Let me preface this post by saying I don't have any animal rights tendencies nor even a mild case of "bambi syndrome". In fact, I'm usually angered when I see news stories that say everyone should remember to bring their pets inside at night due to severely low temps. I've always maintained that healthy and well fed outside animals do just fine in cold weather, as long as they are dry and have shelter.
On Saturday, one of my does kindled right on schedule. I had a good layer of bermuda grass hay in the drop box and she pulled a normal amount of fir. Unfortunately, the temps dropped to 1 or 2 below zero last night (we had about 8 inches of snow Friday/Saturday). I knew that they could handle lows in the teens while kindling but I really expected that I would lose this litter after seeing the temps this morning. Well, I'm happy to say that I was wrong. All kits are doing just dandy. Approximately a day and half from birth and below zero temps in a barn with no door (there is a single low wattage light and a radio on though) and the kits don't even know it. I'm quite certain that they were happier in those temps than kits that are born in late July!
I always tell people that wild rabbits (and deer, and skunks, and mice, and .....) do just fine in winter weather, even rain. Their bigger concerns are hawks and coyotes. Of course, those wild rabbits aren't delivering young in January either. However I bet my rabbits are eating much better than the wild ones this time of the year. Anyway, the point is simply that animals do quite well when we provide adequate food, water and shelter (and that doesn't have to be your heated porch/basement).
On Saturday, one of my does kindled right on schedule. I had a good layer of bermuda grass hay in the drop box and she pulled a normal amount of fir. Unfortunately, the temps dropped to 1 or 2 below zero last night (we had about 8 inches of snow Friday/Saturday). I knew that they could handle lows in the teens while kindling but I really expected that I would lose this litter after seeing the temps this morning. Well, I'm happy to say that I was wrong. All kits are doing just dandy. Approximately a day and half from birth and below zero temps in a barn with no door (there is a single low wattage light and a radio on though) and the kits don't even know it. I'm quite certain that they were happier in those temps than kits that are born in late July!
I always tell people that wild rabbits (and deer, and skunks, and mice, and .....) do just fine in winter weather, even rain. Their bigger concerns are hawks and coyotes. Of course, those wild rabbits aren't delivering young in January either. However I bet my rabbits are eating much better than the wild ones this time of the year. Anyway, the point is simply that animals do quite well when we provide adequate food, water and shelter (and that doesn't have to be your heated porch/basement).