ARTICLES
8.5.07
Babies
Breeding
Color Breeding
Feeding
Glossary
Grooming
History
Illustrated Pedigrees
Misc
Nestbox
Netherland Dwarfs
Problems
Rabbitry
Shows
The Rabbitry
Training
Winner's Circle
Links to More Info
|
BABIES
So your doe has been bred. What happens next? This is a breakdown from day of conception, and potential problems.
DAY 1. Breeding date. You've noted the breeding date, and counted 31 days to note the expected kindling date. Now you wait. In the meantime, feed the doe her normal ration of feed, and lots of good grass hay.
DAY 10. Palpate. This is a tricky operation, and it takes practice. I, personally, have never learned to do it. It involves feeling the doe's belly for evidence of the kits. It's said the best time to do this is between 10-14 days after breeding. The kits are supposed to feel like grapes. If you feel there are no kits in there, you can try rebreeding the doe at this time. If she is pregnant, she shouldn't accept the buck. If not pregnant, she may breed again. Or like me, just wait till the due date arrives and keep your fingers crossed.
DAY 15 or so. Feeding the doe. Around this time, she may require more feed. Increase her ration, and continue to supply plenty of hay.
DAY 26. The time is near. The doe will "ask" for a nestbox. She signals this by bundling hay in her mouth and carrying it around. This is another reason for keeping her well supplied with hay. You'll know when she's ready to build her nest. She may want to nest as much as a week or so before she is due, or maybe not until the last minute.
.....Potential Problem: If the doe nests 2 weeks or earlier after breeding, chances are good she is having a false pregnancy.
.....Fix: Try rebreeding her.
DAY 28. Won't be long now. Give her a nestbox if she hasn't already asked for it. Stuff a good handful of hay in it, and give her lots more in her hayrack. She will immediately investigate the box, and should begin bundling hay soon after. She will continue to add hay to the nest until she is satisfied. I find it very entertaining to watch a doe build her nest. Sometimes they get quite frantic about it.
.....Potential Problem: She doesn't like the nestbox, tries to build her nest on the wire in another corner.
.....Fix: Move the nestbox to the corner she is working on. I like the nestbox to face forward so I can easily check progress. I learned that a doe who won't use the box, will if I turn the box sideways with the back end in the corner she's trying to nest in. A couple days after the litter is born, I can turn the box forward and she will be fine with that.
DAY 29-30. Cut back on feed. Minimize the feed ration the day before expected birth. Continue to offer hay.
DAY 30-32. The Big Day. As a rule, kindle will occur on Day 31, but it could be a day earlier or later. The doe will pull fur from her belly to line the nest. This also bares the teats, and stimulates the production of milk. Some does get quite silly about this, and pull fur from all over their body. She may pull fur several days before she is due, or not until just before or after the birth.
.....Potential Problem: Too much fur.
.....Fix: Remove some after the litter is born so they don't sufficate or over heat.
.....Potential Problem: Not enough fur.
.....Fix: Save clean fur from a failed litter, and add to the nest after the litter is born. Most does won't mind this. Give some time for the kits to mingle around in the foreign fur so their scent will be on it.
.....Potential Problem: She just sits in the box, and/or uses it for a toilet. Rabbits won't usually foul their nest, so this may be a sign of a missed breeding. Some young 1st-timers may not have the skills or instincts.
.....Fix: Remove the box and rebreed after Day 33 if no litter is born.
.....Potential Problem: Day 33. There's a serious problem. The doe may be having difficulty passing the kits, or she may not be pregnant at all.
.....Fix: There's not much you can do if there is a difficulty. If a kit is stuck and hanging out of her, you can try helping by gently pulling on it. I found this seems to cause pain for the doe, so I prefer to let nature run its course. She will eventually get it out. If she seems to be straining, but no kit is visible, take her out and let her move around on the table or floor. This sometimes helps get things moving. Unfortunantly, the litter is a failure and will be stillborn. Rebreed the doe within a couple days after you are sure she has passed all the kits, or that the breeding was a miss.
