# Ebers kindling thread



## Ebers (Apr 18, 2016)

I just wanted to start a thread to display the new additions as they come...this is thumpelina & her kits


----------



## MMWB (Apr 19, 2016)

A fine looking litter!


----------



## Ebers (Apr 30, 2016)

I've got 2 does that are packing hay around gitn ready to kindle... I'm super excited this will be the 1st litter out of the 2 new bucks I bought... a red NZ & a big Californian buck, I feel like a lil kid at Christmas lol


----------



## Latestarter (Apr 30, 2016)

Hope you came through all that big weather that went through OK yesterday and last night. Good luck on the kits!


----------



## Ebers (Apr 30, 2016)

It wasn't too bad by the time it passed over us, just a lot of rain & some wind... I bet my chickens are wishn they were ducks lol


----------



## Ebers (Apr 30, 2016)

Fancy done a good job she has 9 lil squirmy kits!!!


----------



## Ebers (Apr 30, 2016)

Hopefully she'll pull some fur shortly & all will be good


----------



## Ebers (May 2, 2016)

Elsa with her 8 new babies


----------



## Ebers (May 2, 2016)

Thumpelina & her 2wk old kits.... she has 7


----------



## DuckyLou (May 2, 2016)

AWWWW  Very Cute!!


----------



## MMWB (May 2, 2016)

Ebers said:


> View attachment 17415 View attachment 17416Thumpelina & her 2wk old kits.... she has 7


Quite a size difference in those three.


----------



## Ebers (May 2, 2016)

Idk why they look that way in the picture but it does, all 7 are very close in size


----------



## MMWB (May 2, 2016)

Perspective, I suppose.  A little angle can throw it off.


----------



## Ebers (May 2, 2016)

Well while I was gone today the red doe decided to use her nest box full of babies as a litter box & killed a 9 of them


----------



## MMWB (May 2, 2016)

Elsa?  Sorry that happened. Sometimes you have to wonder.


----------



## Ebers (May 2, 2016)

The red doe is fancy, Elsa still has most of her kits but it's not lookn good...they're both 1st time mommas


----------



## promiseacres (May 3, 2016)

Bummer.


----------



## Latestarter (May 3, 2016)

Sometimes you just end up shaking your head... like, what were you thinking? Sorry about your losses.


----------



## Ebers (May 3, 2016)

I've lost both litters to the does using their nest boxes as litter boxes in the last couple days I even tried cleaning out the box & moving it incase I accidentally put it in the corner they use the bathroom in .... do you think they'll figure it out next time or should I try to replace them? Both litters were their 1st litters


----------



## Ebers (May 3, 2016)

How long should I wait to breed the 2 does back?


----------



## promiseacres (May 3, 2016)

Next time give them a separate litter box a few days before they get their nest box. And if you see that they are hanging out in the boxes too much remove the boxes and only allow them to have them twice a day for 10 minutes. That's all the more the kits will need to nurse. A smaller nest box may help too. Sometimes its just the first time they have issues. 
 I would rebreed in 2, 3 days.


----------



## Ebers (May 3, 2016)

promiseacres said:


> Next time give them a separate litter box a few days before they get their nest box. And if you see that they are hanging out in the boxes too much remove the boxes and only allow them to have them twice a day for 10 minutes. That's all the more the kits will need to nurse. A smaller nest box may help too. Sometimes its just the first time they have issues.
> I would rebreed in 2, 3 days.


Thanks I'll definitely try that!!!


----------



## Ebers (May 7, 2016)

I re-bred the 2 does that lost their babies, fancy & elsa.... also bred thumpelina so I know I'll at least get 1 litter outa the 3... thump is a great momma, I think I'll keep a lil doe outa her to raise for a breeder


----------



## Ebers (May 8, 2016)

I've got a new litter of 9 cali/NZW cross babies & I seriously knelt down & prayed over those baby rabbits so if it's God's will these will survive... I'm tired of telln my kids the baby rabbits died, it hurts my heart to see them sad plus it's hard to see something you put time & energy into wither away like that


----------



## Bunnylady (May 9, 2016)

I hear you. I have had people tell me that they wanted to breed a pair of rabbits "so my children can experience the miracle of birth," and I soooo want to respond, "do you think they are ready for the tragedy of death?" 

