Small Doe x Big Buck

[AShelBunny]

Can I breed a small doe with big buck?

Breeding for meat. She was our first free rabbit/gift. I know she's a good mom so that's the benefit. Wanting bigger buns though so I would use our buck we bought when we realized there's a meat breed.

 

[PoppyLapine]

You can, but depending on the size different it can lead to complications. Like kits getting stuck when she's trying to birth them, leading to either death of the kits and/or mother.

 

[Alaska Satin]

Can I breed a small doe with big buck?

Breeding for meat. She was our first free rabbit/gift. I know she's a good mom so that's the benefit. Wanting bigger buns though so I would use our buck we bought when we realized there's a meat breed.

I've been leery about big buck/small doe breedings, but have never actually seen problems, or known anyone to have them. We had an accidental breeding of a Satin buck (Satins' avg weight 8.5-11 lbs) with a Polish doe (avg weight 2.5 lbs) and the doe had no trouble kindling. In my experience, kit size isn't actually all that different among breeds, certainly not as much as one might expect. Flemish x Britannia Petite? Not. But rabbits within 4-5lbs of each other? I'd be game.

Honestly, I'd be more concerned about breeding a small doe with a buck with a large, square head. e.g. a small doe and one of the bigger lops. The kits' bodies are pretty "squishable" but the heads can be an issue.

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

There could be the chance that the Bucks harms the Doe in some way while actually breeding, either getting too aggressive and being stronger or crushing her

 

[eco2pia]

Do you have a definition of "small" and "large" by weight or a picture of them side by side or next to a water bottle or something? size is relative. I would say a few pounds is fine, but if they are drastically different then I would avoid it. Also it matters if she has had kits before, and her age.