I didn't know what to name this thread. And I have a distinct feeling I've made a similiar thread before.. anyhow, I'm full of ideas I need to bounce of the walls.. (yeah, I hjust called you a wall. :shock: But a good wall, I promise! Hopefully the talking type of wall, with ears!)
I'm beating this idea with litters in the colony around in my head. So.. I have 4 does. I know a lot of people recommend having two does bred at the same time in case something goes wrong and the kits need a foster mommy. And there's other nice things with that..like.. kits of the same age.
But I was thinking of breeding the does one week apart, all 4 of them. My reason is that I have this foldable wall in the colony and I would simply feel better if I knew the doe and newborns wouldn't be disturbed by the other rabbits. And I wouldn't have quite the same area to try and locate a stray nest in.. But there's a few questions..
Would one week apart be enough? Perhaps two would be better? If some kits need help I could hold a doe with two weeks old kits to help nursing, right? Of course the first doe in the row would be pretty alone.. If I keep a 3 week schedual between the does I would almost alway have one nursing, I think.. 4 does, it would give them 12 weeks between their rendez-vous with Kori the buck.. right?
When could I feel relatively safe about moving the doe and nest out in the pen again? Once their eyes are opened? Since the cage is more or less in the pen I figure it's not a big problem to re-introduce the doe, but I'm a but concerned about the kits. The whle ''putting them back together again'' is the thing I'm most concerned about.. if they're born in the colony they sort of naturally pop up among the others... if they survive..
I could keep them in the mini-pen untill the next doe needs getting in there, I guess..
But then again.. having that pen in there at all times takes space from the actual pen.. although only 3 does would share that at any given time. But.. I don't really like that. I have also played with the idea to have the litter in the indoor cage and let the doe in to nurse twice a day. However.. that's a lot of extra work if I intend to get litters all the time and I'd still have the introducing issue. (and I hate cleaning the indoor cage)
A third option is to ust let them kindle in the pen with the other does there.. but I'm afraid the others will harm the kits. And it's really annoying to look around for nests everywhere, not knowing if they've managed to build it somewhere you never thought of looking. I know there is a risk of other does hurting the kits.. but could anyone guess for me how big or small that risk is?
How do you fix it, with colonies and kits?
And this is the pen with the mini-pen up - most of you have probably seen it, but for those who hasn't:
I'm beating this idea with litters in the colony around in my head. So.. I have 4 does. I know a lot of people recommend having two does bred at the same time in case something goes wrong and the kits need a foster mommy. And there's other nice things with that..like.. kits of the same age.
But I was thinking of breeding the does one week apart, all 4 of them. My reason is that I have this foldable wall in the colony and I would simply feel better if I knew the doe and newborns wouldn't be disturbed by the other rabbits. And I wouldn't have quite the same area to try and locate a stray nest in.. But there's a few questions..
Would one week apart be enough? Perhaps two would be better? If some kits need help I could hold a doe with two weeks old kits to help nursing, right? Of course the first doe in the row would be pretty alone.. If I keep a 3 week schedual between the does I would almost alway have one nursing, I think.. 4 does, it would give them 12 weeks between their rendez-vous with Kori the buck.. right?
When could I feel relatively safe about moving the doe and nest out in the pen again? Once their eyes are opened? Since the cage is more or less in the pen I figure it's not a big problem to re-introduce the doe, but I'm a but concerned about the kits. The whle ''putting them back together again'' is the thing I'm most concerned about.. if they're born in the colony they sort of naturally pop up among the others... if they survive..
I could keep them in the mini-pen untill the next doe needs getting in there, I guess..
But then again.. having that pen in there at all times takes space from the actual pen.. although only 3 does would share that at any given time. But.. I don't really like that. I have also played with the idea to have the litter in the indoor cage and let the doe in to nurse twice a day. However.. that's a lot of extra work if I intend to get litters all the time and I'd still have the introducing issue. (and I hate cleaning the indoor cage)
A third option is to ust let them kindle in the pen with the other does there.. but I'm afraid the others will harm the kits. And it's really annoying to look around for nests everywhere, not knowing if they've managed to build it somewhere you never thought of looking. I know there is a risk of other does hurting the kits.. but could anyone guess for me how big or small that risk is?
How do you fix it, with colonies and kits?
And this is the pen with the mini-pen up - most of you have probably seen it, but for those who hasn't: