Too much self blue

[Tiny Buns]

So we are in the process of culling undesirable rabbits in favour of ones with cleaner colors, better traits etc.

We are growing out some juniors and so that's a lesson in patience.

I currently have a nice typey small broken blue false Charlie Netherland doe and a BUD Netherland in a self blue. While we grow out some kits, we are holding on to our BUD because she has large (5-7) consistently healthy litters and is a spectacular mom.

Problem: our BUD must have some formidable genetics because she consistently has 50-100% self blue kits. Gaaaaah! I am sick of blue and so is the local market.

So, I tried her with a different buck (again) and got 5 'blue?' kits.

Question: is there any way to identify color early so I know if I need to dispatch the unwanted self blue kits? I've been looking back over previous photos and trying to determine if day 1/day 2 color is the same knowing the final color outcome of the previous litters. If they are opal or squirrel or anything other than plain self blue I'd keep them and see but, it's time and money wasted to grow out self blue to 8 weeks only to have them not sell and cull anyway.

So far I've read that blue and opal for example are pretty much identical at birth but by day 4 you start to see the direction the color is going.

Is it a general rule that it's day 4-9 or 10 or 12 that one waits for a solid indication of color or can you identify sooner?

Thanks.

 

[Zinnia]

I know an Opal by day two... latest by day 4. Pink ears and underbelly (that will turn white).

__________ Sat Nov 07, 2015 1:05 pm __________

What color are the bucks you are using? <br /><br /> __________ Sat Nov 07, 2015 1:07 pm __________ <br /><br /> Growing them out for meat seems the most useful and gives you lots of time to observe color and type.

 

[Tiny Buns]

I've used self black, fawn, blue himi, and chestnut bucks.

My 5 right now are all light grey with pink ears, noses and belles. I've read this can be opal or blue and by day 4 the pink is either turning blue or white. Just wondered if there are indicators before day 4?

I appreciate the meat aspect but because we cuddle our rabbits and essentially treat all of them as pets, I don't think the family could stomach eating animals we've played with, no matter how practical the end result. Our bunnies are so cuddly and loving, we'd have a hard time killing/cooking/eating one.

 

[alforddm]

Blue is recessive to if breed to another blue you will get 100% blues. If breed to a blue carrier your will get 50% blues. Breed her to a rabbit who does not carry blue aka dilute, and your won't get any blues.

 

[Zass]

:yeahthat:

Experience will eventually let you tell the difference between blue and opal kits before day 4.