So you want to build a herd?
First off do your research! Have a good look at the Standard of Perfection, look at the breed websites and check out breeder's websites. Best of all, go to some shows to get a good idea of what the perfect rabbit in that breed looks like. Prices vary wildly depending on breed and region but be prepared to spend some money to get good quality and possibly transport if you can't find what you need locally. Everyone has their own interpretation of the Standard of Perfection, so look until you find a breeder who has rabbits you *love*, most breeders are happy to help you out and can recommend other lines that cross well with their own.
Don't be too attached to fancy colours, type matters a lot more and it can be hard to start off with a colour project. Breeding rabbits takes time and patience so have a good goal in place, having
a long term plan really is important because
you often need to think years in terms of producing what you want. Once you have some rabbits don't get barn blind, keep evaluating your rabbits and their offspring and comparing them to the breed standard. Even two top rabbits can produce pet quality bunnies. Type really has to be first, if you are excited about a colour and have a little extra cage space
then get like one rabbit of your chosen colour, don't jump into a huge
colour project. A coloured rabbit has to be nice not "nice for a bew"
The people who seem most successful I think of as having a nice herd
and then adding colour, not building a nice herd from parts with colour.
Try to make every rabbit count, I think the key is having a herd that crosses well. Like you start
running into problems if you get doe A for buck B but she won't cross
well with buck C so you get doe D for him but she has some similar
faults to buck B so they can't be crossed. By having a herd that crosses
well instead of "parts" animals then you automatically keep your
numbers smaller, culling hard is the other step, However by letting them
go too early you may let go of some animals you wish you'd kept but most people don't have unlimited cage space.
A buck is going have the biggest impact on your herd so your primary herd buck should be the nicest rabbit in your barn, a doe's first job is raising a healthy litter so I will forgive a few minor faults on her if she is a good mum. Generally a nice buck will be the most expensive to buy when starting out.
It can be overwhelming starting a herd, many people (myself included) have started and then changed course and restarted. Don't be discouraged, just keep working at it. Sometimes it comes down to what you can invest more of in your herd, time
or money. Some people are able go to a top breeder and drop a grand on a
trio and they are going to see results quicker than someone who buys a
herd over time and breeds up. Both people
will see results (if they make good breeding choices and stick with it)
but good rabbits can be expensive and you have to invest
time and money to build a herd.
Bottom line is have fun! breeding and showing rabbits can be a great hobby, but you need persistence and patience.
