MARCH LITTERS...

[bluebird]

We had two Netherland litters born.the first was killed by the mother.the second had 3 all fine soo far.bluebird

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

The doe that i was telling you about, well she's29 days today and she still hasn't had her litter yet. We know that itusually takes about 30-31 days and all but she doesn't seem like shewants to have them. Last weekend she had pulled fur out and all so iput the fur back into her nest box and the smorning i put some hayinside. How long can she hold them in? I know she'll have them soonlike tomorrow or Sunday but me and my sister are just so excited we'regetting worried. ullhair:

 

[calgal981]

I'm sure there are those that kindle on day 29or 30, just as there are those that will wait until day 32, but ALL ofmine have waited until day 31. I have 4 dutch harlie littersdue this weekend, two tomorrow and two on Sunday. One of thedoes worries me a bit as she is quite the "fraidy bun" AND a first timemomma. The others seem to be settled into the pendingmotherhood role. I just love the new babies! Theyjust grow too fast!

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

arty0002:The first time she kindled, it washer first litter and she did it on the 28th day and the last two shedid on the 30th. I know she'll probably kindle sometime soon like Sator Sunday and she's due Sunday but i'm just freaking out that its afalse pregnancy because she had pulled fur out a week ago. I love thebabies too and they're so adorable! They DO grow too fast!!! :rabbithop



It's almost Spring!!!!

:happyday:

 

[calgal981]

I have a couple of does that pull fur and builda nest early. Two will actually go as early as twoweeks. I know I go against the currenttrend, but I put the nest boxes in when the does want tobuild. Its not as sanitary, but I have yet to have a doe soilthe nest. She will continue to check the nest, but theyhaven't pooped or peed in them. They are muchhappier when I allow them to do what their hormones aredictating. Otherwise, they will frenetically dig at the wirein their cages until the boxes ARE provided. Much morecontented does. Once they build they will lay bythe nest and just wait and percolate those babies.

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

"Percolate" What's percolate? Lol I've justnever heard that word before. Yeah she hasn't pulled fur a week before,before. lol. me and my sister are getting ready to go checkon the bunnies and we just got home from school. I just hope she hasthem soon!! lol but i just have to let her wait, she's not even inlabor yet and last week, on her 24th day this lady was at our house andshe said that she was gonna have them then but me and my sis were like"No way!" And the lady was a rabbit specialist person for our 4-H placeand she was saying the doe was going to give birth like 6 days early! Icouldn't believe it! CRAZY! Lol.

 

[calgal981]

LMAO....I guess percolate is one of those wordsthat you'd know if you were *my age*. Back beforeautomatic coffee makers you would boil your coffee on the stove and itwould bubble and boil....*percolate* before it wascooked. I don't know that even my girlswould know the meaning of percolate in that context. Ofcourse there are other meanings, but thats the one I wasreferencing. Hope your buns arriveuneventfully.:stork:

 

[jil101ca]

First time Mom, Big Sis (the one who startedbuilding her next at 14 days) had her babies tonight, day 30. She dideverything right and as near as I can tell has 10.I'll take a betterlook tommorrow but it looks like a few blacks, some broken and somewhites. pics coming soon.

 

[calgal981]

Congrats....they say the does are in their mostreceptive condition right now....look at all the babies due!!:highfive:

 

[jil101ca]

I just re-checked them, Yep there are 10! theyseem alittle hungry but their bellys are a little rounded, I'll checkthem again after work.

 

[calgal981]

:stork:Two of my four pregnant dutchdoes have kindled. The one that worried me was a day early and had abunch, all in the nest. Lots of fur pulled. Ihaven't counted yet, but will when the day warmsup. The doe I wasn't as concerned about pulled tonsof fur but lost two of her babies to the wire. I believe shestill has at least 3 in the nest and they appear to be nice andwarm. Two more does to go and they are appearing a bitrestless and looking to go any time. I'll be spending a lotof time in the bunny barn today and hopefully get to witness the nextlitter. opcorn2

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

Calgal: It's not really good to stay in the barnthree days before and three days after the doe kindles; you can just bequiet otherwise she might kill the babies. This is just what i've heardso you might have herd something different. Also, how do you know whena doe is restless? What does she do? Our doe is 30 days pregnant todayand STILL hasn't kindled! We went down to the barn all excited and: NOBABIES! Way to ruin a Saturday morning!



