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<3HollandLops<3

<3HollandLops<3

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Feb 16, 2011
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Location
New Richmond, Wisconsin, USA
I am hoping to start a Holland Lop rabbitry soon, I really love Hollands. So I don't really know much about rabbits, any suggestions? Would it be best to start out with a buck, doe or both? I do know about caring for them, but just not showing/breeding. Sorry I have so many questions! The rabbit in my avatar is my friend BEW Holland buck, sound right? I will probably buy a few kits from that litter...
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Thanks! :D
 
Find out when and were the next show is around you and go to it! That's the best advice i can give. Learn the ins and out about the breed and only breed to improve your herd :) Good Luck with your very cute but very competitive breed. Oh and be aware hollands can cost anywhere from $0 - $200. So that's why its so important to learn your breed so you know your not spending $100+ on a bad rabbit.

Oh as far as starting out. I got started in Britannia Petites a year or so ago, I bought a $100 junior chestnut agouti buck at the 2009 ARBA Convention. He won Best of Variety (which means he won first out of all the chestnut agouti rabbits) which was like 20 or 30 rabbits. He has since then won numerous Best of Breeds and even a Reserve In Show. I got a huge trophy for that one! So after that i got him a doe. She is a REW and they had their first litter (4 chestnuts) on 2/7/11. So my other advice is pick out a really nice buck and actually handle the breed. Find out its quirks. Then when your ready pair it with a really nice doe, you don't have to wait as long as i did. I just wanted to keep showing Rocky and couldn't really find a doe that i liked as much as him. Make sure your doe compliments your buck because remember you are trying to better your breed! Complimenting also means color!!
Sorry this is so long btw
 
<3HollandLops<3 wrote:
Can I breed sister-mother? I am guessing... NO?
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No, that won't work.:p You need 1 buck and 1 doe.

If you are hoping to show and breed, I would not recommend starting out with BEW. The type on this color is not very developed and they will not make consistent show rabbits. And it would be difficult to improve upon their genetics by breeding until you have a better understanding of the breed.

I would recommend visiting a show close to you and watching the HL table. Talk to the breeders who place high about their program and what to look for in a good Holland. Chances are that they will direct you toward one of the more common colors (tort, black), but this way, you'll be able to get a better start in the breed and really learn what to look for before taking on a color project.
 
LOL! I wouldn't do sister/brother either. Some people do, but I wouldn't recommend breeding so closely.

It would be ok to start out with one broken and one solid. If you breed two brokens together, you can get "charlies", which do not have enough color to show.
 
<3HollandLops<3 wrote:
Sorry, I mean't sister-brother! :laughsmiley:
Would it be ok to start out with brokens? Maybe just get a BEW buck for a pet?
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If they are 2 very nice rabbits i would do it. I have bred sister to brother with my lionheads, it always locks in the look i like. The best babies i have ever had were line bred.
 
iluvdutchrabbbits90 wrote:
<3HollandLops<3 wrote:
Sorry, I mean't sister-brother! :laughsmiley:
Would it be ok to start out with brokens? Maybe just get a BEW buck for a pet?
Click to expand...



If they are 2 very nice rabbits i would do it. I have bred sister to brother with my lionheads, it always locks in the look i like. The best babies i have ever had were line bred.
Click to expand...
I would say two nice rabbits but also add with nice genetics or lines. Line breeding can be very good for some rabbitries. And make very nice babies but you have to know how to do it properly to set in those desirable genes
 
iluvdutchrabbbits90 wrote:
<3HollandLops<3 wrote:
Sorry, I mean't sister-brother! :laughsmiley:
Would it be ok to start out with brokens? Maybe just get a BEW buck for a pet?
Click to expand...

If they are 2 very nice rabbits i would do it. I have bred  sister to brother with my lionheads, it always locks in the look i like. The best babies i have ever had were line bred.
Click to expand...

Although brother-sister breedings can be done, it is probably not the best plan of action for someone who is just starting out for two reasons:

- Line breeding must be done selectively and with a goal in mind. A close linebreeding can lock in nice traits, or it can lock in or accentuate the worst traits. A breeding so close should only be done with related lines that are proven to work well together, not just based on the type of both parent animals.

- Newer breeders are not as knowledgeable about ideal type. This is not meant to offend, but I know it took me years to figure out exactly what I was looking for and how to breed for it. When one is still learning about type, close linebreedings are more likely to do harm than good.

I agree with you though that close breedings can be done. But regardless of the type on the parent animals, I would suggest sticking to lesser related crosses when just starting out. :) Or, talking to the breeder who you're buying stock from and maybe starting out with a father/daughter pair if you want to linebreed.
 
I highly recommend joining the holland lop specialty club - you get a great guideook when you join that teaches you a lot about them.

http://www.hlrsc.com/

You can also see lots of articles about breeding, etc. on their website.
 
TinysMom wrote:
I highly recommend joining the holland lop specialty club - you get a great guideook when you join that teaches you a lot about them.

http://www.hlrsc.com/

You can also see lots of articles about breeding, etc. on their website.
Click to expand...

I definently reccomend joining. I just got my membership stuff in, and I've been raising Hollands for almost 6 years and finally decided to join HLRSC. THat book is fantastic!

I know you won't spend a fortune on some good stock, if you have some decent breeders around you. I know the one lady I have here, Buckettown (our of Richmond KY), she's got some very nice rabbits and the pricing isn't so scary. I bought Peter, with 1 Jr Leg, and a proven brood sized doe for $70. the proven doe I had already bought a daughter of hers prior and she's very nice. She'll be hitting the table in little over a month as a Jr and we shall see how she goes.
 
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