so didn't know any better. So you think his mom was actually a mini satin?

 

[Dood]

I agree that it sounds like the breeder was trying to create NZRed from scratch using Mini Satins to get the red colour in but they also introduced the recessive satin gene :mrgreen:

It might have been a couple generations ago but if the mother was a "NZRed with satin fur" I suspect she was indeed just a red variety of the Satin breed and not a NZealand

They may have also introduced the dwarf gene which could be stunting your rabbits size - could you post a picture of him?


What are your plans for him? Pet? Meat? Herd sire?

 

[alforddm]

Dood beat me to it...

Really, anything is possible. Satin is a recessive gene so both sire and dam have to carry it, so, you definitely have at least a satin mix. If it is a mix it probably has NZ blood as they are so common, but then again it might not. These crosses might be something recent but also might have been generations ago. Anything pure NZ should weigh at least 5lbs at 12 weeks.

I just looked it up and the adult weight for mini-satins is 3 ¼ - 4 ¾lbs.

 

[Milby]

I agree that it sounds like the breeder was trying to create NZRed from scratch using Mini Satins to get the red colour in but they also introduced the recessive satin gene :mrgreen:

It might have been a couple generations ago but if the mother was a "NZRed with satin fur" I suspect she was indeed just a red variety of the Satin breed and not a NZealand

They may have also introduced the dwarf gene which could be stunting your rabbits size - could you post a picture of him?


What are your plans for him? Pet? Meat? Herd sire?[/quote

I don't know how to post photos yet but here is a 20 second video of him.
http://youtu.be/V4ILQb_uFmg

__________ Mon Mar 02, 2015 9:15 am __________

I agree that it sounds like the breeder was trying to create NZRed from scratch using Mini Satins to get the red colour in but they also introduced the recessive satin gene :mrgreen:

It might have been a couple generations ago but if the mother was a "NZRed with satin fur" I suspect she was indeed just a red variety of the Satin breed and not a NZealand

They may have also introduced the dwarf gene which could be stunting your rabbits size - could you post a picture of him?


What are your plans for him? Pet? Meat? Herd sire?

I was planning on using him as a breeder for my white NZ does for meat. <br /><br /> __________ Mon Mar 02, 2015 9:19 am __________ <br /><br /> Here is a 20 second video of him
http://youtu.be/V4ILQb_uFmg

 

[Dood]

Is that video recent?

He is a stocky little guy and may indeed carry a dwarf gene

With my NZ x dwarf I could compare litter mates and tell the dwarf carriers from the non dwarf - with your guy I'm on the fence but his ears do seem rather small to me and I would not expect such a round head in a 12 week old buck as his testosterone shouldn't have kicked in to round out his head. :shrug:

 

[Milby]

Is that video recent?

He is a stocky little guy and may indeed carry a dwarf gene

With my NZ x dwarf I could compare litter mates and tell the dwarf carriers from the non dwarf - with your guy I'm on the fence but his ears do seem rather small to me and I would not expect such a round head in a 12 week old buck as his testosterone shouldn't have kicked in to round out his head. :shrug:

You haven't answered my question as to what you want him for?

Breed my white NZ does for meat

 

[Dood]

if he is a dwarf carrier then when crossed to your NZW does 50% of the litter will be dwarf and you should see a size difference between kits.

Either way if you want 5 pounds at 10 weeks in you grow outs I would find a different buck

I am curious why you chose a red male to cross with white does?

 

[Milby]

I am curious why you chose a red male to cross with white does?

I have a NZ white buck I am using now. I didn't plan on getting the red, but my wife liked the color so I thought I could use him down the line.

 

[coyotejoe]

if he is a dwarf carrier then when crossed to your NZW does 50% of the litter will be dwarf and you should see a size difference between kits.

Either way if you want 5 pounds at 10 weeks in you grow outs I would find a different buck

I am curious why you chose a red male to cross with white does?

Why? Because reds are so good looking?


__________ Mon Mar 02, 2015 10:36 am __________

But crossing with whites is risky, you might get something like this!

 

[Dood]

Reds crossed to white normally don't produce more reds.

You'd likely get chestnuts - like CoyoteJoes very beefy buck :mrgreen: or steel and possibly blacks but not as likely since he had two red parents.

 

[Zass]

Reds crossed to white normally don't produce more reds.

You'd likely get chestnuts - like CoyoteJoes very beefy buck :mrgreen: or steel and possibly blacks but not as likely since he had two red parents.

If the NZ has steel, paired with the red's non-extension they could see kits that look like blacks, but are genetically agouti steels.

 

[manojmn]

He is small for 12 weeks. My NZ Reds gets 5-6 lbs by 10-12 weeks . Attached my red baby at 6 weeks old (on the bottom)
__________ Fri Mar 06, 2015 11:39 am __________

Here is the picture of my red doe