Is This Actually A Flemish?

[Mrr]

So I bought two does from a lot at the auction today.. They were labeled as Flemish Giant does, but with no age or anything. When I got home I realized that they look slightly different. The one has bigger ears and a slightly longer face like my other Flemish, whereas the other has slightly shorter ears, plusher fur and a rounder face. Neither have the rolls under their chin yet so they're clearly younger, but I'm wondering if the second doe is either young or a different breed entirely

Any thoughts?

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Looks like our boy Cosmo--crossbreed rescue, so no real idea, but doubtful it's even part Flemmish.

 

[Mrr]

Darn. I knew once I saw her up close that she didn't look quite right. Everyone seems to have great luck at the auction and I got a dud

This red one is the other doe I got from the auction and I believe she actually is a Flemish - albeit probably a younger one..

 

[Mrr]

This is my original Flemish doe that I'm comparing to.. She's about 8 months

 

[majorv]

I do see some Flemish in her, but without a weight and age it's hard to say until she stops growing.

 

[Mrr]

She's also a tad scraggly right now.. I'm thinking she isn't too old, but I can try to get my hands on a scale to weigh her. I might just cut my losses, resell her and go with a local breeder though.. I'd rather not say that I'm producing Flemish babies unless I'm absolutely sure.

That being said.. nobody has any doubts about my black Flemish? Again, I got her from a breeder so I've always been pretty confident.. but my confidence has been a bit shaken after this experience. She has the huge ears and feet typical to a flemish. I'd say right now she's around 10lbs, but I haven't weighed her as my scale has gone missing.

 

[majorv]

At 8 months her minimum show weight should be 14 lbs. she may end up on the small side as a senior, but she looks to be Flemish. I don't raise them so I'm not an expert. Did the breeder sell her to you as pet? I would be hesitant to advertise the offspring of the other one (from the auction) without knowing her background.

 

[Mrr]

He sold her to us because he said she was a bit smaller than his other rabbits, and we were originally looking for a meat breeder. We still breed her for meat, but we also sell her kits to people looking for outdoor rabbits on their farm, pets, meat rabbits.

I breed my Flemish with a family friend's Flemish buck, so I've been confidently stating that the black doe's kits are pure. While I may breed the sandy one to him as well, I don't think I'm going to advertise as full Flemish. I was talking to a Flemish breeder who believes she is half, so at absolute most I'd call them 75%, but I like to keep my advertising honest so I'll likely just say anywhere between 50-75%.

In other news.. I've learned my lesson regarding purebreds at the auctions (unless I'm looking for a NZW or Californians there, which we don't want), and have a purebred doe and buck on their way at the end of this month, as well as a breeding pair of NZ Reds! We're going to start moving towards breeding Flemish, Reds and dwarf rabbits now. Very excited for what is to come