Do I bring her in?

[ColdBrook]

Ella is due. She's at day 31 so she's likely to kindle tonight. She in the barn out of the wind, in a wire cage with a metal nesting box stuffed full of that cottony papery stuff, 3 inches of pine shavings, straw and soft hay and I tossed a horse blanket over the cage to help hold some bunny heat in...but is that enough? She pulled plenty of fur last time the night she delivered.

I'm a nervous Nelly tonight as I figure she's going to have those babies and it's so very cold now. Would it be better to bring her into the house? Would the move and isolation from the other bunnies near by stress her out and cause issues? Her last litter was born on a chilly day in the fall and they did fine but chilly is one thing - now it's downright cold! I shouldn't have rebred her for late Dec. babies. Do I just keep checking and bring the nest box in at night till the kits get fur (provided I end up with a live litter?) I don't know how cold is too cold for a new litter to thrive.

 

[skysthelimit]

She will be fine. I bred all winter long last year. Did not lose a kit to the cold. As long as she pulls fur and there are enough kits, it will be ok. I would not move her. I like to bring kits in afterwards, but that's just me, I'm a bit obsessive.

 

[MaggieJ]

You might want to check on her in the wee small hours, in case she doesn't pull enough fur. But based on her track record, I'd say you probably don't need to worry.

 

[ColdBrook]

So, it's Day 40 and no kits at all. She's healthy, happy, eating well, drinking, and snuggles in her nesting box to sleep. Apparently I was totally wrong and she was not bred even though it was a good cover both times and I was sure this time, unlike last time, that it worked! Last time it did though...this time - no babies. I am trying to decide if I should try again soon or wait for warmer weather. It's supposed to be a cold snowy winter here in western PA! We have about 10 inches of snow right now and more falling.

 

[MaggieJ]

It might be best to try again. Long gaps between breedings sometimes results in the doe having trouble conceiving. The kits may or may not survive but it will keep her reproductive system working. I'm sorry if that sounds cold-hearted, but when I had my rabbits in cages, I did not breed them during the coldest months and some were hard to get bred in the spring. A covered nest box would increase the chances that the kits will survive,

 

[3mina]

I vote rebreed too.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I vote rebreed too.

Me too.

How long has it been since she last kindled?

 

[ColdBrook]

Thanks everyone, I rebred her yesterday.

Ella's kits are eleven weeks now. It's her second litter, but the first since I got her. I was really surprised there were none this time. I was uncertain the first time I bred her, because it didn't look like the buck covered her real well (no grunting and falling off) but she had 8 kits! This last time (when the kits were 5 weeks) I was sure she took, right up till day 40. She seems to be at a very good weight and no signs of any health issues. She's less than 2 years old.

I put her back in with Zeke and he did his duty nicely, but she got nasty with him immediately after. I got her out quickly (have the claw marks on my hands to prove it!) and waited a few hours then put her in a second time, at which time she cooperated completely and he got another good cover. So- I've marked my calendar and noted it in my Barn Book and will be watching her carefully when the end of January comes around! Meanwhile, we'll build a nice wooden covered nesting box for her.