# Single Digit Temps and 2 & 3 Week Old Kits



## stevin (Dec 15, 2016)

Tonights temps here in Mass is predicted to drop to 7 degrees, ouch!
i have 2 litters of kits, 2 wks & 3 wks old all outdoors in hutches. My hutches are closed on 3 sides with a wire front and floor. There's an enclosed nesting area with a solid floor that is stuffed with hay. I have also placed a plastic tarp over the front to help keep some of the wind out but the floor is still open. We have had nightime temps down to the high teens when the kits were 1 & 2 wks old and they all did fine. But now we're talkin single digits! The 3 wk old kits are out of the nestbox and spends some time out on the wire with mama and hiding out in the nesting area. The 2 week old kits are still in their nestbox tucked away in the enclosed nesting area which is stuffed with hay also.

Should i consider bringing the 2 wk old kits in for the night? What about the 3 wk olds?
Should i scatter some hay on the wire floor to help reduce any updrafts? I know that ventilation is still very important during extremely cold weather.
When bringing the kits indoors, how do i prevent the kits from escaping the nestbox?
Has anyone ever experience a doe "freaking out" or even rejecting the kits after they have been taken away overnight?
Or should i just chillax because at 2 & 3 wks old their bodies are built for these type of conditions?

Thanxs!!!


----------



## Hens and Roos (Dec 15, 2016)

not sure but tagging some others who might have some thoughts for you @samssimonsays @Pearce Pastures @Bunnylady


----------



## stevin (Dec 15, 2016)

thank you!


----------



## samssimonsays (Dec 15, 2016)

My thoughts are divided. One thinks they will be fine in the nest box but the other part of me says to be safe, bring the nests in and just make sure the kits are safe and warm.


----------



## stevin (Dec 15, 2016)

thats exactly what i'm thinking.....!


----------



## firedragon1982 (Dec 15, 2016)

My only concern for you is that my 2 and 3 week olds were popping out of the nest box all the time... Is there a cage/crate they'd be in inside? LOL


----------



## DutchBunny03 (Dec 15, 2016)

Bring them inside, at least at night.


----------



## stevin (Dec 15, 2016)

looking at the forecast now it will remain in the high teens throughout the night and then drop to single digits around 5am thru 10-11am. of course i usually leave for work around 7:30am. if i bring them in overnight and then bring them out around 7am and bring them back in around 7:30, would that leave the doe enough time to nurse the kits? And what if the doe doesn't nurse within that time frame, will missing a feeding be damaging to the kits? i plan on bringing the kits back out around noon when i go home for lunch where the temps will hover around the high teens for the rest of the day. and then up around 50 on saturday and 60 on sunday. yep, thats new england for ya.....


----------



## Baymule (Dec 15, 2016)

Wow, single digits! If it gets in the 20's we think we are an iceberg! I hope your bunnies are all ok in this cold!


----------



## Kaye (Dec 15, 2016)

I say bring them in. I just lost nearly an entire litter because it dropped down to 19, now I am in Alabama, so it was in the 50s the night before. I have mine in my room with mom at night and then mom is outside during the day because of the cramped brooder box (she has room to hop and move,but not much)


----------



## Kaye (Dec 15, 2016)

And mother rabbits usually have no problems taking the babies back


----------



## DutchBunny03 (Dec 16, 2016)

Keep them in until Saturday. I had to bring in my few month old rabbits, because it was about -25 F last night, with wind chill.


----------



## Claude (Dec 17, 2016)

I have 8 kits now that are 4 weeks old and earlier this week here in ohio it got down right cold one day the warmest it got was 9 degrees. I left mine out in the cage and they did just fine I left the nest box in to give them a little more warmth but every morning when I went out to feed and thaw water bottles before work at 4 am all 8 were out of the box anyways. 
But I also have mine in a enclosed shed attached to the garage with some drains cut in at floor level for vents and for cleaning in the summer when I take the hose in to spray down and clean the concrete floor. So drafts and wind chill is not a problem for me.


----------



## stevin (Dec 17, 2016)

thank you everyone for the advice! i did not feel comfortable removing the kits from the hutch so i decided to leave them out there. it got down to 7 degrees and they all survived.


----------



## DutchBunny03 (Dec 17, 2016)

Thats great!!! Without wind chill or dampness, rabbits can survive temperatures down to -35 F. I usually play it safe with the little ones. Your rabbits are adorable, btw.


----------



## Kaye (Dec 17, 2016)

Very cute!! I'm glad that they all lived!! Congrats


----------



## Animal Person (Dec 22, 2016)

What I do for my bunnies is set up heat lamps, it also drops very low here. I have raised the kits in the low temperatures before and they did fine as long as they had a good heat lamp.


----------



## DutchBunny03 (Dec 22, 2016)

Heat lamps are a great idea.


----------

