Can pregnant doe continue to stay with her sister?

[Jessica's Rabbits]

While fixing the roof on my large corral for two sister bunnies, I placed a tarp on top for protection. Well, it was one windy day and the tarp fell in, and Maple got out. She encountered our free roaming buck... her Dad. When I found them, they were snuggling. So, I assume they had plenty of time to get the deed done. Now, however I'm not sure if I can have her birth in her home with her sister. Do I need to separate them? I would hate to ruin that bond. They are still being very affectionate to eachother and I have not noticed any dominance issues yet. It has been 2 weeks.
Thank you for reading!

 

[ladysown]

it's really hard to tell what post-kindle hormones will do with that relationship. Some bunnies will be totally fine, others... well... not so. So the only suggestion I have is to watch them closely and be prepared to separate if necessary. If you want to totally avoid problems a divider in the cage solves issues.

 

[Jessica's Rabbits]

Thank you so much. A divider is a great idea. I was thinking about a divider with a door/hole that I could keep open when all is well and close it off if I need to.
I hope it works!

 

[Preitler]

I keep my breeding does in pairs, one active and one retired by now - no problem whatsoever. When one doe kindles the other one is kinda startled and is just minding her own business, sometimes I put a divider in when I know it's just a question of hours, but mostly to malke sure the doe uses the right nestbox, and not the occupied other one. And to give her some privacy.

When I bred just one doe, the other became a great stepmum, I'm pretty sure one even started to lactate. There never was a hierachy or territory issue, nursing does have other things on their mind.

My setup consists of 2 hutches per pair, connected with a tunnel, so they can be easily divided, and they can go out of sight of each other if they feel like it. Just watching them grooming, snuggling and working as a team on the meadow makes it worth it. I don't seperate them for too long, and even when I divide the hutch they still get garden time together.

 

[SoftPawsRabbitry]

It definitely depends on the personalities of the does! I've had 2 that were bonded and were pregnant together about 3 weeks apart, they did great until the first had her litter and about 2 weeks later was mounting the other and stressing her out, I had to separate them and they lost the bond, where I had a pair that just loved eachother! Rabbits have different mindsets haha, hope it works out well

 

[Preitler]

I keep my breeding does in pairs, no problem whatsoever. Well, at least if only one has a litter, if both have litters weeks apafrt it is a struggle to keep the older kits away from the new nest. Also, I once had a pregnancy in a growout group of 4 doelings, only realised when there were suddunly 5 more rabbits hopping around in that hutch.

My duos have two hutches connected with a tunnel, so they can get out of each others sight if they want, and that makes it easy to seperate them during kindling to make sure they use the right nest box.

I found that nursing does have other things on their minds than hierachy matters, and does without a own litter were great stepmoms, I'm pretty sure one even started to lactate.

 

[Jessica's Rabbits]

Thank you everybody for such great advice. So far I have divided the area and connected it with a tunnel. They still mostly hang out together, but occasionally are in their "own room".
Nutmeg (not pregnant doe) is very interested in the nest box I want Maple to use, so I hope that doesn't become a problem.
So far so good. Due next week.

 

[Hazel749]

Really interested to know how it goes if you could keep us updated. I have 2 sisters that live together and I’m planning on one or both of them having babies in the next 6 months ish.

 

[Jessica's Rabbits]

They have arrived! 9 beautiful fat babies! Really big and round!
On the 10th I added an external nest box due to my concern about the first one. I cut a hole in the cage and used a 1.5ft clay stove pipe cut into a plastic tote filled with straw. Maple loved it! She immediately began to carry more straw in and gently kept Nutmeg out.
On the evening of the 13th I saw hair and decided to separate them for the night. A few hours later I went out to check on them. They (especially Mama) seemed very upset to be apart and were trying to knaw through the wood round I used as a barrier. I removed it and the cuddling ensued. Babies were there in the morning.
They only thing I have noticed is the extra portions for Maple (Mama) of food, BOSS, and all fresh forage material has made Nutmeg (Auntie) a little fat because she benefits from it being available. When nursing is over hopefully Nutmeg will get to a healthy weight.