Doe nest building 12 days early?

[PaisleyChickMama]

I bred my two silver fox does (sisters) on March 7th. It was their first breeding. They are in hanging cages next to each other. Today I noticed that one of the does is nest building. She's taking the straw and hay and putting it in her hidy house. I don't have a nesting box in their cages yet because it's too early. The other doe is just laying around in her cage. Not really super active like her sister. The nest building doe acts like it's going to be the end of the world and feverishly moving straw and hay around. It's hilarious because she grabs a bunch of straw/hay at a time. I've tried palpating both and since I'm new at this, I didn't get a feel for any kits.

I'm not sure what is normal. I was thinking they would both start building a nest on or around April 3rd. They are due April 7th.

My plan is to add a nest box on April 3rd and remove their hidy houses at the same time. Probably in the same spot since they don't soil in that area. Should I add it earlier? Is the doe going to be confused when I do the swap out?

It's currently snowing here and gets down to below freezing at night. Maybe the weather is affecting her behavior or she's just a high achiever first mom?

They are so different from each other!

View attachment 35183

Where did you get these hidey holes!? And are they good for protecting from snow/rain?

 

[FC_Rabbitry]

Where did you get these hidey holes!? And are they good for protecting from snow/rain?

From KWCages

We have our bunnies in cages under a covered roof so they haven't been rained on. They do look very solid and sturdy as well as waterproof though. The website says they are rust resistant. The only think I don't like about them is that our bunnies can't really sit on top of them. They try but they slide off. They do have a model that is flat.

 

[scrusing]

From KWCages

We have our bunnies in cages under a covered roof so they haven't been rained on. They do look very solid and sturdy as well as waterproof though. The website says they are rust resistant. The only think I don't like about them is that our bunnies can't really sit on top of them. They try but they slide off. They do have a model that is flat.

I have the gable hidey holes and put a strip of traction tape on them so the buns don’t slide off if they want to get on top.
https://a.co/d/dSv0yQB

 

[FC_Rabbitry]

I have the gable hidey holes and put a strip of traction tape on them so the buns don’t slide off if they want to get on top.
https://a.co/d/dSv0yQB

That's a great idea...I'll order some. Thanks!

 

[FC_Rabbitry]

Omg congrats on the new babies and healthy mamas!! they’re so cute!
Mine are the exact same way. Early with hay and late with fur.
I’d love to see an update of how the kits look when they’re older and have their fur!

3 weeks old! It's crazy how they all the sudden started jumping out of their nest box, eating hay, pellets and munching on mom's greens!

 

[sarai]

Omg they are the cutest

 

[Br. Fidelis Ebeyer]

Both of my does always nest on day 15 and 16. Haystashing and everything. I thought it was false pregnancy the first time I saw them do it, but both kindled on day 31 right on time.

They do sometimes only pull a little fur on day 16, and then they pull the majority right before kindling. Has yours pulled any fur?

Interesting to see this not something completely new. We have a large CA doe that was left unsupervised with a buck. She gained a lot of weight then starting nesting on day 14 post being with the buck; now she’s pulling fur on day 15… and honestly the nest looks kinda lousy and half done. So what’s up with her? She definitely isn’t a new mother. I guess we’ll just wait and see?

 

[Cotton Rabbitry]

Does are crazy, I love them, my first timer had a nest last minute with so much fur coming out of the nest I was wondering where she got it all as she had no bald patches (lol), where my most experienced doe built three nests and started pulling a week before she was due lining all three.

 

[Juci]

Interesting to see this not something completely new. We have a large CA doe that was left unsupervised with a buck. She gained a lot of weight then starting nesting on day 14 post being with the buck; now she’s pulling fur on day 15… and honestly the nest looks kinda lousy and half done. So what’s up with her? She definitely isn’t a new mother. I guess we’ll just wait and see?

Yeah both of my does still do this. I’ve also noticed that the initial nest they build on day 14-16 is not very finished or full. I’ve been gathering up the hair from early nests and saving it for when the babies come. In 2 weeks or so often times it’s already messed up or flying away.

 

[Br. Fidelis Ebeyer]

Yeah both of my does still do this. I’ve also noticed that the initial nest they build on day 14-16 is not very finished or full. I’ve been gathering up the hair from early nests and saving it for when the babies come. In 2 weeks or so often times it’s already messed up or flying away.

Ok thanks good to know

So you’ve actually had does kindle after nesting 2 weeks early? I was convinced it was a false pregnancy but maybe I’m wrong? I guess we’ll just wait and see… in your experience is early nesting indicative of false pregnancy or just a personality quirk in some does? I could try palpating but I’ve never really had luck with that. Any tips on how to do it properly?

