SA Farm's Kindling thread!

[SA Farm]

So since my rabbits got to take most of the winter off, since it's been the worst winter here since '81-'82 and insulated nest boxes just didn't do the trick even in early December , I went a little overboard with breeding my rabbits for March and am now bracing myself for the many babies to come!

I have 4-5 does due from the 1st to the 22nd and I keep telling myself to wait to breed the last one, but I find myself far too tempted to get it over with since it'll be her first litter and I'll have plenty of experienced mothers to pawn her kits off to if I need to. To breed or not to breed her, that is the question!?

Anyhow, I'm also trying to stay sane while I wait to be entirely overrun and overwhelmed by babies! (and not just bunny babies either)

 

[SA Farm]

Well, I guess I'll introduce you all to my rabbits. I mostly breed NZWs, but I keep a few pet bunnies that get bred occasionally as well.

Midnight is my dwarf mix doe, 1 and a bit years old. She's due on the 1st. Her and a pic of her last litter.

I have 2 NZW does (Zap and Jade) due, Zap (8 months) on the 22nd and Jade (~1 year) I'm not sure when since she was living with the buck for about a week, so I'm hoping she is, but not counting on it. A couple of pics of a few kits from her last litter:

And I have a Lionhead cross doe, Angel (same age as Midnight), bred by a Holland Lop due on the 5th:

Here's Zazzi (8 months) who is the doe I'm still undecided about when I'll breed her:

I don't have a picture of my main buck, Bugs, on this comp either.
And Jasper, my Jr. Cal/NZ buck who isn't quite ready to breed yet. I may end up selling him or trading him for a NZW if I can find one.

 

[Hens and Roos]

Good Luck with your upcoming litters!

Cute pictures as well

 

[Four Winds Ranch]

Nice rabbits!!! What do you do with all those baby bunnies?
I raise rabbits too! Standared Rex, and Flemish Giants. They are basically for meat and breeding sales.
I know what you mean about bad winter!!!! It has been horrid over here too!!!!

 

[SA Farm]

Some of them are sold as pets (Mainly Angel and Midnight's kits) and the rest are sold as either breeding stock or meat. If there are any extra they are sent to our own freezer camp.

 

[SA Farm]

So because I'm insane and also because I love rabbits and am considering selling off most of my chickens anyway...Today I traded a lovely trio of blue and black EEs for a couple of NZs
So I got these (the black is a doe and the steel is a buck who will replace Jasper):

For these (the blue hen and roo in the front and the black pullet right behind them):

I'm not sure who got the better bargain, but we're both happy with it
Now I just need to think of names for my new buns! They will have to start with the same letter since they're siblings too....hmmmm

 

[Hens and Roos]

Nice!

 

[SA Farm]

Well, Midnight didn't have her kits yesterday. Yesterday would have been day 31, so I'll give her a few more days before I'll rebreed her. Her last litter was kindled a day late and I'm fairly certain I bred her in the evening, so she may just be taking her time again.
Angel has been nesting and started pulling a bit of fur. Her day 31 will be Wednesday, but she seems to be prepping early.
Here's hoping for kits soon!

ETA: Oh yeah, named the new buns Tank and Tali

 

[P.O. in MO]

Don't get in too big a hurry, I lost a small litter about 3 weeks ago when I pulled the nest box on day 34 and she had her litter on the cage floor on day 35. My does almost always have kindled on day 31 except this time, it was her first litter.

 

[SA Farm]

Oh, I'm so sorry for your loss! That's really tough. I had a litter from a doe a few years back that, according to my records, wasn't bred. She had them on the wire and they died too.
Midnight lives in the house as she's one of the pet bunnies, so I don't have to worry about her having problems if she has them late. I just definitely need her or Angel to have babies as a few of them are already reserved!
I'll continue to keep an eye on her anyway. She's one that pulls fur after/during kindling, so I never know until she's had them