question

[Mt. Zion Chins]

I have a 6 month old female that I was going to keep for breeding - Her color is beautiful She is a dark tan that keeps getting darker. The problem is she only weights 450. In your opinion is she going to be too small for breeding, no matter how long I wait to breed her My gut feeling is that she will be too small and that I really should sell her as a pet now

 

[brenda]

That's a question many of us face. lol She certainly could grow yet, as some chins contiue to grow until they are a year or better, but you have to go on your gut and what is best for your herd.

 

[MegFarris]

Did you breed the parents? If you can figure out if it's a slow growing line, definitely give her time. Of course this isn't a guarantee but size is definitely genetic. Good luck!

 

[Angel]

Also, if you didn't breed the parents maybe you could ask the breeders who did, if the line is slow growing. I know I've done that before.... Just called and said "hey, Do you remember so and so chin? (Maybe mention a bit of the parents history) Did you happen to notice if it's a slow growing line? Or how were some of the other offspring?"

You never know. I have a male here that out of literally 20 kits, I kept 2... He was absolutely gorgeous! His brothers were gorgeous .... He just refused to throw anything that would be half way decent.

I have another male that I took a really big risk on. He was big as a kit, far exceeded others. Took a 1st at York one year, has a TON of fur, but stopped growing at like 6 months. To pull him out now he looks scrawny and ratty and like something you would not want in your breeding herd... However, his kits are absolutely gorgeous! I have held this line back for a while now. His first daughter at 9 months (a std sc) took a 1a in September. His second daughter is tipping the scales at 900 grams. I have sold 2 of his sons to some really close friends of mine and have kept one back for myself which will be shown at york. All of these are Sapphire Carriers that just have a TON of fur, great color, and have really nice size to boot. He just produced me 2 more sapphire carrier males....

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

I bred the chin - Her father is good sized (I am the breeder of him and he grew normally) The Mom is not bred by me but I got her when she was 10 wks old (her parents are good sized). She was small at first but I don't remember her being this small at 6 months of age Her first 2 litters to another male produced normal size kits I sold them as pets and they grew to be good size. Her mate then was on the small side This time I bred her to a bigger male. So you don't think the kit is exceptly too small - I might keep her and see - She is a doll

 

[Rickman]

Sound like it's worth a "shot" to breed her at least once, and see what you get.
I'm surprised you're getting such a variance in size, from one generation to the next.
Wish I was closer - with that much variance, I'd give it a try, as she sounds beautiful, and I'm trying for chocolates!

 

[shuboyje]

wow, your standards are sky high aren't they? The OP has stated she is a dark tan and that there is concern with her size, and no other info about the animal. Where from that does she "sound beautiful"? Set the bar high my friend, you will progress much faster that way.

This in in no way to say this might not be a great animal, but nobody HERE has enough info to make that assumption.

Sound like it's worth a "shot" to breed her at least once, and see what you get.
I'm surprised you're getting such a variance in size, from one generation to the next.
Wish I was closer - with that much variance, I'd give it a try, as she sounds beautiful, and I'm trying for chocolates!

 

[PIKA]

Chocolate...YUM~

YES, She did sound pretty, they all are! Specially these dark ones with white a tail!

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

by the way I meant to say if you don't think she is exceptionally small (not expectly) I might keep her and see if she grows to a decent size. I suffer from dyslexia and sometime reverse letters and/or words and sometimes I type words that I don't really mean. The funny thing is, I will reread and not see my mistake sometimes - sometimes I do and correct. Other times I see later - I hate it but that is the way it is
ANYWAY - so you don't think she is so small that she has no chance of growing enough to be good for breeding. If she does grow, then I think she will be a really nice chin and there is a good chance that is she a chocolate (she keeps getting darker and darker) She has a nice full solid coat

 

[threewingedfury]

I would personally wait to see how large she is at 8 months to a year old. I just feel as if it's too early to tell sometimes, and with eb in the line, I'd rather give it a little more time. If you don't see the weight or size (size is more important) that you want by then, sell her.