Kits Jumping Out of Nestbox

[BoxerMom]

Got home from work this morning to see two oof my almost two week old kits hopping around the hutch. Mama seemed a little worried and was nudging one back towards the nestbox. I don't actually know if they jumped out, they could have "popped" out of there. I put them back in the nextbox, and added a good amount of hay around the nextbox (which is in an enclosed area of the hutch) in case it happened again overnight.

Should I be worried about them doing this at only 2 weeks old? Nights here are still pretty cold, about 40 degrees. I'm going to have to check on them several times a day now. Since the wire I used to build the hutches is 1/2"x1/2" I'm not worried about them falling through, but I do worry about them getting cold overnight, if they jump out and are seprated from the other babies.

 

[ladysown]

tip the box over. Remove MOST but not all of the bedding. They will cuddle in the box when they wish to. and will explore when they wish to as well. I often tip the box when their eyes open, and it's ALWAYS tipped by 2 weeks of age. The wee young ones will stay in the box (the 9-13 day old ones) but if they pop out they have a safe place to go, and the older ones can start exploring and eating right away. I find when I tip at 2 weeks they might bug mom for a day or two, but mostly they settle quicker then if I take it out when they are older. They start to eat solid food faster and if mom unexpectedly perishes the kits have a better start on them.

 

[JT_Hunter]

I have the same thing...they turn into popcorn bunnies...:wbounce: .popping out of the nest as soon as those little peepers of theirs open... :mrgreen: ..they just gotta go exploring I think....I had forgotten the suggestion to tip the nest over on its side...will do that when I get home tonight..

 

[PulpFaction]

Nest boxes around here have been in high demand, so I remove the regular net boxt at two weeks and replace it with a cardboard box (typically the kind that holds 12 beer bottles ) on its side. Works out great!

Just be sure there are no little holes for the wee ones to squeeze out of...like the corner of the cage where the hole is cut for the wide feeder but you are still using the small feeder! (Got reminded of that one yesterday.)