Baby Blues

My 7 month old agouti doe just had her second litter. My son Jordan calls her Amber. Both times I've bred her back to her blocky 12 lb New Zealand (NZ) white father. Her mother is a 13 pound fawn colored half NZ and half Flemish Giant. I've never done much inbreeding but I really like his blocky structure and the fast growing meaty kits he produces. He's also an "easy keeper" in that he doesn't eat a lot compared to his size. I fed him all through the summer on nothing but forage and he stayed in great shape. So, I'm anxious to see how his sons/grandsons compare.

Amber

Amber's 2nd litter, day 2

Amber has been a great doe and raised 9 our of 9 kits with her first litter born in the middle of winter. She kept good condition so I bred her back 3 weeks after kindling. This time she had 11 but lost one that got buried under the pile and didn't get the membrane cleaned off his head. The remaining ten are doing great. The interesting thing about this breeding is that I'm getting some new varied colors that I haven't seen from any of the 12 previous breedings, to other does, from this buck. Both of Amber's litters have had one with dutch markings. This letter has two blue/gray/silver kits. I'd like to keep a few does to see how the next generation performs and I'll have to keep track of the bucks to see how they turn out.

My thoughts on fur color

The commercial rabbit meat industry has a preference for white fur. However for backyard personal use, color is not an issue. They all taste the same. Witnessing the complexity of color genetics makes things more interesting at kindling time. One benefit of solid colored rabbits is that they are harder to see and count from a distance. Might be important for someone trying to raise rabbits from under the radar of nosy neighbors in areas with restrictive city ordinances. They are also harder for predators (animal or human) to see if running loose. Camouflage can be an advantage and while mothering ability and meat body type are top priority, all things being equal, I choose colors that blend into our environment. If I'm saving the skins for craft projects, I personally prefer natural earth tones instead of white or dyed fur.

Color can be fun :)