Kaye's bunny journal

[Kaye]

Alice is the proud mother of 6 fat little kits, or wigglers (@promiseacres calls them this and I love it!!) and Mocha is the mother of 8!! Alice had hers last night and Mocha was just 30 minutes ago.
Alice stepped her game up with the nest and has a nice amount of fur on them. She blew my mind!! They're all still fat and wiggly this morning, so I have faith that they will make it. Mocha Loppé has had a great nest for a while now, but it's now amazing!! I'm so proud of my first time girls.
The first picture is Alice's litter of 6, then Mocha's 8

 

[Hopalong Causually]

That looks great.
My two does still have three weeks to go.
I'd be elated if they combined for fourteen additions to the herd, although I've become nicely contented with the lesser amounts of feed I've had to buy the past few months.

 

[Pastor Dave]

I have 3 days left to go for 2 does and 4 days to go for 1 other doe. All approximations, of course.
I don't know abt the rest of you, but my buck seems to do best if he only has 2 girls to service a day. I bred one doe in the morning, and one at night.
So, waited til the next day for the third doe.
I generally don't have 3 ready at one time, but making up from a rough Fall/Winter.
Congrats on the new kits @Kaye

 

[Hopalong Causually]

I've wondered about the limits of service one could get from a buck. I bred the one doe one day and waited till the next day to do the other for just that reason. If all goes well, I'll keep a good buck for future breeding from one of the two litters currently in the oven.

 

[Kaye]

All 14 kits are fat and wiggly!! I'm happy that they're all doing great. Mocha has increased her feed intake by 3 and Alice is maybe 1/2x's more than usual. The two extra kits are taking a lot out of Mocha already. Going to look for a nice supplement to help Mocha keep up.
They're both shaping up to be great mothers. Alice is pretty easy going about my being able to pick up and examine the kits, but Mocha only tolerates it. If one makes a noise she growls and jumps. But I'm excited she's such a sweet rabbit these days. @TAH saved her little loppy butt. lol
@Hopalong Causually I'm about to up my feed bill a good bit. lol. I am not really looking forward to the pain. @Pastor Dave I only have one kit to show from three litters. I also had a bad fall/winter. I would actually have had two kits to show for it, but had to cull the little splay leg black kit just a few days ago due to the development of sores on the inside of the legs. Thanks for your congratulations on the new litters!!

And I wish you both good luck on your upcoming litters!!

 

[Kaye]

I also give my main buck as long as it takes him to lose interest because he is a very gentle boy. He's never been pushy.
With my back up buck I have to take the doe out as soon as I see him fall off twice as the first time he never actually 'makes contact' with her. As soon as he does he wants to be mean to her. Like bites her tail and pulls her around and crazy things that rabbits shouldn't do to each other. But he produces large litters with nice colors. Most of them with broken patterns, so I keep him. Until I can find a better replacement he will stay as a backup

 

[Kaye]

This morning one of Alice's kits was stuck between the box and the wall of the hutch. Almost frozen. Warmed it up and put it back with the other kits. So far so good.
All 14 are still alive and well and momma buns are great

 

[Pastor Dave]

Good save!
Hopefully it was found in time and be just fine now.

 

[Hopalong Causually]

Pastor Dave,
Any new kits yet?

 

[Pastor Dave]

Yes. One doe got ready first, and pulled hair last night, but another one did all the work during the night. She has 5 kits this am. Kinda small litter, but at least she had some.
The first will probably go today.
A third doe was bred a day after the first two and her nest is made and she seems ready as well.
I expect to have 3 new litters within the next day or two.