The kids do get used to it, though I wonder what larger ramifications a lesson like that may have for them. Ah, well, it is what it is. A couple of days ago, a neighbor brought us a baby cottontail that he had taken away from his cat. My daughter took charge of it, tucked it into a cage with hay and water and brought it grass and other greens from the yard. She even put it in the hall closet, where it could rest undisturbed. It didn't make it, but she knew that was the likeliest outcome (cat bites are nasty things; if the shock doesn't get them, infection often does). I think I may have been sadder  about the death than she was. We gave him a chance, even though we knew it was a slim one, and she seemed satisfied with that.

Congrats on your new litter, and wishing you the best of luck with them!


----------



## Latestarter (May 9, 2016)

Really hope these make it for you.


----------



## Ebers (May 9, 2016)

The kids are pretty used to critters dying... we occasionally lose a chicken, rabbit, baby chicks or something like that but it don't seem to make it much easier... they still love animals all the same


----------



## Ebers (May 9, 2016)

Is there anything I can do to encourage the my doe to take care of her babies? They're 1.5 days old & they're still very active but they don't have the lil fat round bellies yet


----------



## Ebers (May 10, 2016)

Ok... I wasn't really excited about it but I held my doe down & my wife let the kits nurse that way... it seemed to work ok but it's gonna be a lot of work nursing them by hand


----------



## promiseacres (May 11, 2016)

Give her some time, it may take a couple days for her milk to really come in good.


----------



## Ebers (May 12, 2016)

I guess her milk has started coming in because I only had to feed 4 of the 9 kits  tonight the other 5 were nice & plump... hopefully she'll feed them all in the next few days


----------



## Pastor Dave (May 13, 2016)

I had a first time doe that didn't come into her full milk for two weeks. At first the kits seemed healthy, but as they required more milk/nutrition they began withering away. I would take the kit and try to hold another of my lactating does to get it to nurse, but really none of the attempts worked. They seemed interested in finding the teat, but then acted too weak to suck.
A litter of seven became two.

Ironically, the other lactating doe developed mastitis and I had to begin administering penicillin. The young were the same age as other set, and were going to die. So, I placed them with the doe that came into her milk late. The whole group survived.

How were you hand feeding? Little bottles from the vet and goat's milk, or something else?

Thanks, Dave


----------



## Ebers (May 13, 2016)

She has milk but she wasn't feeding her kits so I  held the doe & my wife held the kits on her while they ate... the kits are 5 days old now & it looks like she's starting to feed them on her own there were only 4 that looked skinny last night when we fed them


----------



## Bunnylady (May 13, 2016)

My favorite trick for does that aren't feeding is to put the nest box in a carrier that is only slightly bigger than the box, put the doe in the nest box, and close the lid on the carrier. I stay close, because if the doe starts jumping around and stamping, kits can get injured or killed, but mostly I just let things proceed normally. Sometimes the doe starts things off by nosing at the kits, and sometimes the kits just notice her because she's stirring around, but healthy kits usually go looking when they know momma's there. Most of the time, once the kits find her, the doe will stand still. When the kits are full, they retreat to the front of the box, and I remove the doe. 

Some of my does have needed several of these lessons, but most have only needed this treatment once or twice for them to figure out what they need to do, even if I am taking the nest boxes into the house at night.


----------



## Ebers (May 13, 2016)

Bunnylady said:


> My favorite trick for does that aren't feeding is to put the nest box in a carrier that is only slightly bigger than the box, put the doe in the nest box, and close the lid on the carrier. I stay close, because if the doe starts jumping around and stamping, kits can get injured or killed, but mostly I just let things proceed normally. Sometimes the doe starts things off by nosing at the kits, and sometimes the kits just notice her because she's stirring around, but healthy kits usually go looking when they know momma's there. Most of the time, once the kits find her, the doe will stand still. When the kits are full, they retreat to the front of the box, and I remove the doe.
> 
> Some of my does have needed several of these lessons, but most have only needed this treatment once or twice for them to figure out what they need to do, even if I am taking the nest boxes into the house at night.


I have a pet carrier about that size I'll try that tonight thanks @Bunnylady


----------



## Ebers (May 13, 2016)

Well good news.... all the kits were nice & fat, she's feeding them on her own now I'm super happy about it lol


----------



## Ebers (May 19, 2016)

Velvet & her 10 new babies... she's the 1st doe outa the last 5 to kindle that actually pulled fur, she's a pedigreed black new zealand & the buck was my big Californian, she has 5 white & 5 black


----------



## promiseacres (May 20, 2016)

Congratulations


----------



## Ebers (May 21, 2016)

My purebred californian rabbits had their 1st litter yesterday Anna is the 1st of 3 cali does I have kindling in the next couple wks


----------



## Shorty (May 21, 2016)

Congrats!