 

[Cotton Rabbitry]

This guy on youtube (link - https://www.youtube.com/@TheRabbitryCenter )has been very helpful in the palpating demonstration. I do not agree with everything he says but have found him helpful.

 

[Juci]

Ok thanks good to know

So you’ve actually had does kindle after nesting 2 weeks early? I was convinced it was a false pregnancy but maybe I’m wrong? I guess we’ll just wait and see… in your experience is early nesting indicative of false pregnancy or just a personality quirk in some does? I could try palpating but I’ve never really had luck with that. Any tips on how to do it properly?

When I first started with rabbits I thought early nesting was a sign of false pregnancy too! But it turned out to be untrue in my experience. My does have always still kindled on day 31 and pulled more fur.
I have noticed that once they make that initial nest it’s really hard to get them to make a new one. The first time I bred my rabbits I didn’t expect any nesting behavior so early and my doe made her nest in a burrow underground while I was letting her out in the run. I couldn’t get her to make a new nest in the nesting box for anything, so now I make sure I keep them in their hutches after the first week of pregnancy.

As for palpating, I decided not to try it. I’ve gotten some really great advice on here and other sources that say it might not be worth the risk of harming the fetuses, especially for someone inexperienced. I’ve only had my rabbits for a year so I prefer to just wait the 31 days. I have had some luck just resting my hand gently on the doe’s stomach when she’s resting on her side, and sometimes can feel what seems to be babies moving. This only really works during the last week or so. I hope you have luck with your litters, and many baby buns in a couple of weeks.

 

[Juci]

3 weeks old! It's crazy how they all the sudden started jumping out of their nest box, eating hay, pellets and munching on mom's greens!
View attachment 35520

They’re so adorable! I have the same nesting box as you. Love it so much, and so easy to clean. Plus the babies poke their faces out that hole in the back.

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

They’re so adorable! I have the same nesting box as you. Love it so much, and so easy to clean. Plus the babies poke their faces out that hole in the back.

That Kit looks like they want a "Do not disturb" sign

 

[Juci]

That Kit looks like they want a "Do not disturb" sign

Haha omg that’s so accurate.

 

[RFSatins]

When I first started with rabbits I thought early nesting was a sign of false pregnancy too! But it turned out to be untrue in my experience. My does have always still kindled on day 31 and pulled more fur.
I have noticed that once they make that initial nest it’s really hard to get them to make a new one.

My experience is the same. Nesting half way through pregnancy (usually day 18 or 19) is the norm for my does. My rabbits are housed in large pens on concrete floors, and always have hay (and a permanent wooden nesting hut) available. I wonder if folks are less likely to see this mid pregnancy nest building if their rabbit don’t have quite a lot of hay available and are housed on wire.

If my rabbits hay stash only, they tend to go on to have a litter at 31 days. I find if they pull much fur when they hay stash mid pregnancy, is is usually a false one.

 

[Rabbit Tree Farm]

My NZ doe MUST be offered a nest midway. She will build it and pull just a little fur. Then she'll ignore it and eventually pee in it like she's adhd and totally forgot what that was all about. So ill take it out. Then she'll start hay stashing on day 26 or so. Ill put the nest in on 28 and she will build a nest of epic architecture... she will act nonchalant till 30 min prior and then she'll puĺl, deliver and clean in under an hour.

 

[Juci]

My experience is the same. Nesting half way through pregnancy (usually day 18 or 19) is the norm for my does. My rabbits are housed in large pens on concrete floors, and always have hay (and a permanent wooden nesting hut) available. I wonder if folks are less likely to see this mid pregnancy nest building if their rabbit don’t have quite a lot of hay available and are housed on wire.

If my rabbits hay stash only, they tend to go on to have a litter at 31 days. I find if they pull much fur when they hay stash mid pregnancy, is is usually a false one.

Wow it’s good to hear someone else’s rabbits do this. And good to know about the fur pulling, too. I once had a doe loose a litter halfway through just after she had built her nest. She didn’t pull any fur for that, so not sure if maybe she knew the litter wouldn’t make it, and she didn’t bother.

I haven’t had a false pregnancy yet, but I’ll pay attention and see if I notice them pulling more fur.

That’s a good point about the hay too. I also have constant hay for them, plus they have access to the ground that’s covered in hay, right up until they start to nest. I can totally see how the early nesting might be missed- especially if there’s only enough hay for them to eat then they won’t nest with it until later maybe.