Samssimonsays: Blazing Acres journal

[samssimonsays]

Yesterday my first time mom French Lop girl Baby Blue welcomed a litter of NINE babies... she did not palpate positive at all. I came home to 5 dead babies in the cage not even cleaned off. On the wire. She had eaten all the hay from her nest box. Bummed out I went to grab a bag to get them out and I have no idea why but I looked down and there was a squirming baby bunny! Not even a foot away was a second cold but LIVE baby! I crawled around on my hands and knees with a flashlight and eventually found 2 more babies alive. I warmed them up and used some of my emergency nest material, excess fur from grooming and moms who pull too much, and made a nest in her box. Upon checkin gon them later she had covered them up with hay, still had not pulled her own fur.... This morning I couldn't really tell if they had been fed or not but she had recovered them up with hay and still no fur pulled. I will check them again tonight and see if she has fed them and hopefully she will get the hang of this mothering thing.... out of my 5 does bred that were due between the 1st and 2nd she is the only one who has had anything.... We will see if my good moms pulled through and have anything this time or not....



Always exciting happenings going on 'round here!

 

[samssimonsays]

I am currently working on a couple pieces for my nephew and his momma Yes, he really is that teensy and that adorable

 

[Hens and Roos]

sorry to hear that your 1st time doe isn't doing so well with her litter. that there is improvement!

 

[samssimonsays]

Thanks @Hens and Roos I am hoping so too but as a first timer she may not. I am ok with that, we will just try her again if not. No one else took so that is probably the worst part of it. Tis life in the rabbit world.

 

[mikiz]

I have a question, if you keep all these girls, and finally get them bred and they actually give birth and look after their babies, will you keep any from the litters?

 

[samssimonsays]

I have a question, if you keep all these girls, and finally get them bred and they actually give birth and look after their babies, will you keep any from the litters?

It usually depends on if I have any does who are retiring or the type of the rabbit. I like to have one baby out of each rabbit in my barn to carry on the lines and temperament I like. I breed for quality before anything else but temperament is something that is a necessity here as well. I will not tolerate nasty animals in my barn.... so keeping my babies back ensures that they have the temperament that I want. It also improves my lines along the way as I keep back good type and temperament for showing.

 

[mikiz]

Only because by keeping any back from a doe who takes forever to get pregnant is perpetuating your issue with breeding and having them take, so I was wondering if you kept any and why. How old are the does who won't or take forever to have a litter? Is it a line thing or is it that they aren't old enough or too old?

Or maybe I missed something and you're not having problems with breeding? (I do miss things sometimes and read stuff the wrong way )

 

[samssimonsays]

Only because by keeping any back from a doe who takes forever to get pregnant is perpetuating your issue with breeding and having them take, so I was wondering if you kept any and why. How old are the does who won't or take forever to have a litter? Is it a line thing or is it that they aren't old enough or too old?

Or maybe I missed something and you're not having problems with breeding? (I do miss things sometimes and read stuff the wrong way )

Lol I didn't get it before! I get it now hehe!

They have all had litters now. It was a matter of diet but French lops are super touchy for whatever reason. And they take a long time to mature. Some can get pregnant and have litters at 7 months because they hit sr weight and size while others take until nearly a year to hit sr weight. I have some lines that will take until close to 18 or 19 months old to have their first litter with breeding them weekly from 10 months on up. Just a breed thing it seems like. All of my does who we're of age have all had a litter now : ) some of those who weren't taking had actually had litters previously as well. Silly French lops is all. Lol

 

[samssimonsays]

Ohhhh, or did you mean the does this time who didn't take... sorry... I just built a she'd alone and I'm fried mentally and physically Lol....

One is nesting now but all the girls who have been bred and did not take is probably because the heat. Very hot here in mn the past couple months... humidity really gets them

 

[mikiz]

Well if it's just a breed thing I guess you can't do much about that then hey! Was just curious, glad to hear they've all had litters now, it must get so frustrating when they don't take, I don't think I could handle such a difficult breed! When I want babies I want babies now so they'd better have some haha

Sounds like you need a good rest after building a whole shed by yourself, no doubt the heat and humidity is draining on you as well!