Talking out the nestbox

[SarahMelisse]

I know that many people take the nest box out at the three week mark and some replace it with something different for the kits. Is there a "milestone" I should be looking for before removing the nest box? And what are your reasons for plain 'ol taking it out vs. replacing it with a different type of container?

 

[JessicaR]

I take it out because the kits tend to pee in it and it gets nasty fast. Also i have 2-2 week old kits and they spend most of the time out of the box. They must go in it at night because it needs cleaned again :x

 

[Secuono]

I take it out based on how active they are. Some are ready at 2 weeks, others need another week before I remove it. Also, if it's Winter, the nest either stays in longer or I make them a 3 walled nest of clean hair/shavings so they have somewhere to sleep or warm up.
My SF/Chin kits didn't want to leave the nest until they were 3wks and a few days.

 

[LadyKarli]

When they start trying to hop out & there is a chance they could get stuck outside the box & get cold I pull mine & replace with a cardboard box with 3 high sides & an open front. Filled with hay. I leave it in till they destroy it & then remove it & they are usually fine after that.

 

[A&BRabbitry]

It's a personally preference when you remove but I like to let the kits choose. In the warmer months ussually by the 2- 2 1/2 week period they are all out of the box bouncing around bugging mom anyway. In the winter months this can sometimes take up to a month before I will remove the box. I don't ever like to leave the box in any longer than necessary as it doesn't take long with a dirty box and the kits will have nestbox eye.

 

[MaggieJ]

A possible solution is to provide a step-down box... bottomless and made of 1"x6" wood. This gives the kits a structure to cuddle in to conserve heat, which may be an important factor in preventing weaning enteritis. An alternative is a cardboard box stuffed with hay... by the time the kits destroy it, they will no longer need it.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

It's a personally preference when you remove but I like to let the kits choose. In the warmer months ussually by the 2- 2 1/2 week period they are all out of the box bouncing around bugging mom anyway. In the winter months this can sometimes take up to a month before I will remove the box. I don't ever like to leave the box in any longer than necessary as it doesn't take long with a dirty box and the kits will have nestbox eye.

Yup, I have found exactly the same here. If I leave it any longer than 2-2 1/2 weeks in the summer, I get kits with nest box eye.

 

[SatinsRule]

I think it will probably differ based upon the size of the breed in question, but I try to remove the box sometime around the 5-week mark. I just took the box away from Londa and her brood at 5 weeks, and it seems to have worked rather well.

 

[SarahMelisse]

Well, I tipped their nest box at 2 weeks old. They are now 2 1/2 weeks old and are outside the box about half the day... I guess I'll make a little hay nest on the wire for them when I take the box out in a couple days. They should be fine since it's supposed to be in the mid 80's here all week and lows should only be mid-high 40's