P.s. Our morning was ruined because our mom's cat Sophie trashed thehouse, and my cat Charlie (really dumb! Named after Charlie chaplin forhis beard, mustasche and sideburns!) (i'll show a pic later!) he fellout of a bed on a bench and yeah it was funny but it hurt! Ok i'll letyou guys know how Autumn does! :bunnydance::colors:

 

[TinysMom]

Hmm....somebody needs to tell my does that then.(NOT) They're in my sunroom (just a few feet from my desk) andthey are used to me being in there all the time. I handle the babiesfrom birth onward too - usually just 5-10 minutes per day till theireyes open and then try to socialize them for longer periods every dayonce their eyes are open. I have only had one do give me fits and shegave ME fits but never hurt the babies - just tried to take my hand offfor going near the babies (in spite of the treats I had for her).Wait..make that two does. But in both cases - it was theirfirst litter at our place and they needed more time to get used to me.

A lot of it has to do with what the doe is familiar with. For example,our dog and cats frequently run through the rabbitry as that is the waythey get outside. My does don't even think twice about a large blackdog being in the rabbitry....they're so used to her now.

I have never heard that a doe will kill the babies because of a breederbeing around. I've heard of them killing babies because of suspectedpredators being around (unfamiliar dogs, snakes, etc) - but not becauseof breeders.

Most experienced breeders I know and work with - handle the babies alsofrom day one. In fact, I pretty much only buy my rabbits from breederswho do socialize their rabbits...

I can tell when our does are restless because of theiractions. She'll lay one way. Then she'll get up and layanother way. She might stare at something for a bit as if she'sthinking and then move yet again. She might move her food bowl aroundor start moving her toys around or throwing them to another side of hercage.

Peg

BlueSkyAcresRabbitry wrote:

Calgal: It'snot really good to stay in the barn three days before and three daysafter the doe kindles; you can just be quiet otherwise she might killthe babies. This is just what i've heard so you might have herdsomething different. Also, how do you know when a doe is restless? Whatdoes she do? Our doe is 30 days pregnant today and STILL hasn'tkindled! We went down to the barn all excited and: NO BABIES! Way toruin a Saturday morning!

 

[calgal981]

Thanks for the concerns Blue SkysRabbitry. I've been involved in animal husbandry for a verylong time and my rabbits are used to my being in the barn. Ispend lots of time watching all of my animals so that I usually knowwhat is normal for an animal and what is unusualbehavior. If I thought my buns wouldn'taccept my presence I would not be inthere.

Tiny's mom--I handle all of my buns daily too, including thelittle ones. It just makes a much nicer rabbit when they growup, don' t you think?

 

[calgal981]

One more litter kindled and I got to witnessit. Thats three of the four. The last doeis sure acting ready. I really expect it to besoon. So, the count is: doe one kindled 6 with 3living; doe 2 kindled 7, doe 3 kindled 6 and doe 4???? Arainbow of babies!:rainbow::magicwand:

 

[TinysMom]

That is So cool. I love watching my does give birth - I have been able to witness it maybe 10-12 times and it is always so neat.

Peg

calgal981 wrote:

One more litter kindled and I got to witness it.

 

[calgal981]

:stork:My last litter of the dayarrived. 6 born 4 survive. Ithink the labor was too long, the last two were stillborn. A very good day all in all and all of themomma's are doing well. I'll sleep welltonite.

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

Tiny's Mom: Yeah I know, not the breeders butlike other unfamilar people and other animals. Do the does like screamor make sounds when they give birth? I want to watch our doe havebabies, but she always does it so early!

Calgal: Congrats on your babies! You doe actually had babies in likemidday? Or depending on where you live it might not be midday. That'scool that you got to watch her! :colors:



We're still awaiting our litter! She's due exactly tomorrow and we'renot sure if she's even gone into labor or anything yet, she's surelynot acting like she's gonna have them. She doesn't seem restless oranything and she just eats her food and hay. Although early today atabout 10:00 or 11:00 she seemed to be drinking TONS of water! More thanshe usually drinks. Is this a sign?

 

[TinysMom]

Oh my goodness - no - they really must be SILENT when giving birth to keep from drawing a predator to the area.

I have only been able to watch them give birth because I've happened byto let the dog or cat out or in...or because I was jsut going in tocheck on them again....and I've noticed they were in theprocess. I've never made it in time to see the first onebeing born...but sometimes the second or third...

Peg

BlueSkyAcresRabbitry wrote:

Tiny's Mom:Yeah I know, not the breeders but like other unfamilar people and otheranimals. Do the does like scream or make sounds when they give birth? Iwant to watch our doe have babies, but she always does it soearly!

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

That's cool that they're silent really smartidea! I never thought about them being silent as not to draw predatorsnear! It's day 31 and me and my sister are getting ready to go down tothe barn to check on her to see if she had the babies. We're still notvery sure of her pregnancy, but she is fatter, and yesterday i felt ababy kick my hand! It was too cute, so we are pretty sure she ISpregnant. We'll let you guys know in about 30-40 minutes!