newbie heat and nestbox question

foresthomemama · Jul 13, 2016

I recently lost an entire litter to what, I believe, was due to the heat. I housed the doe and her new kits in a hutch that had a built-in nestbox. It worked great for her litter in the cold spring, but I think the lack of airflow and the heat in the 80's caused the litter to die. The does has been rebred and I have two choices:
1. I can build a new hutch, a wire one with removeale wooden sides so I can add them in the cold months, but take them off in the summer (Which I will inevitably need to do eventually anyhow)
2. Use the metal nestbox that I just bought a couple of days ago and remove the nestbox during the day when it is warm.
*Option one involves spending money that I sorely need to not spend!

Does anyone remove nestboxes due to weather? And if so, how has it worked for you? Any special instructions or issues with removing the nestbox during warm weather?

We live in the temperate part of Arizona, at high altitude. The average highs for the next month will be in the 80's and then the temps will start going down.

All help is greatly appreciated.

Zass · Jul 13, 2016

To be able to help you more, could you please tell us what part of the world or country are you in?

foresthomemama · Jul 14, 2016

Sure- as I stated at the end of the post, we live in high altitude mountains in central Arizona. It is the temperate part of the state- the temps for the remaining part of the summer should be in 80's, then will start to drop. Her current hutch is one of the store-bought models with a separate compartment that we used as a nestbox. I removed the wooden "wall" between the nestbox area and the area with the wire-front, so there is more are flow. I thought I could use a removable metal nestbox (the kind most people use).
Her current hutch is similar to this.

I am very aware that I need to upgrade all of my hutches to wire hutches fairly soon anyway. I just wondered mostly if others have to bring in nestboxes when weather is hot and if there are any issues with doing that. <br /><br /> -- Wed Jul 13, 2016 9:53 pm -- <br /><br /> One difference between that hutch and the one she is currently using is that I took the separation "wall" and turned it upside down so it served as a lip to keep kits from falling out until they were ready. The one in the picture is the model I'm using to grow out some does from a previous litter. I'm keeping a couple of them and processing the rest within the next few weeks.

Zass · Jul 14, 2016

Somehow I missed that part. Sorry.

I bring nestboxes in during freezing weather to avoid losses due to kits being puled out onto the wire while nursing. The nestbox insulation helps kits resist the temp changes that can really mess with older buns.
I have no idea how it works for heat, as I've never lost a single kit to that, even with temps well over 80f along with high humidity..

FourRingCircus · Jul 14, 2016

What were some of the symptoms for the lost litter? How old were they?

We were around100* yesterday, and with the humidity it was around 113* heat index (according to the weather station thing we have in the backyard). I have a fan for one batch of the buns, but being tucked under the trees really helps keep the rest of them cool! I have two litters that are around a month old that haven't known anything but heat. I know the rabbit breed and also genetics plays a role, but to me 80* doesn't seem all that warm (it would be considered a beautiful day here! but I know in other places that's really hot). I wonder if there were some other contributing factors?

foresthomemama · Jul 14, 2016

Thanks for your response- I'm not sure what other contributing factors there would be. They died on their second day. I checked and counted them the day after kindling and the next morning they were dead. The previous day they were "popping" and healthy kits. All a good size except two that were pretty much runts. The two runts live on for another day or two, then died. This doe was an excellent mother for her previous kits and produced a litter of 11, and lost only one little runt kit. I think the style of hutch trapped the heat in the nestbox area- no air flow. I think it cooked them.

Third litter is on its way and I don't want to make the same mistake.

FourRingCircus · Jul 14, 2016

You could always set up a fan so it circulates and see if that works... I have a pedestal fan that the lady I got my rabbits from gave me. They got them from a foreclosure. It has been outside in all weather for over a year with me, and she had it outside as well. It laid in weeds over fall, winter, and early spring - water, mud, grass, etc... and it still works! :shock:

Zass · Jul 14, 2016

The only other thing I can think of, that could kill an entire new litter like that, would be if the doe slept on top of them. Bringing the babies inside would also rule out that possibility. Kits only need to nurse once or twice a day, and it only takes a few minutes to get a full belly.