What is the earliest you can breed?

[KatzNetherlands]

I know that with Does, at least in the breeds I raise/will raise - Netherland Dwarfs and Flemish Giants - that the NDs are 6 months and the FG are around 9 months.... But I can't seem to find anything about how old bucks should be...

 

[akane]

Bucks will start breeding as early as 2 months but they aren't predictable that young. It might take them a week or so with a doe to get the job done. Since I have yet to breed a doe with a buck from a younger litter mine have always been the same age or older. Always waiting on the does to reach maturity.

 

[hoodat]

At least breeding a buck too young will not do him physical harm. Unfortunately the same isn't true of does.

 

[ottersatin]

Opinions, opinions, opinions,
I beg to differ:
I believe that trying to breed a Buck when he is too young
can produce a Buck which becomes frightened and may never even
try to breed in the future when he becomes of age.
Why risk it? allow the rabbit to grow into at least intermediate
or even senior weight before making a possibly disastrous choice.
You don't want to hamper the use of a possible outstanding Buck
just because you were in a hurry to get a Doe bred.
As always, JMPO.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[ridgerunner1965]

i find this post interesting as i have young rabbits im waiting to breed.do you guys go by weight or age?mine are nzxcalif cross. im thinking 6 months old to start trying.any advice would be appreciated<br /><br />__________ Fri Apr 01, 2011 7:30 pm __________<br /><br />i find this post interesting as i have young rabbits im waiting to breed.do you guys go by weight or age?mine are nzxcalif cross. im thinking 6 months old to start trying.any advice would be appreciated

 

[akane]

I don't see why a buck would be turned off trying to mate if attempted too young. Unless you have aggressive does. Usually if my bucks aren't going to attempt mating both rabbits just sit there and groom each other or eat some hay and ignore each other. Even when I put a buck down in the colony and the does try to get territorial the bucks seem oblivious and just sit there while being charged or turn around and hump the doe's head for it. The does are the ones that get turned off going near the bucks while the bucks young or old seem blissfully ignorant of the whole situation. The only possible exception was a doe I held on to so she couldn't turn on my buck and only used my most senior buck because she was aggressive and unpredictable. Even then the only real reason to use my senior buck was to get the job done quickly and wouldn't give up early in frustration of a wiggly doe.