Kaye's bunny journal

We had a great tragedy today when I walked into the bunny shed I saw Alice sitting in the nest box. She squished them. All 6 of them!!
She seemed to be having a hard time with my taking her nest box out. I am almost positive that this was just a first time mom thing.
Mocha Loppé still has all eight of her kits and they're growing like crazy!!
Alice did at least feed hers before she squished them.... they all had fat bellies. I have two big breedings coming up with Avalanche being 7 months old now. And Annabelle is on her second chance. Alice will be breeding again to a buck from one of Thumpers litters. Elsa's baby is around 10 weeks old now and I haven't even checked the gender. anyway, Elsa is my second 'big breeding' that is coming up. She has such beautiful colored kits. This has been a very crazy adventure so far into my rabbit breeding for color. I have learned a lot and unfortunately I have also lost a lot.
But I believe that it will be a better season after it warms up a little bit. Like around my birthday. Late March seems like a good time. These 8 of Mocha's will be the last for now. I love them an I will continue to try my best to keep them alive and well

Seems when it's cold the mamas love the nest boxes... I have had to pull the boxes and only let them have them 2x a day to keep the entire litter getting squished. :/ especially young mothers. they just don't seem to realize they squish their babies.

Mine have either matured more by next kindle or seem to learn from their mistakes. Idk, but they do usually do better if given a chance next time around.
I too have noted mentally which ones had complications and tried to compensate next time around.
I had a doe that I gave straw to in her cage for bedding when it was below freezing, along with all my rabbits. She made her nest in the straw rather than the nest box and they froze. It was my fault, not hers, but this time around I didn't give her the straw and it forced her to kindle in the box.
So, lesson learned on my part.
Not much you can do abt the doe smothering the litter, not like sows that you can protect her litter from.
I imagine the doe knows what happened and will do better next time. Some rabbit breeders won't breed in late Fall and winter due to so many complications, but then you know you won't have any results, so we gamble ☺

Mocha's babies!!

Love the colors!

I can't wait to get rabbits again!

Oh I love the white foot!!

Over the weekend I have 18 new kits between 3 does.
2 small litters and a decent sized one. I fostered 2 from the larger litter to the other does and now all 3 are nursing 6 apiece.

Pastor Dave said:

Over the weekend I have 18 new kits between 3 does.
2 small litters and a decent sized one. I fostered 2 from the larger litter to the other does and now all 3 are nursing 6 apiece.

Click to expand...

Congrats!!! I love new babies!! Please feel free to post pictures here!! I would love to see them

My 8 are a week old now and are all doing great!! We're going to be opening our eyes soon. And we are very wiggley!!

All 8

And Mocha being nosy