procedures for new popples

[sam]

what are your procedures for when new popples are born? I have does that are ready to kindle in the next week and was wondering what things people do after they are born. Do you weigh them and document everything or do you wait till they are a week for example. I just want to be ready for when they come. Thank you for your time in responding what works for you.

Sam

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I check the nest immediately after the doe kindles, removing wet bedding and any uneaten placentas or dead kits. I then place a handful of pine pellets in the nest hollow, cover with a bit of bedding and fur, add popples and more bedding, and I'm done for the day.

I don't weigh them or anything, but I do check them daily for the first week to remove any dead. Check twice daily or more in hot weather because kits "go bad" quickly in the heat.

 

[Zass]

Yeah, I pretty much just poke each kit once a day to make sure everyone is still wiggling, and keep an eye on the nest to make sure it's clean and there's enough bedding. I like to pull them all out to count them and take pictures, just because I love having lots and lots of adorable baby bunneh pics.

My does make their nests with oat straw, which is super insulating and also drains well, so I don't really worry about adding anything else to the nestbox. I change out soiled bedding when I find it tough.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Oh! One other very important thing... we have a saying regarding kits here, which is "They aren't dead until they are warm and dead".

If you find seemingly dead cold kits on the wire, immediately stick them in your shirt to start warming up. I take mine into the house and put some towels in the dryer to warm and then make a little hollow in the towels and place the kits in there and cover loosely with part of another towel. I then close the door and warn the entire family that there are babies in the dryer so nobody turns it on.

Hopefully your does will get it right and have their kits in the nest, but if not you may still be able to save the litter if you act quickly.

 

[Heritage Homestead]

I remove anything that needs removed. I then count everbunny and see what colors I got. Give mama a treat and take pictures while she is eating. I only need to check them a couple times a day, but I think I go out there at least half a dozen because I like them so much! I change the bedding within 24 hours of birth and then just keep an eye on it.
Hope you get lots of adorable popples!

 

[akane]

As soon as the doe seems done I pull them all out taking the box inside first if it's cold out. Remove any dead, check for injuries, see if they've been fed... Temperature determines what I do after that. In winter I don't want to disturb them too much or they might freeze so I just stick my hand in and see if I feel heat and wiggling things. Most dead get shoved to the side or front and frozen solid so they don't contaminate the nest. In warm weather I pull them out every other day to check for dead or kits that aren't getting fed well. If you have a big litter or a doe who can't handle many kits so you have a few not getting fed well enough there are various options to help. You can take out the bigger kits for a day so the smaller ones get to feed alone, some even split a large litter in to 2 boxes and rotate which box is in with the doe. You can hand feed a little but that's tricky. If you have another doe with similar age or sized kits you can try to foster some to her. In winter I just leave everything up to chance though because losing a few runts is better than chilling the entire litter.

 

[sam]

Thanks to everyone. So pretty much check for dead and under fed ones and make sure bedding is ok. When do you start checking weights? Man this is fun but nerve wracking.

 

[Zass]

Thanks to everyone. So pretty much check for dead and under fed ones and make sure bedding is ok. When do you start checking weights? Man this is fun but nerve wracking.

Depends on what your breeding, I guess. If it's for meat, It would be useful to take weight at 8 and 12 weeks. For pet or show types, it's just their adult weight that matters, right?

 

[MatSuAK]

I like to weigh mine at about 2-3 days old. I like to compare how fast different litters grow, and even the variance between litter mates. In only a year I have discovered that many times the biggest popple at birth is not the biggest kit at weening time. I do it more for fun & just curiosity, it may help in planning future breedings, who knows.
Here's hoping for a big, healthy litter for you

 

[stone soup farm]

The bedding needs changed weekly, so I have to do as early as day 5. Try to save as much clean fur as you can, remove all the messy hay and fur and add back clean hay/straw (or whatever you use as it varies). At day 10-12 they should be opening their eyes. You want to make sure that they are opening their eyes. It is easy to use a cotton ball if their eye is stuck closed and helps prevent nest box eye. I rarely have to help with the eyes but if caught early it really makes a difference.

 

[bobqdevon]

Up until the litter from November, I used to weigh each one every week and record the weights. What changed? A litter of 7 white new zealands. Absolutely no way to tell them apart, and mom licked off the sharpie marks I put on within the first hour.

 

[ladysown]

I'm simple with my kits.

I check for dead and underfed. I do this twice a day. EVERYONE gets picked up and held. I foster as needed.

I only change bedding if I have to, most of the time I don't need to. I use straw as bedding though sometimes the gals will grab up the hay as well. My nestboxes have drainage holes so that helps heaps.

I flip the box on it's side when the kits are 10 days old. At which point I'm dropping pellets, hay and oats in front of them. I have little non-tip bowls that I use. when two weeks old I remove the box and replace it with a 3/4 box. My goal is to get them out and active as soon as I possibly can.

That makes it possible for me to wean early IF and only if I have the need, and to breed back earlier if and only if I need to. Some does like to be kept bred regularly, others are more lax. the loppies tend to need to be kept working or they become difficult breeders.