Help! The Gender Fairy is ruining my breeding program

[TinysMom]

First of all - last year, orange was taken off a certificate of development for lionheads and blue was substituted. However, for years, lionhead breeders were trying to breed away from blues.

So needless to say - now blues are more valuable!

Well - Anissa (my homegrown BOB winner) had a litter in November. She is chestnut - single mane - and was bred to a double mane chinchilla.(Both carry dilute). There was something like a 1.17% ofgetting a blue - and I never expected one - but I not only got one - Igot a DOUBLE MANE one.

Ok...that's great. I have the color. But what about the body type and mane, etc.

So I've been watching this blue. Its looking nice. I know Anissa keeps her mane. I know her dad and mom keep their manes. (This is important in lionheads) and I know that the dad of this kit keeps its manes.

I have people asking me about blues and I say, "I have this one but I'm watching it...I think I'm keeping it".

You see - I have three so-so blue bucks (I'm actually going to sell all three) and a blue tort buck that is awesome. So I'm thinking, "I can take this blue tort buck to this blue doe and start a line of blues. Both have great type and mane.."

The older this blue gets...the nicer it looks. I'm still not thrilled about the ears....but the rabbit is pretty darn nice.

So today I take her out of the cage and let her play on the dining room floor. She chases a few of the kits that are playing and that sort of surprised me...the kits are only 7 weeks old.

Then Tiny comes in the room. Now mind you...Tiny is a goofball. He's great with kids and does...but let him come near a buck and he just acts like he's top banana.

So Tiny starts acting up. I'm going, "Tiny...she's a girl..." and he's looking at me like, "When do you last check mama?"

Ok...so I've been mis sexing rabbits lately....sometimes its tough. Come to find out, I've been having does turn into bucks...but certainly not THIS doe.

Why this doe is going to be the start of my blue line.

I need her TYPE for my line.

I need her MANY for my line.

But I pick her up and flip her...

.....and immediately cage HIM.


So now - I either have to buy a blue doe (or use this buck with does that carry dilute - which is a possibility)...

....or sell this awesome buck.

I am toying with offering him for the auction since blues are in such demand this year....I don't know.

Anyway....I just had to cry on y'all's shoulders.

Art is sort of giggling about this...which doesn't make it easier or better. He doesn't understand that for once - I really needed HER tostay a HER...

Peg

P.S. A friend said it best when hearing about this...

HAVE TINY CHECK THE SEX OF THE RABBITS FOR YOU!

:bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance:

 

[TinysMom]

Here "she" is....she is MUCH more stunning now...

I'm thinking of naming her "BlueBeard"...

 

[aurora369]

LOL, 'she' is very beautiful.

That must be very disapointing for you Peg. I'm sure another blue doe will come along soon.

--Dawn

 

[TinysMom]

Yeah Cimmaron has a blue doe that will be for sale if it isn't selected for the auction...

for...

$400 that is.

Can we say "OUCH"?

The hardest part is deciding - do I keep "him" and try to start a blue program by breeding him to someone who carries dilute (something Icould do)? Do I keep him and use him in another breeding program -maybe my otters or something and help out there? Do I let him go?

The thing about lionheads is they are still sort of "evolving" for their looks. I can look at him and see the biggest flaw is his ears....can I bring that down?

As a herd buck...he's not the best. That's why I wanted him to be a doe....because I can allow more flaws in a doe....but he will affecte very single litter he sires.

Still yet...that mane......and knowing the parents behind it keep their mane....makes it pretty tempting to keep him and find a way to use him since most of the bucks I've brought in lose their manes...

Peg

 

[naturestee]

I don't know, I think he's gorgeous!

If you were thinking of selling your other three so-so blue bucks, why not keep this one? Is he looking better than them so far? Maybe you can get a good blue doe from one of his litters eventually...

 

[bluebird]

Ear lengh is an easy fix. if thats his only problem i say keep him the mane is more important. just breed him too does with small ears. My lilac buck just became a doe.bluebird

 

[polly]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! i have fallen in love what a cutie.:inlove:

 

[RAL Rabbitry]

Peg,

I am starting to breed sable point mini-rex and they are defiantely a

work in progress. I have been breeding a sable point buck to my best

GC black brood does and then breeding the daughters back to my

sable point buck to improve the type. I am used to keeping only show

quality babies but with the sable points I am keeping the best ones in

the litters. They may not be what I normally would keep to show and go

forward with but I have to work with what I have. My sable point buck

is not bad looking , he was used in the first presentation of sable points

but he is not anywhere nest the quality of my other long standing varieties.

I would keep the blue buck for a few breedings and go forward with a better

son. It sure would be alot cheaper than $400 for blue stock when you already

have nice brood does and a decent blue buck.

Roger