To Keep or not to Keep?????

[tm_bunnyloft]

I have a really cute little dwarf Jersey Wooly that is a pointed marten. He would be a great asset to my shaded marten breedings. But.....

It is slightly pinched in its hips.

So I am debating on if I should keep him or not. I could really use him to bring My overall size down. But do I want to keep a buck with pinched hips? Probably not even though that is his one big fault. Thoughts?

So out of my first litters that are now 8 weeks old, I am keeping a sable marten buck, sable buck, an possibly a pointed white doe.

The new litter of 4 has, I believe, 3 bucks and 1 doe. Two Shaded Martens and two shadeds. I hope none end up being black.

Will be breeding my pointed white doe to another buck this week and see what I get.

 

[Peach]

What are his pros and cons versus your herd? I heard false dwarves are good as brood animals, but I believe crossing to false dwarves will only give you false dwarves (Lindsey knows a bit more on the subject. So correct me if I'm wrong!). So if he is a true dwarf, he will be an asset or you can get yourself a nicer,smaller buck.

I don't like pinched hindquarters,but I'm more willing to forgive a doe on the fault than my herd bucks. I think herd bucks should be the best animals in your rabbitry.

If you keep him, I'd only breed him to does with perfect hindquarters. I wouldn't recommend breeding him to any doe that's weak in the hind end or that's all you're ever get.

If he has a nice short ear, strong well filled in shoulders,and overall nice body type, I would keep him. If I saw a buck or knew where I could look into getting something nicer, than that's also an option.

 

[skysthelimit]

I agree. I tend to forgive faults on does faster than faults on bucks.
Pinched HQ and low shoulders are my biggest problem here.

 

[jollysrabbits]

you could always breed him to a doe with a strong rear end and keep the best buck out of the litter. Don't knowmif that will work to your advantage or not.

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

Pros: hips, shoulders, coat, overall body type
Cons: Size, and ears

I have decided not to keep him. I don't want to add troubles where I have very little. I am looking to bring my size down but not at the cost of hips. My bunz are all within the weight range so its just a preference, not a necessity. I may have to buy another buck at this rate. I am keeping a doe out of the litter though.

So I will be looking for a super nice Pointed white buck in a few months. In the meantime I will be keeping a super nice sable buck and a sable marten buck.

Hoping for some does in the near future here.

 

[skysthelimit]

Do the opposite. Hope for bucks and get all does.

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

Right!!!

My last litter had 1 doe and 4 bucks. 1 buck was DOA, and one died last night. So I have 2 bucks and 1 doe left. The one buck is a black but it is a marten. The other is a shaded and the doe is a black. Not at all what I want so may just cull the entire litter and rebreed.