So my mutts that I bought for breeders supposed to be cali/flemish were born on 7/22/14. I decided to weigh them today, they are around 6 and a half pounds, sound about right? I'm going to get ready to try breeding them for the first time soon!
Weight?
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katiebear
Well-known member
My flemish crosses were a bit larger than that at 5 months. But they were crossed with chin...make sure they are not skinny the back bone should be rolling bumps not spikey at all they should feel firm and muscled all over. Big breeds can be bread at six months as long as the does vent is purple. I waited until eight months but that was due to the heat.
I bred my new does at 5 months this year, to get them started before winter sets in. They were both 8 lbs or over.
Hmm..genetics, feed, and parasites, and even stress can slow down growth.
They may still reach a good size. If they were mine, I'd wait a bit longer to start them.
Hmm..genetics, feed, and parasites, and even stress can slow down growth.
They may still reach a good size. If they were mine, I'd wait a bit longer to start them.
It seems small to me, did you see the parents of your rabbits? It might be a case of someone identifying a breed based on colour alone 
I did not see the parents. I have had them about 3 months and been feeding them 1 cup of pellets and unlimited hay daily. I will get some pics of them and post up.
__________ Tue Dec 30, 2014 3:55 pm __________
First pic is the buck, supposed to be cali/rex
Here are the doe, supposed be cali/flemish
__________ Tue Dec 30, 2014 3:55 pm __________
First pic is the buck, supposed to be cali/rex
Here are the doe, supposed be cali/flemish
Considering that the minimum senior weight (at 8 months old) for a Flemish buck is 13 pounds and for a California buck is 8lb its possible they take after this side of their family and will grow out some more :shrug:
However, my 1/4 Flemish are usually my fastest growing kits, although a bit boney in the front end, and are 5 pounds by 12 weeks on a mostly forage, hay and grain based diet
However, my 1/4 Flemish are usually my fastest growing kits, although a bit boney in the front end, and are 5 pounds by 12 weeks on a mostly forage, hay and grain based diet
Just give them a try, and see what they want to do. As long as you are feeding quality feed, the does can raise a litter and continue growing without a problem - it's an old wive's tale that breeding them "early" will stunt their growth (though "early" is probably right if it means only 8-12 weeks). I've bred my Americans at around 4 months and 7 or so pounds without them having a problem reaching senior weight above 9 pounds. And FWIW, my youngest Champagne was measured at 7.5 pounds at 5 months (and is female, so is smaller early on).
Comet007
Well-known member
I don't know about crosses, but our original does (both the runts from their litter, we discovered) were 6.75 lbs and 7.5 lbs at 4 1/2 months when we bred them for the first time. Even though they were small, they had good litters, and does we've held back from them have been much larger at the same age. So I'm guessing if the genes are present, a smaller doe can still have babies who reach really good sizes. We just keep holding back our best doe and every round we choose one of our 3 breeding does to replace with the one we previously held back.
LPH_NY
Well-known member
Your chinchilla colored doe looks a lot like one of the offspring of my former Flemish buck and Former satin doe. My Flemish buck, despite having hefty parents, just never reached the ideal weight for a Flemish. He looked fantastically healthy, but I guess he got the short end of the genetic stick. .. .... and I say "Former" because I was not happy about the growout rates. Your rabbits actually sound on par with mine as far as growth goes. I was unhappy with the slow growth, the very underdeveloped shoulders and forelegs, and the heavy frames. Now, my Flemish buck mixed with NZW/Cali doe was slightly better, but still small shoulders. The kits did have decent rumps, though. I held onto two of them for possible breeding purposes, but at 8 months one was 6.5 lbs. The other, at 6.5 months was only 6 lbs. They dressed out nicely, though, because of their maturity... I think you're probably fine, even if they are still growing. Your buck, since he is not a Flemish mix, might help give the kits a better growout rate at the very least. The steel doe is very pretty, BTW.
flemish are just REALLY slow growers. I have a pair of French Angora/Flemish and my buckling didn't drop until he was 9 months old. They are both massive rabbits just slow maturing make sure your buck has his equipment!
