How soon to kits?

coyotejoe · Dec 24, 2013

Through my profound ignorance one (at least) of my Ca/NZ does seems to have gotten pregnant. I don't know just when it happened but just going by her actions. I had three does and a buck in a colony setting believing the does couldn't get pregnant at such young age, they are 4 months old today. She was hanging out in the kindle box so I thought I'd better separate out the buck into his individual cage. That was two weeks ago that I first noticed her behavior. Two days ago I moved that one doe to a cage in the garage where she will be a bit warmer. I put the kindle box in with her and gave her some lose hay. This morning I found her stuffing the hay into the box so I gave her some more and she stuffed that in as well. Does packing the kindle box indicate birth is near?

HoppinHalfPints · Dec 24, 2013

Depends on the rabbit. My doe Lana will create a nest right before kindling, while Fiona, my other doe, won't make a nest at all. :lol:

3mina · Dec 24, 2013

Pulling fur is a 'slightly' better indicator than nest building. Congrats on the possible new additions

TwoAcreDream · Dec 24, 2013

You may want to give the other 2 does each a nest box also.
Better safe than sorry.
Some does won't give you any warning.....

Congrats

MamaSheepdog · Dec 24, 2013

coyotejoe":1h59wq8g said:
This morning I found her stuffing the hay into the box so I gave her some more and she stuffed that in as well. Does packing the kindle box indicate birth is near?

Usually mine start building a day or two before giving birth, but I had one start about a week early.

When I first started raising rabbits, I decided to take extensive notes on each one's nesting behavior, so I would know by what stage they were in how long I had to wait. Unfortunately, does want to keep us on our toes, so they frequently change things up. Consistency from one kindling to the next is not one of their priorities, it seems! :roll:

3mina":1h59wq8g said:
Pulling fur is a 'slightly' better indicator than nest building.

Back in my early note taking days, fur pulling meant kits within hours. Now- not so much. Some pull the day before, some wait until after..

TwoAcreDream":1h59wq8g said:
You may want to give the other 2 does each a nest box also.
Better safe than sorry.
Some does won't give you any warning.....

:yeahthat:

Assume that they are ALL pregnant. If not, no big deal. But if they are and you don't provide nests, it could be a catastrophe.

Good luck with the kits! I hope all goes well! :clover:

luvabunny · Dec 25, 2013

From breeding to birth normally takes 31 days. Can be 28. Can be 35. When you have had the buck separated from the does for 35 days, you can assume they are not pregnant.
Separating your adults tho will probably require that you now keep them separate permanently. I highly doubt you will be able to put them back into a colony type setting at their age. It could work, but I'm betting there will be lots of fur flying.
We all learn from experience, and bunnies all mature at a different rate. I, too, would have told you a rabbit that size and age *probably* would be safe to keep together, but no harm done.
Good luck with the buns.