When to start breeding buck

[drowe005]

I've heard a wide variety of ages from different people on when to start breeding a buck. I've heard some say 4 months, some 8 months, and everything else in between too. When is a buck capable of beginning to breed? When is a safe age for breeding? Consequences of breeding before this safe age?

 

[RabbitPhotoGirl]

6 months is normally the time to start breeding any rabbit from what I hear/read. It's also what my mom has told me from her experience.

I recently had 5 or 4 month old bucks breed to their sisters, as I didn't get them separated in time since I didn't have the cage space until early this month. The doe that gave birth had like 8 or 9 kits that were dead by the time I got out there to take care of them. The other doe that was with them got sold pregnant, so I don't know how that litter would turn out or anything.
So I think from 5 months or up would be ok for a buck. I think the FFA (Future Farmers of America) says 6 months for breeding (I mainly sold my last litter to kids who are doing FFA and one said that it was 6 months for breeding for the buck he was buying from me) but as I'm not in FFA or have any clue to their information don't quote me on that.

I'm not sure about the consequences as I'm new to rabbits and everything, so I wouldn't know. Maybe one of the older rabbit people would know (by older I mean someone who has been raising and breeding rabbits longer and thus has more experience).

 

[Rae]

To be honest, I would just keep checking to see when his 'equipment' showed up. Many does start showing signs that they would accept being bred at approx. 4 months so that's when I'd start checking the bucks. When he drops I would test breed him with a nice, easy to breed doe so that he gets the idea without becoming aggressive or frantic. I would also be willing to give a new buck at least a few months to prove himself instead of the typical 3 strikes we give does, they seem to be much more enviromentally sensitive.

 

[JessicaR]

my mini rex buck sired a litter when he was 3.5 months old so they can definitly be ready to be breed at a young age, whether they should or not is a different question.

 

[akane]

They are capable from 8-16weeks depending on breed. However a young buck is clueless and doesn't have the hormones driving them yet so they may take a long time and they won't be able to deal with difficult does. Throwing one in with a difficult doe can make them shy of the does for awhile. I've had them bail in to hay feeders and such because the doe was really eager and the buck got scared. When you get closer to 6-8months they get very bold and some will mount anything to the point some of my does won't breed with a buck that age because they find them too pushy. My 6month old just got the crap beat out of him for being too rough with my checkered giant doe. I had to run over and rescue him then put the experienced buck in who knows to wait that doe out. She doesn't take to bucks roughly getting in her space and will turn on them. On the other hand one of my mini rex does takes a buck that pushy because if they don't get on with it right away she'll mount them and smash them in to the floor until they get the message. Again bad for very young bucks who don't have enough drive or confidence to stand up to her.

I've often taken younger bucks and my calmest does and just left them in a large cage for 2-4days until they get the idea or add them to the colony for a week. I've actually got a 4month old mini rex buck in a 30x48" cage with a mini rex doe for the past 2 days I was just going to check on.

 

[Southbound_SF]

Contributing from my very limited experience: I recently tried breeding some young (4-5 month old) bucks on two does and the result is one missed breeding and one very small litter. The boys were willing and seemed able, though their testicles had not fully dropped at the time of breeding. So it might work to breed early (others have clearly succeeded even younger), and it might not, but the only negative consequence seems to be disappointment.

I do have one tip for bucks who don't seem to "get" what they should be doing despite being physically ready: let 'em watch. My bucks were housed next door to each other and when I first introduced the doe, buck #1 just sniffed at her. Moved her to #2's cage and he got right down to business. Meanwhile, buck #1 is running up and down along the adjoining cage wall going "Oh, that's it! Give her back, I want to try!" So I switched her back, and sure enough he mounted right away.

SB

 

[JessicaR]

"watching" can also lead to a mad buck :twisted: When I was giving my young buck a chance, just to see if he would do anything, my older herd sire was very angry. He kept thumping and growling the whole time! :lol: :lol:

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

"watching" can also lead to a mad buck :twisted: When I was giving my young buck a chance, just to see if he would do anything, my older herd sire was very angry. He kept thumping and growling the whole time! :lol: :lol:

ever had a doe do that while the buck was breeding another doe? i did.
my dutch doe and bucks cages are right next to each other. they can see each other but there is about a foot of space between the cages. well she was bred to him already. i put in another doe with the dutch buck and the dutch doe was scratchin at the side of the cage and gruntin and growlin the whole time. i never heard of anythin like that before though.
it was rather funny to see though. she looked to be cursin at him for going at the doe i had in with him. like rabbit jerry springer :lol: "whatcha doin hoppin aroun wit dat fuzzy doe?! you nasty buck! i cant believe you doin that! how dare you?! i'm sittin right her wit your litter in my belly and you just goin at dat fuzzy doe!" :lol: :roll:

 

[JessicaR]

"watching" can also lead to a mad buck :twisted: When I was giving my young buck a chance, just to see if he would do anything, my older herd sire was very angry. He kept thumping and growling the whole time! :lol: :lol:

ever had a doe do that while the buck was breeding another doe? i did.
my dutch doe and bucks cages are right next to each other. they can see each other but there is about a foot of space between the cages. well she was bred to him already. i put in another doe with the dutch buck and the dutch doe was scratchin at the side of the cage and gruntin and growlin the whole time. i never heard of anythin like that before though.
it was rather funny to see though. she looked to be cursin at him for going at the doe i had in with him. like rabbit jerry springer :lol: "whatcha doin hoppin aroun wit dat fuzzy doe?! you nasty buck! i cant believe you doin that! how dare you?! i'm sittin right her wit your litter in my belly and you just goin at dat fuzzy doe!" :lol: :roll:

never had a doe act like that, That would be so funny to see :lol: Definitly sounds like a springer show in the making

 

[akane]

Amako gets very very pissy if other does are nearby during breeding. Hana in the next cage over was curious about what was going on and Amako would stop the buck to attack the bars and chase the other doe back. Kido my netherland buck doesn't care about other rabbits but he will get semi aggressive when you go to take his doe away. If he even thinks you are taking his doe he starts thumping and grunting but it's never led to actual attack. He just acts all upset with whoever for the rest of the day.

 

[drowe005]

Odd question, but how do you tell if the bucks testicles have fallen all the way? If they are there, visible and felt have they dropped all the way? I've heard some say breeding a buck too young can stunt growth? Have any of you seen this happen first hand or heard this before?

 

[Rae]

You'll be able to see and feel them when they drop. I wouldn't think breeding a buck early would slow their growth, unless a doe really injured them or something. I would not be surprised if it would slow down the growth of a doe by a little, but lately I've been hearing that is not the case at all either.

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

hm... i dont recall ever hearing that. but i am a newbie still. lol.

i would think as long as you didnt breed him excessively then it would be fine. i dont see why breeding him a few times at a younger age would stunt growth. i mean with does i can see it stunting their growth as they are preggo and nursing and all that. but the buck..?