----------



## Latestarter (May 21, 2016)

Awesome! She's pretty . Best of luck with the kits... You've had some issues of late. Hope this goes without a hitch!


----------



## Ebers (May 21, 2016)

I appreciate that... velvet & rose are both doing good with their litters, rose is the doe that came into her milk late but she's doing great now. Velvet & Anna were the 1st outa 6 litters to pull fur... I hope the 2 does that lost their litters do better next time they will get another chance in about 3wks


----------



## Ebers (May 27, 2016)

I just bought 2 pedigreed red new zealands, they're 8wks old... I'm excited to add them to the herd


----------



## Ebers (Jul 2, 2016)

I have some new additions out of Tiauna a black nz doe & Rojo my red NZ buck... I'm curious as to the color they'll grow out to be... steel maybe, idk but I'm excited lol


----------



## Ebers (Jul 3, 2016)

@ 3 days old there color is already changing, this should be fun


----------



## Ferguson K (Jul 3, 2016)

Those look like well fed kits!


----------



## Ebers (Jul 4, 2016)

This is her 1st litter... I'm really happy with the way she's taking care of the kits, I've had to cull several does to get to this point


----------



## TAH (Jul 4, 2016)

Pretty lookin Bunny's. .


----------



## Ebers (Jul 8, 2016)

Kits at 1wk old


----------



## TAH (Jul 9, 2016)

Love Bunny's!


----------



## Latestarter (Jul 9, 2016)

Look at those cute little things!


----------



## Ebers (Jul 14, 2016)

Looks like they might be agouti or whatever you call the wild rabbit color lol


----------



## Ebers (Jul 21, 2016)

These babies are out of a white doe & a red buck... go figure lol


----------



## Latestarter (Jul 21, 2016)

White and red gave ... black? Sure the postal bunny didn't drop by?


----------



## Ebers (Jul 21, 2016)

Latestarter said:


> White and red gave ... black? Sure the postal bunny didn't drop by?


I know I was kinda surprised too


----------



## promiseacres (Jul 22, 2016)

White (REW I assume) is a recessive that "covers" other genes. Most likely it is an agouti which carries self from these colors. I understand that many NZW are. The red would also be an agouti that also has a "tortoise" gene. 
@Bunnylady correct me if I am wrong? 

Therefore no surprises


----------



## Bunnylady (Jul 22, 2016)

Don't forget about Steel. Steel + normal extension = classic Steel, but Steel + anything else in the E series can be solid black, like a self, even if the rabbit has Agouti genes. It looks to me like there is at least one obvious Steel in that litter; the solid black babies may develop ticking as they get older. Reds can't carry Steel (because Red requires two copies of the non-extension gene e), but the other New Zealand colors frequently do.


----------



## Latestarter (Jul 22, 2016)

Sorry folks... right clear over my head. I have no brain function to handle genetics...  Just not passionate enough about it to want to strain the brain cells. My level of genetic knowledge is along the lines of; OOOOooooo look at the pretty colors!


----------



## Ebers (Oct 22, 2016)

these girls after 6 months & due to kindle this week I'm real happy with the way they've grown & hoping for good maternal instincts


----------



## Latestarter (Oct 22, 2016)

They're very pretty. Wishing you successful kindling!


----------



## Ebers (Oct 31, 2016)

Ebers said:


> View attachment 23364 View attachment 23365 View attachment 23366 these girls after 6 months & due to kindle this week I'm real happy with the way they've grown & hoping for good maternal instincts


----------



## Ebers (Oct 31, 2016)

I just bought a new trio of pedigreed new zealands last night & I'm super excited about what they're gonna produce!!!


----------



## Hens and Roos (Oct 31, 2016)

Congrats!


----------



## Ebers (Nov 14, 2016)

I've got a new batch of kits!!! all out of 1st time mommas, I'm really happy about how well it went. I've had some 1st timers that had disastrous results with their 1st kindling. also excited about the colored babies!!!


----------



## Latestarter (Nov 14, 2016)

Love the speckled ones. very pretty! grats!


----------



## Hens and Roos (Nov 14, 2016)

neat colors!


----------

