The Old Folks Home

[tjo804]

Good Morning

Sorry about DH and Fence @getaclue

Congrats on the Kits @vehve and @chickadoodles.

Hoping to get some real work done here today. Been playin hooky with chicks and a new layer who had just a bit of trouble with her first eggs.

 

[Bunnylady]

I swear, I don't know how y'all do it. If the temperature is anywhere near freezing, I can't keep kits alive outside. When I got to the point where I felt like I couldn't stand to see one more frozen litter, I started bringing them in the house. Incredibly, most of my does have been fine with just getting visits from their litters during cold weather.

 

[chickadoodles]

I swear, I don't know how y'all do it. If the temperature is anywhere near freezing, I can't keep kits alive outside. When I got to the point where I felt like I couldn't stand to see one more frozen litter, I started bringing them in the house. Incredibly, most of my does have been fine with just getting visits from their litters during cold weather.

This brooder is off the ground but the back section is covered on the top and both sides with 3/4" plywood. We put a huge pile of hay in there for them to bed down in and more for them to eat. So they are very protected from the wind. I have used this same brooder for chicks and turkey. The whole thing is 4'x12' right now it is divided in 1/2 so she does not have to deal with the buck. He is not happy however. He is chewing through the divider between them.

 

[chickadoodles]

Our's only keeps her roommate out of the nest, but she isn't worried when we take a look.

You have had your does longer that might be the difference.

We are still building trust with ours. She is letting us pet her and feed her out of our hand so she will come along.

 

[vehve]

Bunny, did you see my nest design?

 

[Bunnylady]

Bunny, did you see my nest design?

No, "fraid I didn't.

 

[vehve]

@Bunnylady

Here you go:











It's an Ikea 130 liter box, so about 2x1½z1 feet, and a 5 liter (1½ gal) bucket with the bottom cut out and a matching hole in the side, and tied to the box with zipties. On the bottom of the box, 4 inches of hemp (but whatever you use for litter is probably fine), and then we line the box with straw. In the lowest pic it isn't that cold yet, but the current batch is packed so that there's about 4 inches of straw all around the sides and on top, with just a little cavern in the middle where mama made her nest. I probably should have drilled holes near the top opposite of the entrance, but keeping the lid slightly ajar does the same trick, tends to fog up pretty badly otherwise. But the bunnies have all round wind break, with no direct drafts but still sufficient airflow. This latest litter was just 4 kits, but that's enough of them to stay warm in there. Plus, their mommy has gone crazy pulling fur, there's like a 5 inch layer of the stuff on top of them. She's even borrowing some from her roommate =P

Coldest we've had with these guys was 0F at one day, and the month older batch had no problem with -20F at 2 weeks of age.

Oh, and I scratched the floor part of the entrance bucket to give a bit more traction. Don't want anyone hurting themselves slipping on it.

The bucket isn't strictly necessary, but it does add a bit more wind protection, and above all, keeps the straw in the box. Without it we had a bit of a straw explosion from an earlier draft of the nest box.

Just checked the name of the box, it's "Samla".

 

[Bunnylady]

Looks good, Felix, and it sounds like it's working for you!

I've noticed that does often continue to add fur to the nest for days after the litter is born, even a week later if there is a cold snap. Keeping everything together and as dry as is reasonably possible seems to be the key to kit survival.

 

[vehve]

Yup, she kept on adding too. Dry and draft-free goes a long ways.

 

[getaclue]

Congratulation on the kits!

Corn whiskey would definitely take care of his pain. With our luck he's probably trip over his big feet, fall, and break something, but he wouldn't hurt. LOL!