Stony Garden. Buns and Chicks

[Hens and Roos]

Good Luck and keep us posted on how it goes. Pics too

 

[stonygarden]

Sad update. I didn't foster the remaining kits. All 10 total kits died. I came home to #2 and #3 doe's kits back on the wire and the nest boxes flipped over. The #2 kit's (total of 2) were alive. I righted the box and put the babies back in and mom hopped right in and started nursing them.

Can I breed #3 later this week or do I need to wait longer?

 

[Hens and Roos]

So sorry to hear this . You can probably rebreed the doe towards the end of the week.

So both does flipped the nest boxes over- is there any way you can secure the boxes so they can't be flipped going forward?

I can't remember are both does 1st timers? Most people give a 3 times and your out rule.

Good Luck with the 2 kits that are still alive

 

[stonygarden]

All my does are 1st timers except my brown doe who had 4 six week old kits. She's had 3 previous litters with her previous owner. Only one of the three resulted in live kits.

What am I doing wrong? I check on them 2x a day (morning and night). Is it because they are 1st time mothers? I am really disappointed.

On a good note: I have a broody hen! I don't even know how many eggs she sitting on. She puffs up and hisses at me any time I try to go near her. I'm working on getting a fence up around a separate coop for her and her eggs/chicks. I think I might have to wait for the chicks to hatch before I move her. She is just way too protective of her eggs at the moment to try to take them away from her.

 

[Hens and Roos]

Hang in there , it takes 1st time does a bit to get the hang of it and so for what ever reason never get it.

Yeah for the broody!

 

[stonygarden]

Another doe (#5) kindled. . . another 7 dead kits.

I rebred Doe #3 (the first to kindle) to my NZW/Flemish Giant buck and my brown doe (who has 4 six week old kits at her side) to one of my harlequin mixed breed bucks. Tomorrow I'll rebred Doe's 2 and 5. There's a possibility that doe 6 and 1 are pregnant (thanks to the other harlequin buck hopping over cages; problem now fixed). I'm not holding my breath.


Its been a rough spring so far with loosing all of these kits. 19 total between 3 does. I'm hoping things get better soon.

 

[Hens and Roos]

Sorry to hear this was she a 1st time doe as well? It is so hard to wait and then it doesn't work out as we hope. We have been going through similar issues with our does but not to the extent you have. We just keep re-trying and hang in there.

 

[stonygarden]

I bought all of my bunnies last year between spring and summer except for my brown doe I got over the winter.

All of my does are young and inexperienced. Except the brown doe. She has had a total of 4 litters. The 4th litter she had here. Of 8, 4 survived to 6 weeks old.

I bought my NZW/Flemish giant buck as an experienced buck. He supposedly produced one litter before I got him.

My harlequin bucks I got from a friend. They were supposed to be does. Very disappointed. I've tried numerous times selling them at local swaps and no one wants bucks. Everyone wants does. My friend doesn't want them back but has offered to replace them with harlequin does when she produces them. I'm not all that concerned about it though. I was given the rabbits for free. I really can't complain too much.

Over the winter all of my rabbits were in large dog crates. I had only 1 hutch. Not the best of places for my rabbits but they were cleaned regularly. A month or 2 ago, my big 8 stall hutch was built. Now everyone has their own 2x3 ft space. In the coming weeks the second story will be added. 4 more 2x3 ft stalls and 2 4x3 ft grow out pens.

This is all new for me. I researched rabbit keeping for several months before I took the plunge. Other than that its all been learning through trial and error.

 

[stonygarden]

Over the last 2 days I've bred 4 does. Crossing fingers it goes well.

Broody hen is still broody. I was told I'll be getting another chicken coop for my birthday from my parents and the SO bought me an early birthday present . . . an incubator!! I'm still trying to figure it out and get the temperature and humidity right. I have 20 eggs I've collected for 2 days that I hope to put them in the bator tomorrow afternoon.

 

[luvmypets]

Have you ever made a hen go broody. All you need is a clutch of eggs, a secluded box, and a silkie 2nd time and duck eggs are developing so perfectly at week 1. Cant wait when did she start. Also to check a broody wear a glove and reach under her. Determine how many eggs and i recommend candling. I just luv broodies