Thoughts on American Blue?

[LookAliveSunshine]

I talked to a breeder who said A.Blues have great temperament, good meat rabbits, heat tolerant, and produce large litters. I googled the breed and it looks since Cali and NZ the Blue have become threatened? And it's hard to find breeders? Thoughts on the breed? Thank you.

 

[AmysMacdog]

I love mine, I just got them in April. I wanted a heritage breed to raise and so far they are great. So sweet in disposition, easy to handle. Growth rate is great!
So far they've handled the heat well here in Georgia. We'll see when the heat wave hits next week. They should do fine. They were born near here.
My girls are from a litter of 10 and the boys also came from large litters. I bought a trio of blues and a White buck.
I am sooo looking forward to breeding them this fall. Can't wait.

 

[DarayTala]

I love my blues. They are some of the sweetest rabbits, very good with the heat, and I actually prefer their body shape to commercial meat rabbits. I would highly recommend them for both meat, and for show because they are less common but gaining a bit more popularity.

 

[CWD]

I have to admit I am very new to having American Blues. I just got my first pair 2 days ago.
They are very sweet and friendly. Their temperament is outstanding.
I believe this is due to their breeding and their breeder Josh. He gave them an outstanding start.
they love to held and petted.
I can not wait for them to reach breeding maturity so I can breed them.

If you can get them in your area you should really consider this breed.
if you can no get them, I would suggest you look into the palomino breed. these are another great breed.
The palomino rabbits I have seen have been very sweet rabbits.Again I believe they are this way because of the breed and breeder.Also because of their light color they should be able to handle the heat.

 

[Secuono]

People have them here for $30 a rabbit, they look and seem like the AmChin or SF in shape and personality. Wouldn't call them rare here.

 

[stone soup farm]

I have looked into a lot of the heritage breeds. They all look great, but i have narrowed it down to American Chins and American blues. I have my AM chins and they are sweet and big. Getting a blue in a few weeks! I asked a rabbitry that deals with 4 fo the different breeds of heritage that I wanted. They recommended AM Chins first but runner up was the American whites and blues. Best of luck.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

I don't know much about Americans but I can say that any heritage breed is a good thing.

 

[lissapell]

I have Americans. Our of the 3 breeds we have they are by far the sweetest in temperament. As far as heat tolerance, I would get some from the same climate you are in. They are a breed that is used for fast kit to plate growth. It is much more easy to find breeders of Americans now. There are a few in TX already.

 

[trinityoaks]

One of the vendors at my farmer's market raises American Blues. They have a small commercial operation (supplying to at least one restaurant). Don't know where you are in Texas, but I can find out more from them, if you like.

 

[philothea]

I just got a trio from one breeder near Houston a month ago, great disposition in general, one is a little skittish but not as bad as some of my other breeds. A got another pair from another breeder and they are more skittish (I don't think those people were around as much since the rabbitry was much farther from the house.) I am really looking forward to breeding in the fall as well. The do seem to handle the heat well, about as good as my meat mutt (Satin/Cal cross) that I got from a local rabbitry.

 

[Ivory]

I had an American Blue doe and a white buck. The doe was wonderful, until she escaped one day and the dog got her. I nursed her in my arms and cried until she died, then I cremated her. There are not many rabbits I would do that for. I loved her to bits, have never forgiven her for getting out of the pen though.

 

[sommrluv]

We raise Americans in Pennsylvania and they are my favorites. We have blues and whites currently.

Everything they stated is true...blues have longer ears, making them more heat tolerant, and they are more docile than my NZ's and cals. Unlike the commercial breeds, blues are a mandolin shape. They are on the Heritage Livestock Breeds List as threatened and they are considered a rare breed.

I find they also have much thicker bellies and wider loins. You can tell more on the dressed carcass. But they are an ideal meat rabbit.

 

[CWD]

Ok I know I have already chimed in on this, but I have to share this.
I went out to change Ice bottles a few mins. ago. the doe I got a couple of days ago, sat up watched me take the melted ice bottle out of her pen. Then she laid on her side and rolled over so I could rub her belly. When I finished rubbing her belly she gave me a couple of bunny kisses on my hand.
I told my oldest son about this, he said she has been doing this for the past two days. each time he opens her pen, she sits up,
then lays down waiting for her belly rub.
She has got to be the sweetest rabbit I have ever seen let alone owned. Just another reason to love my American Blues. LOL

 

[AmysMacdog]

Awww CWD thats sweet! They really are such a sweet breed.

 

[grumpy]

That's cool, CWD.

You cannot go wrong with Heritage Breeds. Unfortunately, I don't have any at the present time. But, with the Good Lord willing, I will in the future.

grumpy.

 

[LookAliveSunshine]

Ok I know I have already chimed in on this, but I have to share this.
I went out to change Ice bottles a few mins. ago. the doe I got a couple of days ago, sat up watched me take the melted ice bottle out of her pen. Then she laid on her side and rolled over so I could rub her belly. When I finished rubbing her belly she gave me a couple of bunny kisses on my hand.
I told my oldest son about this, he said she has been doing this for the past two days. each time he opens her pen, she sits up,
then lays down waiting for her belly rub.
She has got to be the sweetest rabbit I have ever seen let alone owned. Just another reason to love my American Blues. LOL

*squeal* that is too cute!

__________ Sun Jun 09, 2013 10:50 pm __________

I just got a trio from one breeder near Houston a month ago, great disposition in general, one is a little skittish but not as bad as some of my other breeds. A got another pair from another breeder and they are more skittish (I don't think those people were around as much since the rabbitry was much farther from the house.) I am really looking forward to breeding in the fall as well. The do seem to handle the heat well, about as good as my meat mutt (Satin/Cal cross) that I got from a local rabbitry.

I'm in NW Houston, if you could pass the breeder's info along that would be great! I found one breeder about 58 mins from me in Dayton, TX. Would prefer something closer though. Thanks.

__________ Sun Jun 09, 2013 10:52 pm __________

One of the vendors at my farmer's market raises American Blues. They have a small commercial operation (supplying to at least one restaurant). Don't know where you are in Texas, but I can find out more from them, if you like.

That would be great. I'm in NW Houston. I would love if you passed their info to me. I like a variety of breeders so I can pick out one I feel comfortable with and one who will put up with all my questions/personality, lol.<br /><br />__________ Sun Jun 09, 2013 10:54 pm __________<br /><br />Oh lastly, what is a heritage breed?

 

[Ivory]

__________ Sun Jun 09, 2013 10:54 pm __________

Oh lastly, what is a heritage breed?

One that has been around from a long time. Many of them are no longer popular and are becoming rare because few people breed them.

 

[philothea]

I got my first trio from the breeder in Dayton. (I am in the College Station area so a 50 min drive would be great.) They have great selection of unrelated stock. The others I got from a breeder in Liberty, they have a lot less animals than the Dayton breeder, they also have some of the black and white Americans.
When getting into a hertiage breed you need to understand that not everyone is raising them, so you will have to travel farther to get stock than if you were going to do a common breed like Californian or New Zealand. (Even my New Zealands I have had to travel 1-3 hrs to pick up my starter stock. I have some from Austin and got one from Waller.)

 

[JessiL]

I am still quite new to this breed, but my two does, one buck, and their combined 13 3 week-old offspring just weathered our 4 days of near- to over-100 degree heat just fine. My Champagne d'Argents also did ok, but possibly seemed a bit more stressed? Personalities are all unique with both breeds, my two favorites are my American Blue buck and one of the Champagne does. My advice is to find a breeder whose goals overlap best with yours, even if you end up with your second- or third-choice breed.

-Jessi