Winter kit growth

[Blair]

An observation about my kits growth in the cold.

I have NZ / Calif crosses. Two litters born Nov 1.

While both litters were outside, the smaller litter was bigger in growth size. More milk and to be expected. One litter I had to bring inside due to doe killing them. The smaller size kits.

Two weeks later, these kits are at least twice the size of the outdoor ones. Same feed, same amount (free fed) on pellets. The outside ones have thicker fur and are doing ok but the growth is not there.

So unless I would have an indoor place to raise kits, it doesn't seem to be economical to try to raise kits in the colder months.

Any one else try to grow kits in the cold months?

 

[ladysown]

i find my kits do just as well summer as winter. Can't say I've seen that difference at all. Overall I find my bunnies do better over the winter than they do in the summer.

Interesting things to observe in rabbits.

 

[Briza]

We are in our best kit growth time frame now. They are hungry from the cooler ( I won't be a wimp and say cold) temps.
Summer sees a much slower finish as they mostly concentrate on keeping cool in the day time ( no eating) and only eat at night.
Opposite problem I guess.
B~

 

[MaggieJ]

It's a good piece of observation, Blair, but the sample is too small to form a conclusion. It will be something to keep an eye on, however, and see if future experiences bear it out. If so, it would be a strong argument in favour of at least minimal heating of winter quarters. There are lots of us who would like to be able to justify that!

 

[Blair]

True, too small of a group to make a definite conclusion. Heating of winter quarters? I'm having trouble affording keeping my own place heated.

 

[avdpas77]

My kits have definatley all grown better in "cool" temperatures. That is, Temps ranging from 30 to 60. I have checked kit growth before, kit by kit, litter by litter...My rabbits do better if it was October year around.

The kit growth in the last December and the first week of January was very obviously poor. I guess it could be a couple of things. Water freezing and therefore not being avaiable 24/7 and kits not comming out of the nest at 2 weeks like they normally do..it was almost 4. I had some weaned kits in a seperate "growout cage, that was more closed in, and had a poultry font waterer under their water crock which kept the whole cage warm, and they seemed to develop fine.

I'm not sure what the magic number is, but here, with my litters, there seems to be a major deveopmental retardation when the high temps get below 15 or 20F, or the averages start getting around 10.