Need Advice on Kindling in Cold Weather *Update*

[The_Dutchess]

My doe has just pulled fur and will be kindling very soon in *wait for it* 30 degree weather in a hutch (no shed/barn) outdoors. I have a completely boxed off area where wind can't get to the kits but she doesn't want to kindle in the nestbox. What do I do? Is there a way to make sure they survive? I'm really depending on this litter. If it's not born I won't have anything good to show all year (complicated situation).
Thanks,
Totally Freaking Out, formerly known as The_Dutchess

 

[ladysown]

if you NEED the litter... bring the doe inside. ESPECIALLY since she doesn't want to use the nestbox. Just bring her in, give her lots of bedding and let her do her thing. you can ALWAYS move her outside again.

If you want to simply trust that the doe will do her job... leave her outside and trust that she does her job. Knowing that if you do this you risk an "oops she didn't quite do it" litter.

 

[The_Dutchess]

Thank you so so so much for your advice and I don't mean to be difficult but my parents won't let me take them inside at all. I'm going to try to convince them but if I check on them every hour and stuff the entire cage full of hay do you think they will survive?

 

[Preitler]

Lots of hay is good, and pulling fur now is good too. When is she due?
I would drape an old blanket (or something else that insulates) over and around most of the hutch-what kind of hutch? Big enough to put a cardboard box, bigger than most nestboxes, with a 4-5" hole in one side in there, maybe instead of the nestbox (what kind of nestbox, open top?)?

What floor does the hutch have? Wire, or solid? If wire, I would put some layers of cardboard on it. Would do that anyway, helps to keep them warm.

 

[The_Dutchess]

Day 31 is Monday so this is day 29 I think well actually I'm not thinking at all since I got maybe 4 hours of sleep lol.
The hutch has wooden sides and wire bottom but one part is sectioned off that has four wooden sides and wood floors. This part is accessed through a hole on the other side of the wall. The nestbox is in this part of the hutch. I have an inch of shavings and about four inches of hay in this part of the hutch. She is laying down in that part right now and panting pretty hard maybe she's in labor? It's 12 pm right now so she would be the first rabbit of mine to kindle in the afternoon is that normal? <br /><br /> -- Fri Mar 04, 2016 1:12 pm -- <br /><br /> Oh and it's a completely wooden nestbox with drainage holes on the bottom and open top.

 

[Preitler]

That doesn't sound too bad. :good-luck:

Give her lots of hay outside of that compartment, so she has enough material to build athe nest as she likes, and maybe stuff the entrance hole closed.

 

[The_Dutchess]

She pulled fur last night but she still hasn't had the babies. She isn't acting normal she's still panting and can't get comfortable does this mean she is in labor? If the stupid thing doesn't have them tonight the ounce of sanity I still have will be gone. I can't even function when I'm this tired. Lol I put chicken nuggets in the laundry and poured water into a cup that wasn't open!

 

[Stephanie]

She pulled fur last night but she still hasn't had the babies. She isn't acting normal she's still panting and can't get comfortable does this mean she is in labor? If the stupid thing doesn't have them tonight the ounce of sanity I still have will be gone. I can't even function when I'm this tired. Lol I put chicken nuggets in the laundry and poured water into a cup that wasn't open!

Can't beat a clean chicken nugget, right?

 

[The_Dutchess]

:lol: OH MY GOODNESS STEPHANIE!!! I almost choked on my apple juice just now. Thanks, I needed that. Minus the apple juice lol

 

[a7736100]

Perfectly normal to have litters in the PM as well as after dark.

 

[The_Dutchess]

Lily kindled today!!! 9 kits!!!!! I am so so so happy. The only issue is: they haven't been fed yet although they were born this afternoon is this normal? If not, should I just flip her and let her kits nurse that way? I've already tried putting her in the nestbox. Oh and also there's one kit with a small scratch on its head, will that just heal on its own? And finally, she pulled a lot of fur and its 53 degrees out, will they be too cold? I can take them inside if needed.

 

[Rainey]

Congratulations on the kits. It's way too soon to worry about them not being fed if they she just kindled this afternoon. Check them tomorrow--even then her milk might not have come in. With a big litter and 53 everybunny should be warm enough. Enjoy them and try not to worry

 

[FourRingCircus]

Congrats!!

Before I knew what I know now, I had a doe kindle in teen temps. It was in a built in nest box on the hutch, but aside from giving her hay, I didn't do anything special for her . She had 11 and I guess that's what helped keep everyone plenty warm! Just make sure they stay in the nest... that was my biggest issue this last time. The nest boxes I was given are just too shallow and easy for kits to wiggle out of so I will be modifying them before the next batch (which, now that I think about it, are coming soon so I need to get on that! :lol: )

 

[Marinea]

Congrats!

As others have said, they should be fine. If you are worried, maybe bring the nest box in and take it out twice a day for feeding. In cold weather, I do that for the first two weeks or so.

 

[The_Dutchess]

Thanks everyone! I think I'm mostly just paranoid as this is the doe's 4th try at a litter. I gave her an extra chance and obviously it's a good thing I did! So I'm really relieved I didn't have to sell her as she's probably the 2nd sweetest rabbit I've ever met.