Breeding age

Gary

Overrun with beasties
Joined
Dec 27, 2018
Messages
136
Reaction score
154
Points
91
At what age can I start breeding does and what age for bucks?
 

B&B Happy goats

Herd Master
Joined
Oct 7, 2018
Messages
4,845
Reaction score
12,865
Points
623
Location
North central florida
At what age can I start breeding does and what age for bucks?

Are they NZ ? They can be fertile at eights weeks, so seperate after sexing...can be bred at 16 weeks, personally I wait till 18 weeks only becauses I want to be sure they have totally matured enough and are ready. :bunny
 

B&B Happy goats

Herd Master
Joined
Oct 7, 2018
Messages
4,845
Reaction score
12,865
Points
623
Location
North central florida
Some are nzs. I have some smaller breeds as well. What age do you think for smaller breeds?

Wait at least 6 months....
That is what I have read, I don't do small rabbits so ....@AmberLops. @Bunnylady
There is a bunch of rabbit information to read on BYH and on the internet, reading it may make you feel more confident about decision making , and your ability to identify problems with your rabbits and such....you can't learn everything, but it sure helps :) :bunny
 
Last edited:

AmberLops

Herd Master
Joined
Mar 10, 2019
Messages
2,238
Reaction score
5,215
Points
353
Location
Middle Tennessee
For does...I breed my Holland Lops at 6 months.
Usually my Netherland Dwarfs breed at 4-5 months, the Angoras are usually 7-8 months and the lionheads usually breed at 5 months. It depends on the breed and when they're ready!
For bucks, they usually will breed at 3-4 months...but I have a Holland buck who doesn't even try to breed yet and he's close to 5 months old! I've had bucks breed as early as 10 weeks though :)
 

AlleysChicks

True BYH Addict
Joined
May 6, 2017
Messages
466
Reaction score
713
Points
203
Location
Southern Ohio
I wait until they are 7 or 8 months. For both the meat breeds and the dwarfs. My lionhead buck wouldn't breed until he was almost a year old:(

Also body size and weight factor in too. You don't want to breed a underweight doe and a overweight one can have trouble conceiving.
 

AmberLops

Herd Master
Joined
Mar 10, 2019
Messages
2,238
Reaction score
5,215
Points
353
Location
Middle Tennessee
I wait until they are 7 or 8 months. For both the meat breeds and the dwarfs. My lionhead buck wouldn't breed until he was almost a year old:(

Also body size and weight factor in too. You don't want to breed a underweight doe and a overweight one can have trouble conceiving.
That's a long time for a buck! :eek:
 

AmberLops

Herd Master
Joined
Mar 10, 2019
Messages
2,238
Reaction score
5,215
Points
353
Location
Middle Tennessee
Well he did good then! Proud daddy :bunny
I have an angora buck (English) who's over a year and he won't breed...he just sprays and then licks the pee off :barnie
But that's sort of normal for English angoras I've heard...they're kinda slow.
 
Top