How many breeds have you ever worked with at one time? (plus more)

[TinysMom]

I'm trying to decide the direction my rabbitry should take and I would love to hear more about the breed(s) you've bred....how many breeds you've worked on at one time...etc. etc.

Right now I'm breeding holland lops and flemish giants.

• I love breeding the flemish giants and I enjoy showing them - but I feel no connection to the other breeders here in this state. I also love the breed.
• I really LOVE the holland lop breeders here in Texas (so much fun to be around at shows) - but it is so discouraging to breed them due to the dwarfing gene, etc. (I also am having a harder time getting them to take than my lionheads used to - which is what a breeder told me when I first started too - she bred both breeds).

I have toyed with some ideas....like breeding lionlops because they are cute - but if I'm going to bring in lionheads (actually - I have an awesome buck I'd love to work with - at 3 years old he has a nice mane still) - I think I'd rather just bring in lionheads.

But I'd also love to work with havanas as I think I have a pair of havanas and I enjoy them.

Then again - I love mini-lops. I'd love to have a trio.

And on and on the list goes.

I just don't know what to do.

Part of me really wants to bring in lionheads again. Not a huge amount - but some. I still have a huge connection with the breed - in fact- with my ARBA membership if I started breeding them again - I could still do the COD I'd planned on pulling with them before I got out.

I didn't realize how strong my connection was to them until Art told me that the other night I was debating in my sleep about the merits of breeding the offspring of Cimmaron FireBear (who was very typey but rabbits lost their mane) to the offspring of Blue Boy (whose rabbits were known for keeping their mane even if they didn't have the best type).

The funny thing was- it was the EXACT SAME conversation I'd had at Lionhead Nationals 4 years ago - with someone who is now a COD holder. That is why Art was able to put the pieces together to know what I was muttering about in my dreams....

I find myself wondering - if I'm talking about it in my sleep - perhaps I really should add lionheads...

But I don't want to get too overwhelmed. My numbers have gone done dramatically and I am very comfortable with where they are at now. I feel I could handle one or two trios in different breeds (or 4-5 in one breed) and be at a comfortable level still - once the bunny barn is up this fall.

A month or so ago - I had a good friend approach me about buying out their rabbitry...but they had focused on blues. They weren't telling anyone that they were thinking of getting out of lionheads because they won't sell to most breeders - but they were willing to consider making me a deal if I wanted back in.

I keep thinking about that - about how I miss a handful of the lionhead breeders that I hung out with at Nationals and chatted with on a regular basis (ok -so we still chat).

Anyway - to bring this back around to the subject title...

How many breeds have you worked with at one time? Did it leave you stretched too thin? Did you ever regret giving up a breed?

 

[wooly_queen]

Years ago I had netherlands, mini rex, jersey woolies, and flemish. That was just way to many.... bleh. Its hard to work with all of them. I'm happy I got out of the nethies, mini rex and flemish. Right now I have jersey woolies and thriantas and its been soooo much better. My herd is looking better too. I am also going to have a small herd of polish soon. That is my limit... now more breeds for me!

 

[mewlingcricket]

As I am sure everyone knows I have not been doing this for very long, however, when I jumped I jumped with both feet straight into the deep end of the pool. I went from no rabbits to two to all of a sudden I have 26 rabbits (including my 2 babies). I have Netherland Dwarfs, Mini Rexes, and Lionheads. I can tell you that despite having so many breeds/bunnies mixed into my house with the kids, I love every minute of it. Although I love my mini rexes and lionheads, I have the biggest soft spot for my ND's....and I have found that most of the breeders in my area that work with holland lops also work with ND's. Also, most of the ones that work with lionheads also have the flemish giants....don't know how that works out, butit seems to be the pattern in my area. If you are drawn that strongly to a breed, you should go for it, otherwise everytime you try to sleep you will just see bunnies hopping by!!! Best of luck!

 

[CoolWaterRabbitry]

We have havanas, dwarf hotots and rhinelanders. I too was one that went from no rabbits to..23 at the moment *I think*. Granted we both have a deep love for all animals and a lot more so with rabbits. However, after talking to a woman that was really interested in my havanas babies, and she started talking about possibly seeing if I'd sell the adults, I am considering getting out of breeding havanas.
I love the breed, I really do. But I think I rushed into everything a bit too soon and after learning a lot more, I would like to settle with one breed (plus the fiance's breed) and focus all my breeding and showing for that breed alone, until a future date when I have more experiance. I feel bad, but the lady I talked with has been wanting a breed for her daughter and her to start showing in the arba youth shows, so if I do sell they'll be going to a wonderful home. I think a lot of breeders have done this in the beginning before they get their "rabbit legs" on. :biggrin2:*wow I rambled lol*

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

I've only ever worked with one breed at a time, and I think that since I have a small rabbitry it really is best to stick with one breed, because then I can focus more on just that breed, and not have to worry about 2 breeds, and the space.

