Lost due to cold

[TexanConnection]

We lost a litter to the cold and was wondering what anyone is doing to prevent this, Cages are outside but well covered and protected from wind.any recommendations for keeping them warm as i have another litter coming up.

 

[mystang89]

Just wanted to say sorry for your loss. I've lost over 2 1/2 dozen of them this winter to the cold. Even bringing them in didn't save them since they need to go back out to eat and die during that period. I guess you could bring the kits AND the mom in if you have the room and wanted to though. Other than that, make sure nest is nice and clean. The dirtier the nest gets the wetter it gets which means the colder it gets. Good luck.

 

[skysthelimit]

Just wanted to say sorry for your loss. I've lost over 2 1/2 dozen of them this winter to the cold. Even bringing them in didn't save them since they need to go back out to eat and die during that period..

How long are you leaving them out there? I put the boxes in at the start of barn chores, and pull them out when I leave. They are out there no more than 30 minutes, or less in these temps.

 

[BlueMoods]

If you can get power out there a heat lamp for the doe cages will help. They sell clip on fixtures that work on solid roof cages, or hanging ones if the top of the cage is open wire. Keep the nest dry and, hope for the best. That's all I do and, here it's winter breeding due to summer heat.

 

[ilovehome]

I have had to redo nests sometimes because all the fur is on top of the kits, and there is little or no fur or hay under the kits. Sometimes, the does simply don't pull enough fur to keep them warm, so I add more.

 

[TexanConnection]

we bought a heating pad to put under the nesting box, sounded good, But they cut off every hour. I like the idea about making sure fur is under them. warmer next week and another liter coming. I think Ill do a heat lamp under the cage. and maybe put cardboard around the cage about 1/2 way up. it was very disappointing.

 

[SuburbanHomesteader]

Don't know your pen setup but if I put lamps under my pens, the rabbits would only pee and poop all over them!! I've seen setups where the lamps are placed on the side of the pen and kept about 4 to 6 inches away. The pens were all covered with fairly heavy tarps so that the wind wouldn't blow them open. Also, great care was given to ensure that none of the rabbits could chew on cords. That breeder told me that they'd had very good luck with that kind of setup. HOWEVER, that year we weren't getting temps of 10 below or going for a solid week with temps below freezing. Last I heard, Texas was getting snow and ice. Hope you have better luck with this next litter.

 

[DogCatMom]

we bought a heating pad to put under the nesting box, sounded good, But they cut off every hour. I like the idea about making sure fur is under them. warmer next week and another liter coming. I think Ill do a heat lamp under the cage. and maybe put cardboard around the cage about 1/2 way up. it was very disappointing.

For "safety" reasons, most heating pads meant for human use now have automatic shut-off switches at either one or two hours. :angry: I know; I need one through the night occasionally for back spasms, and two hours just doesn't do the job.

I learned on the gardening forum I used to help moderate that there are heating pads intended for use in seed-starting operations (gardeners start seeds indoors so that when--finally--it thaws enough in the spring, they have plant starts ready to go into the ground). These specific heating pads work for something like 8 or 12 hours; sorry, I can't remember exactly. (I let my plants self-seed and grow naturally, or else purchase a few starts if the plants wimp out.) But if you search for them under headings like Gardening, Starting Seeds, Plant Heating Mats, and the like, you should find 'em.

If the cord is anywhere near within reach of rabbit teeth, there's vinyl tubing that is *said* to keep rabbits safe from cords. I haven't used it myself, though, so can't speak to its effectiveness. Distance from rabbits is probably the best safety measure for cords; in the one rabbit-proofed room I have, all cords are behind a "flush to the floor" desk where Mr. Rabbit can't get to them a-tall.

So sorry about the baby buns.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

we bought a heating pad to put under the nesting box, sounded good, But they cut off every hour. I like the idea about making sure fur is under them. warmer next week and another liter coming. I think Ill do a heat lamp under the cage. and maybe put cardboard around the cage about 1/2 way up. it was very disappointing.

Not sure where in Texas you are, we are in SE Texas. I bring in any kits under 2wks old and take them out twice a day to feed. I only leave them out long enough to eat (15-20 min) and then bring them in again. I do this until they are well furred, around 2wks old. I have lost a couple litters this year, but those were due to either, 1) me missing the nest box date or 2) Fireworks on New Years Eve freaking out the does. I have not lost a single kit that was born alive and was brought in for the first two weeks. I don't like to use heat lamps, due to the risk of fire. Hope that helps!

 

[michaels4gardens]

I put 3 or 4 layers of cardbord in the bottom and 2 layers in the sides and top of inclosed nest boxes for winter, --I roll the cardbord for the top and sides into a roll and push it into the box and then open it ,so the sides and top are made from one piece of cardbord, then I put the pieces for the bottom in and push them down between the sides so they fit snugly, that way it all stays put ,and the does don't mess it all up and get it out of place when nest building,-I check them each day to make sure there is plenty of shavings, and it is dry, I also make sure there is at least a couple of inches of fur over the kits, if not I pull more from the doe, or use some of the extra I have saved. [you can heat "clean" used fur in the oven to kill germs, [you will know right away from the smell if you get it too hot] I also make sure the opening of the nest box is not facing a draft [my pens are closed on 3 sides, open on the front, so I don't have the nest box opening facing the front] sometimes if it is going to be way below 0 ,I hang curtains on the front of the cages. --I don't bring kits indoors, I have no time or space for them -and-- I do not often loose the kits to cold.

