Smallest female successfully bred?

Just wondering who has successfully bred a female at a somewhat smaller size? I know the rule is 1500-1700 grams, and 3 years old depending on opinion but my personal standards are three years old and at least 2000.

With that being said, I took in a collection about a month and a half ago with several adult females all 4 years old and older. All of them were on the skinny side, about 1000 to 1400 grams. Well I have successfully gotten them all up and over 1500 and would still like to try breeding them this season.

Any thoughts on the subject? Anyone who has done it with smaller females without failure?

Smallest I seen lay was hair under 1000g and that was a imported WC female

Do you remember how many eggs she laid?

3 or 4

People here do it, or should I say inexperienced breeders with no regard for the animals health do it. 1500grams is not too bad, but I wouldn´t do it. Why not just wait till next season when you know the girls will be up to a proper weight and there shouldnt be any complications and you will have a better chance at a larger clutch.

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Originally Posted by eatgoodfood

People here do it, or should I say inexperienced breeders with no regard for the animals health do it. 1500grams is not too bad, but I wouldn´t do it. Why not just wait till next season when you know the girls will be up to a proper weight and there shouldnt be any complications and you will have a better chance at a larger clutch.

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Thats the Thing, Whos to say Larger females are safer to breed.

Bigger dont mean better, health and genetics play a role in how successful a female will lay and the number in the clutch.

As i stated alredy they can and will breed and lay any age and size. WC girls are imported small all the time gravid and lay no problems.

Hell I got a girl that lays 7 eggs every year and only 1200g, wont get any bigger either.

I've seen a girl go at 800g. I would never try it but the man who owned her had for 4 years and she always was around the 800g mark for the majority of the time. She laid 3 eggs, and actually gained weight and went again the following season and 1100g. And this season she is going again at 1400g.

Thats my issue, I have to take next season off because we are moving across the country in may 2013. So its either now or two years from now.

1200g is pretty little, but hey if she's doing that good than thats great, just been my experience that breeding is very taxing on smaller females and is generally not recommended. But if it works for you it works. I have no experience with WC, but im not surprised that they come in gravid at lower weights. I just personally wouldn't breed under 1800g and have no problems getting girls up to that weight.

I bred a 1200g '04 female last year (her first) and got 3 100g+ eggs. She is back up to 1600g+ and breeding again right now. From what I've seen/read/heard from people on here with much more experience than me, it's more about body condition and age than actual size. Pictures of your girls may help with opinions on whether to breed them.