Fingers Crossed - Nesting Polish

[Bad Habit]

So, I got some Polish rabbits, and have had a very hard time with them.

The first doe I got came pregnant, kindled and raised her litter. When I bred her, she did not conceive. When I rebred her, she did not conceive. I put her on a diet, she lost about 6oz, then wouldn't lift. I finally got her to lift again, and she is due June 1st.

I bought a second doe, she also came pregnant. When she kindled, she had one large kit and one small kit, and both were dead when I found them - she was living inside at the time. I rebred her, and this time when she kindled, she had one kit in either corner of her cage, and a live kit in her nest, but it was chilled - she was outside. I warmed it up and brought her, baby and nest inside. Later that evening, I checked and her kit was dead, and it looked like she had attacked it.

Now, she's due any day now(stupid me forgot to write down when I bred her!!) She's currently nesting. I have her in a high cage outside, with a nice calm doe beside her, and a ton of hay. I am resisting checking frequently, because I am afraid of spooking her and having her kill her babies.

Fingers crossed, please! I would really really like to have a successful Polish litter, I'd love to replace the 2 does I have now with does raised here and less likely to be spooky about the dog and cats.

 

[Marinea]

*fingers crossed*

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Experienced rabbit breeders have told me that certain people and breeds just don't mix, and no matter what they try they just can't get viable litters.

I have actually seen this in my own barn- the Rex breed like clockwork, but I never did get a litter out of my JW's, have struggled to get litters from my Beverens, and my Satins keep having most of their kits on the wire and I have saved probably less than 10% of them.

I hope your Polish doe comes through for you this time, but if she doesn't it isn't necessarily her fault or yours.

 

[Bad Habit]

All I need is one litter. I meant to breed Alaska along with Selina(broken black polish) because I get litters, she just doesn't raise them! But I know I was off by like a week. Tofu(NZW doe) is due on the 25th, so maybe I can keep them alive until then, and slip them in with hers? I don't know. If I don't get kits this round, then the breed is pretty much out of my barn. The buck is scheduled to return to his original breeder sometime in June.

I'm hoping to get litters from both does and raise up a pair. I really think that they are just a little more nervous than the other breeds I've dealt with(they seem to panic more easily, the dog upsets them, the cats upset them, the light turning on or off startles them). Not enough that it's going to kill them, but just enough that they're not reproducing. Since there's about a 0% chance of me getting rid of the cats or dog(they were here first )

If it doesn't work, I've got Hollands and Lionheads and meat rabbits to play with!

Debating trying a pair or trio of mini rex.

 

[ladysown]

hope it works out this time for you.

 

[Marinea]

Ooooh, BH mentioned my Alaska!

But, no pics?? :sadface:

 

[Bad Habit]

Lol no pics. Ms Alaska is due to kindle June 1st though, so we should have some spotty Alaska babies running around soon!!

I'm trying to decide if I want to keep the black doe kit that I have left from Alaska's last litter. <br /><br /> -- Sat May 24, 2014 5:07 pm -- <br /><br /> She kindled... Three peanuts.

 

[MR_ND]

She kindled... Three peanuts.

No other kits? Just the peanuts?

 

[Bad Habit]

Just 3 peanuts.

The big kicker is that I picked polish because I thought they're a small breed without the dwarf gene.

 

[MR_ND]

Just 3 peanuts.

The big kicker is that I picked polish because I thought they're a small breed without the dwarf gene.

Wow! I just bought a trio of Polish, I hope it goes well with my does.

 

[Bad Habit]

Well, they're not supposed to have the dwarf gene, so shouldn't produce peanuts. Obviously at some point the lines I bought had ND introduced.

 

[ladysown]

i hate peanuts in polish. They aren't supposed to have that dwarf gene but people introduced them in. It's very frustrating. Some breeders cull anything carrying the gene, others just try to winnow it out, and others just say "Hey.. what'y'do?" starting over doesn't guarantee no peanuts either.

Just do what you do with hollands.. bigger does, smaller bucks and hope to winnow down the chances of getting 'em.

But I HATE peanuts....

 

[MamaSheepdog]

She kindled... Three peanuts.

The big kicker is that I picked polish because I thought they're a small breed without the dwarf gene.

Whoa... that was an unwelcome surprise, to say the least.

 

[Bad Habit]

Given the doe's history, not really. She produced a peanut and a giant fat kit her first litter, two peanuts and a normal kit her second litter(but she killed the normal kit) and now 3 peanuts. I bet if I breed her again, I'll get 4 peanuts