My doe had her first litter this morning and the didn't make it. The heat lamp was moved and they got to cold. How soon can she be rebred? Should I wait a week? Lesson learned also. From now on the does will be moved into my garage just before kindling. I have a heated garage. It stays just warm enough to make it comfortable to walk out without a coat but not to warm. Thanks for input.
Yea, I'd wait a week at the least. I move my does inside the house if it's too cold, although I know if you pack enough straw all around the cage inside and out they will make it. Did she pull hair to help keep them warm? Was it her first litter?
She did pull hair but it wasn't in a nice warm ball it was all spread out. Yea she was a first timer. All three of my does are. I have one due on the 20th and one on the 30th. When I took the kits out the poor girl was trying to get them to move. Then she cuddled up under my arm. This little girl never lets us mess with her and all she wants now is attention.
Aww. It's ok, as a rabbit she will get over the loss. It's hormonal behavior, she will be back to her old self in a while. But yea, I'd give her a break like 1-2 weeks and then try again. I had a new doe give me a fine litter 10 years ago and she ate all the straw because I didn't feed her enough and her babies froze at 1 week of age..I still feel terrible about it.
Mine gave birth last week and we put a cardboard nest in hers but it was fully built by her fur and straw hay. Just make sure the next time to put straw or hay into it and mine didnt do the hay in the ball but and they were fully covered by another box with a opening so she can access them. But Im sorry to hear that. Hope she has more Good luck!
I'm in Ohio and never bred my rabbits during the winter because, at least in my barn, it was too cold for them to survive. Rabbits only feed their young two times a day. They don't sit in the nest with them like a cat would. Your heated garage might work ok.
Just go ahead and breed her back right now. I wouldn't wait a week. You may never get her bred again if you do. She will be fine as long as she is in good contion. I breed mine back the same day they lose theirs.
Quote:I will elaborate on this: Breeding her back right now will hurt nothing, she is most receptive just after losing the kits. where she didn't raise the litter she hasn't lost condition due to nursing kits. there for ready to breed. Only reason to hold off a week or more is when they lose the litter after a week or two nursing, or the kits are 8 weeks old and weaned, then you need to let them rebuild their condition for the next breeding. If your going to bring does in to kindle I would do it now before the coat gets too heavy to cause suffering. remember your bringing them in side to warm when their coat is brought in for cold, you can cause over heating very quickly. There is no reason to bring does inside to have their kits, unless the doe is known to not pull enough fur to cover the nest, and this you can compensate for with more hay and saved fur from another kindle. I breed year round and the only time I have ever had kit cicles is when its a first time doe who didn't realize she didn't pull enough fur. But you can also have this happen in 90 degree weather. kits freeze because of not having the fur to cover them and some does will pull little fur in the summer months also. sometime no matter what you do the young does just dont get it and you will lose the litter, if it happens more than 3 times though boost the doe to a pet home and get a different doe. non productive does are a waste of money if your looking to sell or put meat on the table.
