Yippie Skippie! Nest building and fur pulling

[Lil Acorn Acres Farm]

First time seeing a hay stash. My doe, Birthday is gathering hay and putting it in her nesting box. Her hair has been looking like she is shedding so I'm hopeful that's part of the process. She is a first timer too, so I'm expecting problems. But hoping for the best.
Just thought I would share so y'all can remember your exitement seeing your first doe kindle.
UPDATE: She is pulling fur now. I'm so hopeful.

 

[CedarRidge]

Yes, great memories. So excited to see how God just made them know how to do it, when they needed to do it. Our first timer did it all (nest building, fur pulling, kindling) in a matter of 4 hours. No issues at all.

 

[Scooter1A]

I get so nervous and worry. Don't think I will breed in the summer again.

 

[Lil Acorn Acres Farm]

Frankly, I am very worried. Suppose to be mid ninetys starting tomorrow for a week. Her actual due date is tomorrow

 

[CedarRidge]

Frankly, I am very worried. Suppose to be mid ninetys starting tomorrow for a week. Her actual due date is tomorrow

We started in an insulated shed with a portable AC. Allowed her to get pregnant assuming the AC could keep up. A well later when temps hit 90 outside we found out it couldn't so had to move everything into our garage, which was climate controlled. If we had to do it over again, I think we would have waited until later in the Fall.

 

[Scooter1A]

Frankly, I am very worried. Suppose to be mid ninetys starting tomorrow for a week. Her actual due date is tomorrow

Babies yet?

 

[Lil Acorn Acres Farm]

We started in an insulated shed with a portable AC. Allowed her to get pregnant assuming the AC could keep up. A well later when temps hit 90 outside we found out it couldn't so had to move everything into our garage, which was climate controlled. If we had to do it over again, I think we would have waited until later

Babies yet?

No babies yet. She hasn't pulled fur either. But, she isn't using the nesting box for a potty.

 

[Lil Acorn Acres Farm]

Babies yet?

Pulling Fur now.

 

[Scooter1A]

Pulling Fur now.

oh any minute. I like to put up a sheet and give them some privacy. I get really nervous ha.

 

[Lil Acorn Acres Farm]

oh any minute. I like to put up a sheet and give them some privacy. I get really nervous ha.

There is now movement in the hair in the box. So she had babies after all.
I put a towel up to block the sun. She got nervous when I fed the rabbits in the adjoining cages. So I'm trying to give her some time. I gave her a few BOSS and some fresh hay, pellets and water.
I plan to bring the box in the house when it hits 85° today. I sure hope she don't go nuts. That's when I will check for dead kits. I'll return the box when it drops back down to 84°.
I also have ice bottles I can pack in there. The misters are already on.
I can put wet towels on the cage, but that will restrict air flow.
What do you think is the best course of action?

 

[Scooter1A]

There is now movement in the hair in the box. So she had babies after all.
I put a towel up to block the sun. She got nervous when I fed the rabbits in the adjoining cages. So I'm trying to give her some time. I gave her a few BOSS and some fresh hay, pellets and water.
I plan to bring the box in the house when it hits 85° today. I sure hope she don't go nuts. That's when I will check for dead kits. I'll return the box when it drops back down to 84°.
I also have ice bottles I can pack in there. The misters are already on.
I can put wet towels on the cage, but that will restrict air flow.
What do you think is the best course of action?

Give her privacy if she seems fine and she will do her thing.

 

[Lil Acorn Acres Farm]

Give her privacy if she seems fine and she will do her thing.

Thank you. I put ice bottles next to the nest box and she moved them. It's 90° in there and the kits are uncovering themselves. I just let them be. They had to be hot inside her too. So maybe it will be ok.
They sure are a lot bigger than I expected.

