Had a 6+ month old junior doe ready to breed and put her with the buck Feb 7 thinking that by March while it wouldn't be exactly spring the cold would have eased. Down to 2 weeks or less and no end in sight for the cold here. When we started last year we had does kindle in May, July and early October and they were not first timers. Then we stopped for the winter. I keep reading on here about does not having a clue the first time around and I'm just wondering if there is anything we should be doing.
Our nest boxes were made with the opening partly from the top and partly from the front. Read someone suggesting to keep the top solid for winter births, have the opening in a side. Should there still be a lip to keep the kits in? Would it help to make the nest box bigger so more hay fits in? Do we still put it in on day 28?
Sorry for asking questions that have probably been answered before.
I'm feeling excited because this is our first doe that we raised ourselves from birth and I'm interested to see how our choice of who to keep and breed turns out. And a bit nervous about how it will go for a first timer and how cold it is. I have been impressed with how well the rabbits have handled this challenging winter and what good condition they seem to be in.
Our nest boxes were made with the opening partly from the top and partly from the front. Read someone suggesting to keep the top solid for winter births, have the opening in a side. Should there still be a lip to keep the kits in? Would it help to make the nest box bigger so more hay fits in? Do we still put it in on day 28?
Sorry for asking questions that have probably been answered before.
I'm feeling excited because this is our first doe that we raised ourselves from birth and I'm interested to see how our choice of who to keep and breed turns out. And a bit nervous about how it will go for a first timer and how cold it is. I have been impressed with how well the rabbits have handled this challenging winter and what good condition they seem to be in.
