How long til bunsicles?

[phillinley]

Came home just as one of our does started delivering on the wire. First time ever I've caught it in mid process. She's pulled no fur again same as last time. Putting more cotton balls in the box and transferring the kits to the box once she's finished cleaning them. She had eight on the wire last time and three so far in this group. If she doesn't pull fur and we are going to have temps below freezing tonight is cotton balls and straw going to be enough? Also how long do I give her to clean her kits before putting them in the box? I don't want them to freeze to death outside of the box before she's done with them. Bah, probably going to go out and pick up a heat lamp. This is our prime date litter for meat pens for two state fairs this summer so I really don't want to lose this one (well I never want to lose any).

 

[Whipple]

Put the ones that are born in the box. If she has more she might get the idea and have the rest in the box. Keep checking every so often, and feel them, if they feel slightly chilled, even a teeny bit, bring them in. Leave the box out in case she has more.

I've only dealt with two litters but that's what I would do.

 

[phillinley]

Yea I just now brought them in with the box. 10 minutes after putting them all together in the cotton they were scattered to all corners of the nextbox and not moving anymore. I put them in the house next to the heat vent and will just pull them as more come.


This brings up another question I never thought about before doing this. If I pull the box out, when should she be giving them their first feeding?

 

[Whipple]

I would leave e nest box in there, otherwise she has no way of learning to have kits in the box. Ykwim? Just bring kits in and put em in a nice human made nest inside until you know she's done.

 

[skysthelimit]

I put boxes back in the morning before I go to work giving them about ten minutes and repeat when I feed at night.

 

[phillinley]

She's had 8 more now, the last three of the 11 were the biggest but are dead. At first I thought I got to the last two late and was trying to warm them up in my shirt, but then she delivered another of the same size right after that was not moving or breathing either from the get go. So those I can't beat myself up over. The other eight are cozy in the van with the heater running since the temp in our house is 62 right now and probably not helping them warm up at all.

 

[skysthelimit]

My house is not heated once the kits are warmed and placed in a proper nest you don't have to keep the whole thing warm. My most recent litter is on a shelf outside in the unheated barn.