DAY 1. Kindling. The count begins again. Note the date of kindle. This is the kits' birthdate. It usually happens very quickly, and often at night. The doe will go into her nest with her back turned, so you'll be lucky to witness the actual birth. She'll pull the kits out with her mouth and flop them in front of her. She will then clean them up. She'll usually leave the nest to expel the afterbirth, and you'll find it in the tray. If she expels it in the nest, she'll usually eat it. If she doesn't clean that up, you'll have to do it for her. She'll spend some time cleaning herself up, and perhaps pull some more fur to cover the kits. She should nurse them shortly after. Once she is done and relaxing outside the box, you can take out the box and check the kits. Remove any dead kits and afterbirth if needed. Make sure the nest is fluffy around the kits, and recover them with fur and hay. The doe may get a bit concerned, but will usually accept this meddling. On this 1st day, you should limit the doe's feed. Make a note of how many kits, and you can usually guess color at this point. The kits are blind and naked when born, but color can be seen on the skin.
.....Potential Problem: Failure. The kits are dead, or were badly damaged during kindling. Often if the 1st kit is dead, they will all be stillborn. You'll need a strong stomach. Sometimes the result is very gross.
.....Fix: Remove the nestbox and dispose of the dead. Rebreed the doe within a couple days.
.....Potential Problem: There's only 1 kit alive. Kits need littermates to keep them warm and stimulate their systems. An only child can survive, but it's better if there's more.
.....Fix: Breed more than 1 doe at a time. If possible, at least 1 should be an experienced mother. You can foster a singleton to another doe if needed. If 2 does each have only 1 kit, choose the doe you think will be the better mother, and give them to her. Fostering is usually not a problem. I've found does will accept the addition without a fuss. I allow the fosterling to mingle with the litter for a few minutes so they will all smell the same. Fosterlings should be close in age to the rest. Too much younger, and it may not be able to compete for food. A couple days of age either way is usually fine. Rebreed the other doe within a few days.
.....Potential Problem: Born on the wire. Could be due to the doe's inexperience or lack of skills. The kits will not survive this for long. If not too cold, they can often be saved.
.....Fix: Warm the kits and place in the box. Be sure the nest is nice and fluffy. Check them often to make sure the doe is caring for them.
.....Potential Problem: The kits are cold. This could happen if the doe didn't build a good nest, the nest became compacted as she fussed with it, or because she is inexperienced and spread the kits around the box or on the wire. Cold temperatures will complicate this further. The kits may be near death or even appear dead already. This is a critical time.
.....Fix: Check the nestboxes as early in the morning as you can. A litter born in the night will have been cold for quite a while. Prompt action is needed. Get them warm. Everyone has their own method for warming kits. I use a microwave heat wrap. I heat it to a comfortable temperature (not too hot), and make a nest of the wrap, a terry towel, and a paper towel. I put the kit(s) in the paper towel and snug the wrap around it. If they are alive, they should revive quickly, and begin to wiggle around. Even a kit that appears dead may have a spark of life left. If a kit seems undamaged, fairly plump and clean, it always pays to try to revive it. Experience will tell you when it's past hope. I will hold the kit in my hand and gently massage it to see if there is any movement. The warmth of my hands will help so I hold it closely until I can get the wrap nest warmed. When the kit is nice and warm, and moving strongly, I return it to the litter, and make sure the nest is fluffy. Be sure there is a hollow well-lined with fur to prevent the kits from crawling away. Its littermates will keep it warm after that, and all should be well. Check the nest often to make sure the doe is caring for and feeding all of the kits. If needed, foster the revived kit to another doe.
.....Potential Problem: Defective kits. This could be a Peanut or a Max Factor. These kits won't survive, or in the case of Max Factor, they shouldn't. See the Glossary for more about these conditions.
.....Fix: Remove from the nest.
DAY 2-3. The 1st days of life. Continue to check the litter daily. Both morning and night is good. You may not see the doe nursing. She will only nurse once or twice a day, clean the kits, and then spend most of her time outside the box. If the kits are plump and clean, all is well. By DAY 3, the kits will have fur and you'll be able to make a better guess as to color. Gradually increase the doe's feed ration.
.....Potential Problem: Doe isn't caring for or feeding the kits. She may keep spreading them around the nest where they could die of exposure.
.....Fix: Foster to another doe if possible. If the doe is inexperienced, she may not know how to keep the litter all together. Check the nest several times a day to make sure the kits are well-covered and all together.
.....Potential Problem: Too cold. The barn may be too cold in the winter. A good doe will have pulled plenty of fur, had a good sized litter, is keeping them covered, and the kits will probably be fine. Other things can happen that can kill kits. They may be dragged out of the box on the dam's teat and then die of exposure on the wire. If the litter is especially valuable, you may want to take steps to protect it.
