Did I get screwed?

Dlwelch- OK...I am looking for breeding stock that will give me good growing meat rabbits (if fed well, etc). It is my impression (now correct me if I am wrong) that if the parents do not reach weight in time, I cannot expect them to produce babies that will.

I assume that if a breeder has limited space that yes, they will keep the best and sell the rest, but in those that are not the best I would expect at least a good growth rate. I was not expecting great for $5 rabbits...but did hope for something I could work with

I will make sure from now on when I buy, I buy at fryer age so I know they reached thier benchmark. I may have to pay a bit more, and that is fine with me though, as it will save me from running on rabbits that can't make the cut. Thank you for the info.
I have been keeping an eye on the doe. It has improved since I got her and I have not done anything to it- just watched it. I am wondering if it is more an allergy to dust as I cannot see any marks on the eye and seems to improve when it isn't so dry. Also got better when I took her out of the turkey coop that were were building and put her outside (it was pretty ducty in there with saw dust and such). After my other doe heals I may bring her inside and see if it doesn't clear up completely. That would tell alot.

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Willowynd Collies
"A breeder is at once an artist and a scientist. It takes an artist to envision and to recognize excellence, and a scientist to build what the artist's eye desires."

Although there are exceptions, that's pretty much how I operate.
The number of kits in the litter will affect the growth somewhat.
Kits from litters of five will usually weigh more at weaning and
grow faster than kits from a litter of nine or ten as I'm sure
you know. I try to compare apples to apples. You might
not want to keep a doe from the litter of five based simply
on the growth rate.

I monitor my fryer growth on a weekly basis after weaning.
If they haven't reached the appropiate weight for their age
(based on my averages), I don't keep them unless the
conformation is outstanding. I'm willing to take a chance
once in while. :-) I tend to pay a lot of attention
to the growth of my bucks as they contribute so much to
production (used much more often). My does are selected
with additional criteria in mind.

Good luck with your venture!

Linda Welch

We use a digital fish scale for our Flemish Giants... the scale has a hook on the bottom and is accurate to 1 oz. We use a reusable cloth grocery bag: put bun into bag, put bag handle on scale hook and lift to weigh. Works nicely; the bun stays nice and calm inside the bag, and hubby and I don't have to get on the bathroom scale with them.

I will have to see about picking one of those up. Actually it was easier weighing the rabbits on the baby scale than puppies. The rabbits were nice and calm and stayed still. Quick and easy...can't say the same for pups!

Linda- I would love to have your averages for weekly weights per litter size. No, I don't expect that all will reach your level starting out, but it would give me a general guideline so I know if I am on the right track and what to aim for.

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Willowynd Collies
"A breeder is at once an artist and a scientist. It takes an artist to envision and to recognize excellence, and a scientist to build what the artist's eye desires."

BTW I sold the buck and the old mix doe (that I got for free) this morning. Will use that money to buy a better buck.

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Willowynd Collies
"A breeder is at once an artist and a scientist. It takes an artist to envision and to recognize excellence, and a scientist to build what the artist's eye desires."

Good for you! I wish you were closer. I spent the morning
going through litters and selecting Californian does to keep.
I found several nice bucks.


After 28 days, I don't weigh litters. They're managed individually.
My benchmark changes according to the season. It's not fair
to fault a rabbit growing in the heat by comparing them to ones
growing well in the cooler months. Because there are so many
fryers, I don't enter any weekly data into my Access software.
They are evaluated against the other rabbits in the barn when
it comes to growth. Sorry if I misled you.

Linda Welch