Litter of Nine Alive and Well

[ramblingrabbit]

A couple of you may recall the post I submitted a while ago asking for advice about supporting does nursing extra large litters. Well, here's a cute photo I took today of the happy campers. There were ten, one runt didn't make it almost a week in. The other runt, "Demi," and the rest are doing great, at a month old.

 

[ladysown]

they look great!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

What a pretty litter!

One of these days I will have chinchilla colored rabbits. I think they are lovely.

 

[Comet007]

What a great picture - and super cute buns! I want one of the little gray ones lol.

 

[ramblingrabbit]

The grey ones (from their mom's Champagne d'Argent side) are our favorites. But we don't let it show.

 

[LPH_NY]

Very adorable! That's a big doe! What breed is she? She's quite pretty.

 

[RothsRabbits]

Congrats they look great!

 

[ramblingrabbit]

Very adorable! That's a big doe! What breed is she? She's quite pretty.

Thanks! Starry is half Champagne and half NZW (or so I'm told). She is a real looker... and has an awesome gentle disposition and is a good mother. I got her after she had already had two good litters, which was really cool. Normally she only has 7 or 8 buns to a litter though.

 

[michaels4gardens]

they look great, --and a good disposition is a big plus, -- I had a litter yesterday from the doe that bit me-a pure New Zealand, - [I blamed myself for reaching into her space while she was trying to have her kits] so-- I gave her another chance-- she pulled lots of hair, and had her kits in the box-- but-- she started to warn me away when i was checking on them-- so-- we will see. If she trys to bite, or bites me, again she will be recycled this time.

 

[ramblingrabbit]

they look great, --and a good disposition is a big plus, -- I had a litter yesterday from the doe that bit me-a pure New Zealand, - [I blamed myself for reaching into her space while she was trying to have her kits] so-- I gave her another chance-- she pulled lots of hair, and had her kits in the box-- but-- she started to warn me away when i was checking on them-- so-- we will see. If she trys to bite, or bites me, again she will be recycled this time.

Disposition is sometimes underrated. But making the call is tough, it's true. I find that some degree of protective behavior can be a great sign in certain animals, because it's part of a range of traits relating to how devoted and attentive they are to offspring (or their flock, with roosters). I like to see some protective aggression in my ducks for example, because it makes me feel better knowing they are paying attention to their ducklings and would protect them from a curious cat for example. But at the same time I've culled ducks that were so aggressive they trampled their ducklings trying to jump me when I went into the pen to feed or change the water. I like to see a rooster keeping a sharp eye out for his flock, and putting himself between them and intruders, but I've also had to cull roosters that would attack the hand that feeds them repeatedly. I like to see a broody hen have the guts to give me a good hard peck when I reach under her, because I know she'd do the same to any rat that tried to get after her eggs or chicks. But exactly where to draw the line is something every keeper has to decide for themselves, because what's appropriate in one situation is rarely universally so.

Cheers, good luck with your litter!

 

[michaels4gardens]

Most of the time the agressive does are culled because of weening numbers, -but if she is not agressive to her kits , and has good weening numbers I will be happy to be a little careful reaching into her cage - but if she bites me again it will be over for her.