 

[ladysown]

I rarely lose kits to cold weather, I live in soutwestern ontario in the middle of the snow belt. I get lots of cold weather here and lots of snow. My rabbits are housed in the portable garage car ports. They have plenty of air flow around them as the ends are open half way year round.
What I use are wooden nestboxes, straw bedding.

What I expect from my does is
1. a properly made nest.
2. litters of more than three
3. does that will keep the litters covered.

The ONLY break I give my small breed does (when they are due to kindle) is to bring them in at night from the time I go to bed to the time I go out in the morning. When I have does due I watch them close during the day.

IF any of those conditions are not met.
1. I keep extra fur to build up nests.
2. bring litters of three and under in at night (at night only)
3. remove nestboxes from does that are a bit idiotic for the first week.

So my questions to you are
1. what kind of nest boxes are you using?
2. are your does building proper nests?
3. are your does being stupid and uncovering the kits?
4. are you having small litters and therefore are losing them since three or less can't keep themselves warm?
5. how old are the kits that you are losing?

Recently I had a litter of four. Average nest. Temps down to -24C. First time doe. I tried bringing them in at night but the doe got a bit frantic so I left them out. I gave extra fur to the nest. They are currently 8 days old and thriving.

 

[Truckinguy]

Sorry you lost the kits. I'm also in Ontario and it's been a bitter cold winter here. I lost five of eight kits last month because I messed up the nestbox looking for one lost kit. I should have taken the loss and had (hopefully!) seven survive but the three that survived are doing fine. Just had a litter of six born yesterday so it's all good!

My nestboxes are made of 3/4 plywood with cage floor wire (1/2"x1") on the bottom. They sit in the colony on a concrete slab floor. My doe Morgan is a great mother and always builds a snug nest. Sometimes I can dig into the nestbox as deep as my elbow before I get to where the kits are. This is her second winter outside and she has had litters year round out there with very little loss. I had a litter of two survive outside last winter just fine. If the doe is a good nest builder they will be ok.

I think the key is to keep them out of the wind and dry. If a doe is any sort of good mother she will build an appropriate nest. Sometimes a doe will have a brain cramp on one litter and do great on the next one.

 

[Dood]

I have deep sided all wooden nest boxes as well.

In the winter I put an inch of pine shavings on the floor, lots of straw and keep extra fur on hand for bedding.

I check for dampness and swap out any wet bedding, usually just the pine shavings since the straw is pretty water repellant and usually every 6 to 3 days, depending on the size and age of the kits.

 

[TexanConnection]

[


So my questions to you are
1. what kind of nest boxes are you using?
2. are your does building proper nests?
3. are your does being stupid and uncovering the kits?
4. are you having small litters and therefore are losing them since three or less can't keep themselves warm?
5. how old are the kits that you are losing?


wooden nest boxes.
I dont believe there was enough fur on the kits. or even in the box.
the litter was 9 lost 3 the first evening and the other 6 the next they were all less than 2 days. I believe the cardboard idea and keeping the extra fur is the best idea Iv heard yet,

 

[michaels4gardens]

another thing that causes some winter loss, is having the nest box in with the doe too early, in the winter especially, the doe will start to "sleep" in the snuggly box, and pee and poop, in there, then after the litter is born ,some does will continue to get in the box [from habbit] and smash the young, or pee in there and get them all wet, and nasty. --any-way-- it works out a lot better in cage raised rabbits, to just put the nest box in the does cage, the 28th day.

 

[skysthelimit]

True. I am always digging in the nest boxes to check for wet spots, because I had a doe that would pee when she nursed. I handle my boxes a lot.

 

[the reluctant farmer]

I had a thought, and don't know if it would work. On really cold nights, would a packet of those "hot hands" warmers work buried in the nest? Or would the buns try to eat it? In my clime we're normally more worried about how to keep 'em cool in summer, but I saw a box of the warmers in my garage and thought about these posts.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

[


So my questions to you are
1. what kind of nest boxes are you using?
I use metal nestboxes, but here in SE Texas, it doesn't get as cold and some other parts of the country
2. are your does building proper nests?
Most of the time, yes. Once in a while, no.
3. are your does being stupid and uncovering the kits?
Not that I have noticed...but i guess it could happen.
4. are you having small litters and therefore are losing them since three or less can't keep themselves warm?
Most of mine have at least 5-6.
5. how old are the kits that you are losing?
If I lose kits to the cold, it is usually newborns.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

It is -22C this morning and I have 25 new borns outside and they all handled the cold no problem.. as long there is enough babies per box, lots of fur on the bottom and top and pack around nesting material .. and make sure the mother is feeding them... they are fine.

 

[michaels4gardens]

I use heavy wooden nest boxes in winter, made from 3/4 plywood, I had poor luck with my metal nests in the winter. I do not often loose the kits in the wood nest boxes, - if the metal boxes you have are the 1/2 open on the top kind, --I would make myself a few enclosed, wood boxes, with a 5 or 6 inch round hole up high in the end for the doe to enter. the size of my nest boxes is [outside dimentions] 11 1/2"x11 1/2" x 18" --I have 12 inch door openings in my cages so this works for me.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I have a Doe due in a few weeks, I am going to experiment with my 5 gal can nest with cardbord inside it to see how it works.