Doe Peeing on Kits

[pratherchick]

Have a first time mom who is peeing on her kits. She is rough with them too, but is feeding them well. These are white NZ rabbits, so I am desperate to keep them from being yellow, so we can show them.
First peeing was at 2 days old. We dumped nesting material, made a new one pulling her fur out to build, cleaned the kits put back in nest and returned them to her cage. The next day she peed on them again. We removed the soiled nesting material and cleaned the kits and put them back in cage in a different area of cage. Today, 2 days later, she peed on them again. I thought it was from over handling, then from being in the wrong place in the cage, now I am out of reasons, except BAD MOM!!!
We can remove nest box and take out for feedings only, but I am concerned she will pee on them then, and how long would I do that?
We won't be breeding her again, but I really need these kits as they were a meat pen for show. We have another nursing doe, but she can't handle an additional 6 kits to feed.
Does anyone have any suggestions:
To stop the peeing
To best handle putting the nest box in for quick feedings and when to return her kits back to her in the cage
To remove the urine from the kits to prevent staining
Thanks Linda

 

[SableSteel]

The most common reason a rabbit pees in the nest box is if it's too big for her. If you have a smaller nestbox you might to try moving the nesting material, kits and everything to it and switching it out. Getting stained isn't too much of a problem, but being wet can make the babies sick. The mother won't be peeing on them once their out of the nest and moving, so they'll have lots of time to get their fur white by then.

 

[pratherchick]

We would need to build one. Any recommendation on size? The ones we use are 12" x 18" x 12" with a 12" opening and 6" top.

 

[SableSteel]

That seems like a reasonable size for a NZW. Mine were 10" x 18" x 10" (because my doors were 10"x10"). Do you have a picture of the nest box?

 

[michaels4gardens]

if the nest box is put into the cage too early, it sometimes causes does [especially first time moms] to think it is for her to sleep/ rest /or potty in- and.. sometimes the doe is just an idiot...