 

[RABBITGIRLFORTHEWIN]

I get so nervous and worry. Don't think I will breed in the summer again.

yes I very much agree

 

[jani]

I understand how nerve wracking heat can be! But you are doing your best, that is all you can do! Also, kits generally don't suffer in the heat as much as the adults. I find cold affects kits much worse then heat but the adults do just fine in the cold. A few slate or clay tiles may help as resting pads, in addition to the ice, fan and mist? I have those little soft gel freezer packs, I stick newspaper on the wire, a gel pack and a tile on top, the pack is much smaller then the tile- its like 4x4" and claims to be non toxic for kids lunch boxes. They are hard plastic rectangles and quite thin, I think meant to put under a sandwich in a tupperware? Then I shove shaving around the edge so its not wobbly. As long as I am home and can pop my head in every once in a while to be sure nobody is re arranging the cage and messing around to get that gel pack ( I have never had that problem YET!). But at least in my brain that helps during the hottest part of the afternoon. But even just the tiles alone help, they stay cooler then the surrounds especially when damp. You can plunk them in the fridge or freezer too!

 

[Lil Acorn Acres Farm]

I understand how nerve wracking heat can be! But you are doing your best, that is all you can do! Also, kits generally don't suffer in the heat as much as the adults. I find cold affects kits much worse then heat but the adults do just fine in the cold. A few slate or clay tiles may help as resting pads, in addition to the ice, fan and mist? I have those little soft gel freezer packs, I stick newspaper on the wire, a gel pack and a tile on top, the pack is much smaller then the tile- its like 4x4" and claims to be non toxic for kids lunch boxes. They are hard plastic rectangles and quite thin, I think meant to put under a sandwich in a tupperware? Then I shove shaving around the edge so its not wobbly. As long as I am home and can pop my head in every once in a while to be sure nobody is re arranging the cage and messing around to get that gel pack ( I have never had that problem YET!). But at least in my brain that helps during the hottest part of the afternoon. But even just the tiles alone help, they stay cooler then the surrounds especially when damp. You can plunk them in the fridge or freezer too!

Thank you. It's finally cooled down to the mid 80's and next week we start dropping into the mid 70's.

 

[RABBITGIRLFORTHEWIN]

I understand how nerve wracking heat can be! But you are doing your best, that is all you can do! Also, kits generally don't suffer in the heat as much as the adults. I find cold affects kits much worse then heat but the adults do just fine in the cold. A few slate or clay tiles may help as resting pads, in addition to the ice, fan and mist? I have those little soft gel freezer packs, I stick newspaper on the wire, a gel pack and a tile on top, the pack is much smaller then the tile- its like 4x4" and claims to be non toxic for kids lunch boxes. They are hard plastic rectangles and quite thin, I think meant to put under a sandwich in a tupperware? Then I shove shaving around the edge so its not wobbly. As long as I am home and can pop my head in every once in a while to be sure nobody is re arranging the cage and messing around to get that gel pack ( I have never had that problem YET!). But at least in my brain that helps during the hottest part of the afternoon. But even just the tiles alone help, they stay cooler then the surrounds especially when damp. You can plunk them in the fridge or freezer too!

I didn't think about that! Such a good idea I will have to try it!

 

[Cindy in SD]

There is now movement in the hair in the box. So she had babies after all.
I put a towel up to block the sun. She got nervous when I fed the rabbits in the adjoining cages. So I'm trying to give her some time. I gave her a few BOSS and some fresh hay, pellets and water.
I plan to bring the box in the house when it hits 85° today. I sure hope she don't go nuts. That's when I will check for dead kits. I'll return the box when it drops back down to 84°.
I also have ice bottles I can pack in there. The misters are already on.
I can put wet towels on the cage, but that will restrict air flow.
What do you think is the best course of action?

I'm not sure you need to worry *too* much about 80° Fahrenheit, as long as they're in the shade and have good air circulation. For chickens, ppl freeze treats in ice rings, though I've never tried that. I'll bet the bunns would like it, too. I had two does, one with ten & the other with eleven kits. They did fine, in the barn, out of direct sunlight.

If you have electricity in your rabbitry, you could set out a bowl of ice and use a fan to blow air over the ice, toward them. Ppl do that for their chickens, too. I never have. I let them out so they can go find a nice grassy shady place. They seem happy & healthy, but everyone has their own conditions. If the temps get super high, I may try some of those things, but it doesn't often get more than 100° here, and then not for more than an hour or two. This year we haven't made it into the 80s but for a couple of days, in the hottest parts of the day.