Whats the chances of a successful first time mom?

[MountainViewRabbitry]

Whats the chances of a successful first time mom?

 

[jaxmarblebuns]

If the doe is tame and the buck got good fall-offs your well set. She may make a nest outside the box, but other than that she should know what to do.

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

I haven't had Does have an alive and staying alive kit for their first litter yet

 

[george8211]

I haven't had Does have an alive and staying alive kit for their first litter yet

Oh my! I hope my luck is better. Sorry for your loses on first litters.

 

[ThunderHill]

Hi! With my first time New Zealand moms, they've all done great! I give them a nestbox full of hay on day 28 and a little pile of extra hay each day after that to use for nest building. I always check them every several hours once we get to day 31, anticipating that i might find kits all over the wire or eaten, etc., but no, i end up finding cleaned up kits in the nestbox with pulled fur, usually on day 32. They know what to do.

Honestly, I have more trouble from my two older does, who have a tendency to kindle one or two on the wire earlier than the rest of the litter. Then they pull fur and have the rest in the nestbox, sometimes even the next day.

Good luck with yours!

 

[KMC]

I have had about a 50/50 success rate with first time moms. Many need two or three tries before they know what to do, especially if they’re just of age for breeding.

 

[LatchawBriarPatch]

My two Rex does both are amazing moms first time around. Built a nest in the box. Pulled lots of hair. Nursed all the kits....I'm feeling very blessed. The kits are 13 days old.

 

[northernnevadahollandlops]

All of my first time moms have done well! Healthy moms and healthy litters. They know what to do instinctively, as long as i provide her with big piles of hay to make her nest with and a nest box around day 20-25. I just watch to make sure she doesn't use it as a potty. If she does, I take it out and try again a couple days later.

 

[MountainViewRabbitry]

Thank you so much everyone! I have 2 first time does due July 1st and 3 second time moms. Fingers crossed. I'm going to palpate on day 14 so wish me luck that they all took! Those who didt may be sold at are next 4-h/arba show.

 

[Preitler]

For 10 years now I never had any issue with first timers, even under less than optimal circumstances like in that hutch where one of 5 growouts had a surprise litter and I only realised when there suddnly were 10 rabbits hopping around in that hutch.
For me most problems begin to pop up when mine are getting 4-6 years old, like small litters or dead kits.

What I think is quite often is a problem is droning out that little voice in their heads that are their instincts by too much meddling and lack of privacy.

 

[WhatTheFluff]

Whats the chances of a successful first time mom?

I’ve only had one doe so far that wasn’t a good first time mom (overcleaned and then would not feed) but her second round when off without a hitch, another was a little sketchy at first but ended up being completely fine. Other than that, the rest have done wonderfully without any issues (no overcleaning, all well-fed, no casualties).

 

[rockyhillrabbits]

I'd say 95% success rate for me with first timers. I had more problems with Holland Lops and Lionheads than I did with New Zealand, Rex, other larger breeds. The most common issue they had was not pulling fur and just having them on the wire. I never had a doe eat her babies or not feed them.
Make sure they aren't stressed, give them a good nest box at day 28, and they should do the rest.

 

[Bonkers]

I've had three first time mums this year, all NZ X Cali. They all did perfectly for their first litters, gave birth in their nesting box, litter sizes 11, 4, 8. On the second round for one of them she gave birth to 15 outside the nest box, all were alive and well but ended up losing 1 that night when it strayed from the others and got cold.

 

[Mama.]

My first time doe did not pull fur until they were born and none of them were in the nest box. I checked on her in the morning. I assumed she just wasn’t pregnant. I checked this afternoon and they were all over the cage and none survived.

Now that it is heading into November, I wonder if I need to wait until Spring to try again.

They are in outdoor hutches protected from the weather, but not heated.

 

[MsTemeraire]

What I think is quite often is a problem is droning out that little voice in their heads that are their instincts by too much meddling and lack of privacy.

Very true.

Their instinct is to have babies in secret, with nobody watching, in a place nobody knows about, to prevent predators.

Our instinct is to keep checking, looking, staring, worrying. Seeing us more often than normal must worry a doe. If something is upsetting them they can hang onto the babies a few days longer.

 

[Secuono]

6 of 6 new moms have done great, that I've gotten this past summer. Hoping that continues.
I can't really remember how many failed, but it was extremely low.

My most recent doe, she kept trying to build a nest in the back corner. I literally fenced that area off and covered her external nest. She eventually chose to use it. Others, you would just secure the nest in her chosen corner.

As for getting them bred, that's the tricky part, now and then.

 

[Buknee]

We have had 100% success with first time moms and breeding. 8 total this year with 2 more due Saturday. My rabbits get a lot of attention from me and are okay with me checking kits within hours of kindling and basically every day thereafter. They are also use to me smelling like every rabbit in the rabbitry so they are never concerned with other rabbit scents. I do not let other animals in their area and rarely other people.
God has truly blessed my rabbit venture!

 

[HTAcres]

My first time doe did not pull fur until they were born and none of them were in the nest box. I checked on her in the morning. I assumed she just wasn’t pregnant. I checked this afternoon and they were all over the cage and none survived.

Now that it is heading into November, I wonder if I need to wait until Spring to try again.

They are in outdoor hutches protected from the weather, but not heated.

Not necessarily. It is hard to lose kits but at the same time, my experience is that does are made to have babies and you could end up with other issues with a long hiatus especially internal fat. One option is to simply try again and steel yourself up that she may do this again. But she also may not. It is not uncommon for a first, or second, litter to go awry but that doesn't mean the doe can't settle and do well her 3rd or 4th time.

 

[HTAcres]

In 26 litters over a 2 year period working with meat breeds, I had one complete disaster (mom killing kits), 2 litters that were partially on the wire and one litter completely stillborn. Also had one doe die immediately after birth but she had fed and furred her 11 kits first (wow). The others have all been successful even if a few kits were stillborn or lost to heat. I would have to look more closely to see how many does did not kindle at all the first breeding or two but off the top of my head, I think that has only been a handful of times and mostly one doe I haven't wanted to give up on.