# Breeding age



## Gary (Aug 4, 2019)

At what age can I start breeding does and what age for bucks?


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## B&B Happy goats (Aug 4, 2019)

Gary said:


> At what age can I start breeding does and what age for bucks?



Are they NZ ? They can be fertile  at eights weeks, so seperate after sexing...can be bred at 16 weeks, personally I wait till 18 weeks only becauses I want to be sure they have totally matured enough and are ready.


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## Gary (Aug 4, 2019)

Some are nzs. I have some smaller breeds as well. What age do you think for smaller breeds?


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## B&B Happy goats (Aug 4, 2019)

Gary said:


> Some are nzs. I have some smaller breeds as well. What age do you think for smaller breeds?



Wait at least 6 months....
That is what I have read, I don't  do small rabbits so ....@AmberLops.  @Bunnylady
There is a bunch of rabbit information to read on BYH and on the internet, reading it may make you feel more confident  about decision making , and  your ability  to identify  problems with your rabbits and such....you can't  learn everything, but it sure helps


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## AmberLops (Aug 4, 2019)

For does...I breed my Holland Lops at 6 months.
Usually my Netherland Dwarfs breed at 4-5 months, the Angoras are usually 7-8 months and the lionheads usually breed at 5 months. It depends on the breed and when they're ready!
For bucks, they usually will breed at 3-4 months...but I have a Holland buck who doesn't even try to breed yet and he's close to 5 months old! I've had bucks breed as early as 10 weeks though


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## AlleysChicks (Aug 4, 2019)

I wait until they are 7 or 8 months. For both the meat breeds and the dwarfs. My lionhead buck wouldn't breed until he was almost a year old

Also body size and weight factor in too. You don't want to breed a underweight doe and a overweight one can have trouble conceiving.


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## AmberLops (Aug 4, 2019)

AlleysChicks said:


> I wait until they are 7 or 8 months. For both the meat breeds and the dwarfs. My lionhead buck wouldn't breed until he was almost a year old
> 
> Also body size and weight factor in too. You don't want to breed a underweight doe and a overweight one can have trouble conceiving.


That's a long time for a buck!


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## AlleysChicks (Aug 4, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> That's a long time for a buck!


I thought that too. He would do nothing but hop over to them and lick/sniff their face. He's got it now though. He's the sire of the 10 new babies.


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## AmberLops (Aug 4, 2019)

Well he did good then! Proud daddy 
I have an angora buck (English) who's over a year and he won't breed...he just sprays and then licks the pee off 
But that's sort of normal for English angoras I've heard...they're kinda slow.


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## promiseacres (Aug 5, 2019)

Usually 6 months on average. My Velveteens can be slower to mature.


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## AlleysChicks (Aug 5, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> Well he did good then! Proud daddy
> I have an angora buck (English) who's over a year and he won't breed...he just sprays and then licks the pee off
> But that's sort of normal for English angoras I've heard...they're kinda slow.


 guess he cant be handsome and smart.


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## AmberLops (Aug 5, 2019)

AlleysChicks said:


> guess he cant be handsome and smart.


 guess not!


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