Best practices for first kindling?

[ollitos]

Our does have kindled before but this is a first experience for us. We've been doing a lot - a LOT - of research and educating ourselves. One of our does is due in about 9 days.

But it is always good to get advice from those who have been there/done that. What are your best practices or standard things you do when your doe is about to kindle?

Thanks!

 

[currituckbun]

I have followed this guide almost exactly and I have had very few problems. http://www.debmark.com/rabbits/basics.htm
I always wait until day 28 for the nest box unless I see her pulling fur. I have been using pine shavings and hay for the nest boxes. Day 10 after kindle I usually change out the bedding material and transfer the kits and fur. I have recently learned the hard way NOT to feed Calf Manna to nursing does. It can cause mastitis.
Hope you have lots of popples very soon. :yes:

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

DO NOT hold your breathe-- DO NOT anticipate either a trouble free delivery, or a problem plagued delivery, cuz your worry will screw you up! Be observant of your does habits-- knowing how she behaves NOT pregnant, can help determine if she is pregnanat-- Knowing/watching her behaviour during the pregnancy helps you see when things are going to change. Observation and note taking about each doe is your key to knowing your animal. Oh, the vulva of a soon to kindle doe will change color, just as if she is getting ready to breed--

 

[akane]

I do nothing. I handle and feed my does the same until day 28. Then I build a nest box with layers using absorbent pine pellets on the bottom and insulating hay or straw on the top. Make sure the doe doesn't mess in it or dig it bare and then pull too little fur to make up for that behavior. If they dig it out or use it as a litter box I usually skip a day and give it back so day 30 and put any fur they've pulled in to the box but my cages are mostly solid bottom or in colony so if they kindle day 30 with no box it's not a tragedy so long as they pull fur. There is no wire to freeze on but pine shavings, straw, and hay. Otherwise I would immediately fix and return it even if they just did it again up until they settle down to have kits in it. If they do nothing bad to the box then I just leave them until day 35 (occasionally 33 when impatient on an experienced doe who's kindled on time before) when I decide to give up on them kindling and try rebreeding back to the buck or another buck.

After kindling in warm weather or inside I pull each kit out to inspect and dispose of any dead. In the cold weather I just pull out 2 or 3 and feel for any dead to avoid chilling the whole litter. I repeat that daily. My akita dog knows every evening is check baby bunny time and must make sure I pull out each kit to inspect and let her lick one before returning the box. The doe also gets put on unlimited pellets unless overweight at that point. They are always on unlimited hay.

So goes life until they start leaving the box between 10-12 days (I just had to put a 10 day old back the past 2 days so it started wandering at 9 days). Then I have to make sure no one gets lost or stuck behind the box or something and at 14 days I tip the box sideways so they have shelter but can't get stuck out since by then everyone is coming and going. A day or 2 later I remove all bedding and hair from the box, wipe or knock it empty, and just give them a straw stuffed sideways box until they stop sleeping in it.

This is weather dependent since in really cold winters I may not see kits out of the box until 4 weeks old.

I think the pine pellets have prevented me having any problems not cleaning the boxes before the kits start leaving them. I have never emptied a wet box and only had one case that nearly turned in to nestbox eye but was cleaned up before then. The bottom and sides inside are always perfectly clean. Some of the pellets break down and that's the most moisture that is present. Unless an adult soils the front of the box which I remove and replace with new bedding as best as possible my boxes stay clean enough through weaning except the top which the does like to sit on and make dirty. I don't get too concerned about that since the kits don't come in contact with that part and twice a year I dump my boxes in plastic storage totes of water with bleach. That removes the ground in poop on the top ledges.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

I have recently learned the hard way NOT to feed Calf Manna to nursing does. It can cause mastitis.
Hope you have lots of popples very soon. :yes:

Actually, it CAN happen but does not ALWAYS happen. I feed my nursing does Calf Manna and I have yet to have a case of mastitis related to that. I have one doe right now that I think has it, but she has not been getting any Calf Manna. I think it varies greatly from rabbit to rabbit and line to line. Plus, it depends on how much you give. I give 1 Tblsp per doe, per day.

 

[MaggieJ]

I don't think it is so much that calf manna causes mastitis in rabbits as that a doe with that tendency may be more likely to develop mastitis on the rich diet that calf manna provides.

Has anyone ever asked the company that makes it about the connection? Not that we can rely on any manufacturer's answer without question, but it might be interesting to hear what they say.

 

[Jessykah]

Calf manna has yeast in it,which increases milk production, which CAN cause mastitis if the doe is already able to produce enough milk and then gets calf manna. Too much milk production CAN (not always) cause mastitis.

 

[arachyd]

Take lots of notes on each rabbit. Some pull fur at a certain week and others at another week. Some make a great nest with extra fur and some are skimpy with the fur. Note which day the doe kindles. Over time you'll start to see patterns forming with each doe as to how many kits she has, what kind of nest she makes and how soon after breeding or before kindling she makes her nest among other things like attitude changes, etc. This will be useful in the future if you aren't sure of your breeding dates or have to plan to be away when expecting a doe to kindle and need to be as sure as possible when it will occur. It will also help you keep track of how many failed breedings and lost litters a doe has so you know when to look for a replacement. It's easier when you have a record of it all.

 

[SterlingSatin]

i usually put the nest box in on day 28 unless i see fur, then i'll put it in early. i get nervous about kindling sometimes so if hte doe starts to make a nest on day 26 or 27 with her hay, i give her hte nest box so she can start building her nest in there instead of establishing it on the wire. sometimes does are too stubborn to move it make sure you take notes, try to determine when she starts lactating, if she pulled enough fur, and when she gave birth. its nice to know if your rabbit is a morning or evening kindler or a day early kindler. i have a doe that always kindles a day early. if you happen to walk in while she's giving birth (and i've done this) i suggest immediately walking back out. if i walk in on my does they tend to withhold the kit because they are nervous about my being there, which results in still births. one of my does unfailingly kindled at feeding time which drove me nuts cuz i knew i couldn't feed while she was having her babies or she would have problems. often on kindling day i open the door to the barn a crack and peek in every hour or so. if the doe is in the nest box (and especially if its morning or evening) i leave and then come back 2 hours later and check the nest box. distract the doe with a treat while you pull the nest box out. i don't try really hard to figure out how many kits i have first check, i don't like to disturb them right after birth. just pull out any dead, and i remove the portions of the shavings that are blood soaked. also, check the nest box twice before you write down your final head count. i've found kits i didn't know i had 2 days after kindling, and i was sure i checked that nest box thoroughly. also, if you don't have BSW, check the ground around hte cage really really carefully. i don't have BSW and i've regretted over and over and over again. babies slip out so easily if they are born on the wire. they like to hide under things so look under tables and other cages if you think you may have had an escapee.

 

[Jessykah]

Those are good suggestions.....just be sure to keep extra fur on hand if you are able to get some. If a doe has pulled A LOT of fur, and it is not too cold, then save clean fur in a can or container, in case you have a doe that didn't pull enough fur. They usually don't mind someone else's fur. Mine never mind it.