.....Fix: If you fear for the safety of the litter, bring the box inside at night. The doe will usually be ok with this routine. She should hop right in and tend to the litter when you take the box back out to her in the morning. I continue this routine until the kits are about 2 1/2 weeks old. By then, they are well-furred and able to survive short periods out of the box. Always return strays to the nest as soon as you find them.
.....Potential Problem: Dirty nest. Could be caused by the doe's inexperience. She may be fouling it herself. A tightly compacted nesting hollow won't drain well and quickly become soiled.
.....Fix: Keep it clean. Remove soiled hay or fur as needed. If the nesting hollow is wet, remove the wet material, replace with some fresh hay, and fluff it to promote better drainage and ventilation. The kits should not lay in their own urine.
DAY 3-10. Color will become more identifiable as the fur gets thicker. They are still very vulnerable and must stay together in the box to keep warm. Continue checking the nest daily, and put any strays back in the box. They can't get back in on their own. Begin to free-feed the doe. She has to produce a lot of milk.
DAY 10-14 (2 weeks). This is the age when the kits' eyes open and they begin to sample solid food. I completely clean the nest at this time. I remove all fur and hay, and replace with clean hay. This may help prevent those heartbreaking "faders" by eliminating fur blockage, gastronomical distress, and eye/nose infections from contaminated hay and fur. The number of faders in my barn has been greatly reduced by this routine. See the Glossary for more about "faders".
.....Potential Problem: The eyes aren't opening. This is rare, but it does happen.
.....Fix: If the eyes haven't opened by DAY 15, gently wash with warm water to loosen whatever is holding them shut. Very carefully pull the lids apart. The eyes need to open now, or the bunny may become blind. Keep close watch to make sure the eye doesn't become infected.
WEEK 3. Kits begin to explore their world. There is nothing cuter than a 3 week old Netherland. They are round little balls of bouncy fluff. They will be hopping in and out of the nestbox, and sampling mom's food. Give plenty of hay for them to munch. It's very important that they get lots of fiber to get their little systems working properly. They will spend more time out of the box, and it can be removed now if desired. If it's cold, or they are still spending a lot of time in it, you may want to leave the box for another week.
.....Potential Problem: Dirty tail. Now that the kits are eating solid food, the feces are the normal dry dark brown pellets or droppings, as well as the gooey "night feces". This can become stuck to the fur, and eventually build up and cause infection. I see this more when the kits spend a lot of time in the box. They are sitting and defecating in the box where the waste can't fall out.
.....Fix: Check the kits regularly and pick off any "dingle balls". If it is becoming built up under the tail despite this, remove the nestbox.
WEEK 4-5. Still very cute, and you'll begin to see their type. They are eating more solid food, and this is the time that a fader could happen. See the Glossary. Continue to check their vents for signs of problems such as diarrhea or dirty tail.
WEEK 6-8. The kits can be weaned now. If possible, wean the most robust kits out first. If you have more than one litter, put the largest kits together in their new cage. Remove kits one or two at a time over a space of days. The smallest can be left with mom longer. Reduce feed at this time for both kits and doe, but still give lots of hay.
.....Potential Problem: Severe diarrhea. Weaning is stressful, and this could be life-threatening.
.....Fix: Lots of hay. Suppliment with dry oatmeal, the plain rolled Quaker oats. A probiotic as preventive may be desired. I like to add Acid-Pak to the water bottle for the 1st week. Probiotics add beneficial bacteria to populate the gut flora and keep the kits' systems working properly. The extra fiber from hay or oats is necessary, too.
WEEK 8-12. Gastronomical problems can still arise. After 8 weeks, you can sell the bunnies, but I prefer to keep them until at least 10 weeks to make sure all is well. By this time, you'll have decided which to keep or cull, as their potential type is evident.
.....Potential Problem: Aggressive behavior. The jrs can often live together for quite a while, but sometimes more dominant personalities will harass their cagemates. Changing cages or roommates may trigger these bully attitudes.
.....Fix: When changing cages or roommates, always put the less aggressive bunnies in first. Give them a few minutes to orientate themselves. Then add more bunnies. If there is still too much aggression, separate the bully to its own cage.
WEEK 12 and on. Once a Netherland has reached 1 lb, it can be shown as a jr. But these little bunnies don't really compete well against more mature rabbits. 4 mos is usually the best age to begin showing a jr. Some lines will mature sooner or later than others.
Related Info: Breeding ; Feeding ; Nestbox ; Netherland Dwarfs ; Problems ; Training ; Glossary
|
