Pregnancy posture

[Hopalong Causually]

I've only been at this for less than a year and have worked through only a couple of litters. Perhaps it's just my imagination but it seems like my does assume a different resting position when they are pregnant than when they're not. I've just bred my two does last week and it seems that they have both taken to resting all stretched out on their bellies with their back legs splayed out behind. My memory is that they would almost always sit upright in a "show" position prior to breeding. I also seem to recall that my lone previous doe did the same thing during her two pregnancies. I don't think their positioning is related to the weather because the previous doe had litters in the spring and fall and we are now in mid-winter.

Has anybody else noticed anything like this or is it just my imagination?

 

[Pastor Dave]

All mine are doing it right now.

 

[promiseacres]

Mine do that when relaxing... bucks, does, bunnies.

 

[Pastor Dave]

What I meant was, my 3 does that have a week to go, are all stretching out like that. They usually only do it when bred.
My bucks only do it when real hot and trying to air everything out and cool down.

 

[Hopalong Causually]

Thanks, Pastor. My first inclination was that any rabbit would just assume whatever position was comfortable at the time but, as I thought about it, I could only recall that they did it when pregnant or in very warm temperatures as you said. The wife got me thinking about this when she asked if the does were acting strangely in any way that might indicate they were indeed pregnant. This will be the first litter for the one doe and only the second for the other. I have the nest boxes all ready to go but they're still a month away from kindling. It has taken me a long time to get to this point where I have adult multiple does and a buck all of my preferred breed, New Zealand Reds. I need a buck to replace the one I lost to cancer six weeks ago and possibly another breeder doe so I'm anxiously anticipating these does being successful.

 

[Pastor Dave]

I had some Fall/Winter troubles too.
One doe didn't deliver. First time she had done this.
One doe got ill and died within 24 hours of me noticing before I had a plan of action. She was one day away from putting in the nest box.
And, yet a third kindled on the wire. Lost em all.
Smallest herd size I have had since getting started back up year and half ago.
I have one litter in a meat pen ready to butcher.

Generally I have 2 meat pens and 2 litters growing toward weaning with does. The does that contributed to the 2 meat pens are usually bred and ready to kindle as the 10 week olds are nearing butcher time.

I can't complain though. I saved a doe from the last litter of the doe that died.
She was right at weeks old. Had the doe kindled, the litter would have been butchered and no more offspring from her to save back.
I still have some rabbit in the freezer as well as ground breakfast sausage and summer sausage I process occasionally.
The 6 getting butchered tomorrow should hold us over until end of April. I hope.