PREGNANT BUNNY

[Animal Person]

Welcome hope all goes well and you have kits soon!

Thanks for helping!!! @BlessedWithGoats @Hens and Roos

 

[Animal Person]

Welcome to BYH
I am new here too and started back up in rabbits late last Summer after a twenty year break( We had them as a kid up into college)
I mark 28 days on my calendar or the records I keep on each rabbit, 31 days, and 35 days. If my doe has not kindled, I take out the nest box on Day# 35

I do one other thing that helps, but seldom ever have had to use it. I collect pulled hair or hair that was molted and store it in a feed sack or something smaller. Lots of time the Doe will pull a little fur if it gets cooler after she's kindled or kick some out if it gets warmer. Before I take the box out when the kits are around 18 days old(After Day#18 risk of eye infection runs higher due to unsanitary conditions building up in the nest box), I will try to save some clean fur that has not been soiled. IF a doe kindles and does not pull fur, you can go to this sack as an emergency backup.

Hope some of this helps, and let us know what transpires

Do you need to change the nest while the babies are still in the nest?

 

[Latestarter]

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[SA Farm]

Also I remember reading that first time mothers often don't have much surviving babies, if not at all. Is this true? Even if it is, i have been preparing myself for some sadness. Thanks for all the helpful advice!

Personally I've only had one doe do poorly as a first time mom and I've raised and bred a lot of rabbits over the years, so in my experience it hasn't been true, but it's always best to be prepared the worst.

 

[Animal Person]

Just checked on Stormy, no babies. Tummy is bigger then ever. I am leaving the house around 5:30 -3:00 Hopefully she will have her babies when I get home.
Thanks for all yalls help!

 

[samssimonsays]

Sorry I am late to the post! Was without internet all weekend. WHat everyone else saidis exactly what I would say. Fingers crossed for you and Stormy! GOod luck!

 

[Pastor Dave]

@Animal Person, In reference to your question about removing the nest box, yes. Evict them if they are still in it at Day# 18.
A lot of times they come out abt 10 days- 14 days, but in winter mine like to sleep and stay warm. By Day# 18 they have enough fur and mass beginning to build up that they can manage with some straw out on the cage floor. They will stay huddled up for warmth when they are not eating. If they leave Mom alone long enough from trying to nurse, she will also lie down and they will lie next to her to stay warm.
They can get eye infections that lead to blindness if left in the nest box with unsanitary conditions for too long. I also use a finer grass hay to line the boxes. The stiffer rye or wheat straw can poke the kits' eyes. By 10 or 14 days they will eat Mom's night time poop (cecotropes) to introduce healthy bacteria to their bellies, and they will begin eating the grass hay to be ready for the feed or hay Mom is eating.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

I am waiting anxiously to hear if there are baby buns today!

 

[Animal Person]

THE KITS ARE BORN!!!!!
I just got home and they are born!! There all 7!

When i first got home all i saw was hair around the nest. Then i looked down and saw too dead ones.. I thought that was all the bunnies and was about to go inside, when i saw movement in the hay, 7 bunnies! I held one of them... i hope thats ok! Now I have no clue what to do! Do i clean the blood thats in the hay???? or do i leave it. Stormy is just sitting next to the nesting box, should she be feeding them? AHHHH IM SO HAPPY!!! God has surely blessed us!!!

 

[HomesteaderWife]

Yes, I agree that you have been blessed with your kits!
(God has a sense of humor and we've had nothing for half a year now, hah, but hopefully the first week of February...)

There is a very big tradition here on BYH....PICTURES! You have to post lots of cute photos as they grow. And I neglected to welcome you here when I first posted so here is a big ol' welcome from Alabama!


You'll find lots of helpful, friendly people here (as you have no doubt already seen). Stay and chat awhile, and don't forget, PICTURES!
Congrats on the baby buns