I think the most breeds I will ever work with at one time, will be 2 or 3, but that also depends on how many cages I have, and how much time, as well.

Emily

 

[schneider1022]

We have had

Dutch
Lionhead
Harlequin
Flemish Giants
Holland Lops
Netherland Dwarfs
Mini Rex

Still in most of the breeds and go back and forth, we exclusivly breed lionheads and would like to get into flemish if we had more room!

 

[mistyjr]

Rex
Mini Rex
Dutch
Jersey Woolies
Lion Heads

I know have Mini Rex, Jersey Woolies, Lion Heads and have a dutch boy and a mini rex boy, That is going stay with us forever.

 

[leo9lionheads]

I have lionheads and a few Netherland Dwarfs.
With fewer breeds and fewer colors my rabbits really do take leaps and bounds in improvement which is why I prefer just 2 breeds.

 

[Jaded]

You sound more connected to the LionHeads, maybe you should work with them?

How many breeds have you worked with at one time? Did it leave you stretched too thin? Did you ever regret giving up a breed? well... iv had Mini Lops, Dwarf Lops, Anogora Lops, Rex, Flemish, satin and Netherland Dwarf.

I first started with the dwarfs and then somehow within a year i had indrutuced all the other breeds in, im actrully thinking about taking the dwarfs out of my breeding program as they dont breed.

I really like my Angora Lops they are gorjus!

 

[TinysMom]

T.A Bunnies wrote:

You sound more connected to the LionHeads, maybe you should work with them?

How many breeds have you worked with at one time? Did it leave you stretched too thin? Did you ever regret giving up a breed? well... iv had Mini Lops, Dwarf Lops, Anogora Lops, Rex, Flemish, satin and Netherland Dwarf.

I first started with the dwarfs and then somehow within a year i had indrutuced all the other breeds in, im actrully thinking about taking the dwarfs out of my breeding program as they dont breed.

I really like my Angora Lops they are gorjus!

In some ways I am more connected to them - in the fact that I already know enough about the bloodlines and the breeders I'd want to work with (as far as getting their lines and then breeding them together).

I don't know.....its a tough choice.

 

[RAL Rabbitry]

I have mini-rex and a 5 hollands. I would like to get a couple other breeds but I think I would be stretching myself too far and it is hard to show multiple breeds at a show.

Peg I would do some soul searching and decide which breeds you want to do and concentrate on them. If you get too many breeds you won't be able to focus on a COD for the lionheads. To get a variety or breed passed will take up quite alot of cage space.

 

[TinysMom]

RAL Rabbitry wrote:

I have mini-rex and a 5 hollands. I would like to get a couple other breeds but I think I would be stretching myself too far and it is hard to show multiple breeds at a show.

Peg I would do some soul searching and decide which breeds you want to do and concentrate on them. If you get too many breeds you won't be able to focus on a COD for the lionheads. To get a variety or breed passed will take up quite alot of cage space.

Thanks Roger. The COD WAS a dream of mine - it no longer is. Since I stopped breeding lionheads (at about the same time I decided actually) people stepped forward and started pulling CODs in those colors I wanted to make sure were covered with CODs.

So I already know that even if I add in lionheads - I will NOT be working towards a COD. We have so many people already working towards it - and many of them I think have a good chance of getting the colors through when/if Theresa passes.

 

[RAL Rabbitry]

Let somebody else do the work and pay the expenses of a COD LOL. It is very expensive to get a variety passed and very heartbreaking when it doesn't.

 

[lelanatty]

I have raised one breed and one breed only, because that is what I started with and I still have not been able to make much improvement because the variety I have chosen is so rare, not just in our area, but everywhere. I am still trying to achieve my goals with my one breed, though there have been many oddballs that have come through my rabbitry that I have had the pleasure of showing and learning a little bit about. They are Californian, Dutch, Mini Rex, Lionhead, and now Holland Lop. The reason they never take off is because of cage space and my devotion to my initial breed and variety. I am actually starting to like things the way they are, and the focus that it gives me to stand in my barn, look at all of my ND's, and know exactly what I am going for.