Rabbit gestation ?

[flgardengirl]

Hi I bred my rabbits on Dec 30th. I know I am supposed to count 31 days till birth. Do I start on the day I bred them (in the afternoon) or the next day as day #1? Thanks (first timer here lol)

 

[RiverOtter]

The day of breeding -

but to be on the safe side, put in a nest box Day 27.

(just a note) ALWAYS write down breeding dates. Try to keep a calendar or a little dollar store date book right by the rabbit's cages. Trust me you will NOT remember. I put the doe in with the buck, pull out the book, write it down, count 27 days, make a not that Lassie needs a nest box, then when the litter is born I write down (again) who they were born to, who the father was, how many in the litter, right in the little date box. NO ONE can accurately remember all of it ... well, maybe Rainman.

This was a habit I got into with my very first litter bred and I'm so glad I did. Treat yourself to a pretty little date book (they'll be marked on clearance this time of year) to celebrate your first litter!

Enjoy bunny raising!

 

[Bunnylady]

A doe carrying a large litter may go as few as 28 days; one that has only a couple kits "in the oven" may go 33 with everything going quite normally. Generally, IME, if a doe goes as long as 35 days, she has only one huge kit in there and it will most likely die during the birthing process. Most of my does typically go 32 days. Since most does (not all) will do some nest making well before the kits are due, I usually start putting a handful of hay on the cage floor to see what the doe will do with it about day 21. I wouldn't put the nest box in that early (the doe would probably use it as a potty), but I agree that the box should go in about day 27.

 

[Thundrr-Chicken]

use this

http://www.threelittleladiesrabbitry.com/breedingcalculator.php

 

[Akane]

I start as the day after being 1 and so does my pedigree software. I get the same answer whether I count it myself or put it in the software to be calculated for me.

My mini rex always go 32 days.

 

[flgardengirl]

Thank you for all your replies. This is my first time breeding rabbit. I have two small females I'm not sure if they are pure dwarf or not but one is brown and one is black. The male is a blue lionhead he has long fur. I saw him mate the brown one but didn't actually witness him mating the black one. I took the females to his cage. I left the black one in there overnight and hopefully he did the deed. He is a little shy I think.

I am putting the dates into my phone data planner so it will ring and notify me when to put in the nestbox etc. so I won't forget. I use my phone calender for egg hatching stuff too and it works pretty good for me so far.

I like that link for the rabbit breeding calculator. That sure makes it easier. I am supposed to palpate the females on Jan. 9th. I am uncertain if I will know what I am doing though although I read about how to do it lol.

I found some nestbox plans online and dh is working on two. Does everyone make thier own nestboxes or is there other things that can be used instead?
Thanks again

 

[Akane]

Smaller rabbits seem more difficult to palpate. Possibly because they have such small litters. I can't tell until the week they are due.

I just ordered nest boxes online. They aren't real expensive if you don't have several dozen head to provide for.