The babies are coming! :D

**mygoat** · #1 02/09/14, 04:26 PM

12 does had brand new nestboxes installed today. 6 NZ's and 6 SF are due on the 13th. Expecting black and blue SF, and black and blue NZ"s in broken and solid.

First litters in eons - wish me luck that they stay nice and healthy!

Sorry for the crappy quality - I only had my phone camera.

GraceAlice · #2 02/09/14, 04:30 PM

Is that doe too big for the box? LOL

I know how it feels. I hadn't had babies since February, finally got a litter Jan. 18th. Feels AWESOME to see those hay mustaches! Good luck!

**mygoat** · #3 02/09/14, 06:19 PM

Box shouldn't be too small - that's the size I've always used. :P When they first get the box I stuff it so full they have to re-arrange to fit in there. Usually that means they sit like that on the 'bunny bumper'. The 'bunny bumper' probably also hinders her getting all the way in at this point - but I get sick of kits dragged out after nursing and dying on the wire or crawling out of the box and away...

froebeli · #4 02/09/14, 08:26 PM

good luck, mygoat!!! I know you've had a real time with cocci and getting the new rabbitry set up. It's got to be your time for great things now!

Fire-Man · #5 02/09/14, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GraceAlice

Is that doe too big for the box? LOL

That was my first thoughts. For my NZ and Cali I got boxes that are 22 long, 11 wide and 10 tall--inside, with a 8" wide resting board on the top. 5 1/2 tall on the front. And some times I feel they could use a bigger box.

Mygoat, I had so many to have babies in the last few days---I had to write down on each cage----how many was in each nesting box---LOL.

TMTex · #6 02/10/14, 09:10 AM

Wow! That's a lot of rabbits. Nice haystache pic too. Congrats!

bjgarlich · #7 02/10/14, 12:22 PM

Mygoat, I am so happy for you. I know you have been through a lot with your bunnies, and you are a great source of knowledge to the rest of us! Good luck and I love your new setup!

**mygoat** · #8 02/10/14, 12:40 PM

Our boxes are 12" wide, 16" overall long, 12" tall. I should've made them less tall. Internal dimensions may be only 14.5-15" long with the front and back piece inserted.

The babies are coming! :D - Rabbits

Here is a 10.5lb NZ doe lounging in hers... the boxes are quite big enough and are as big as I've ever used, and our 12 lb does have no issues raising kits in them. Any bigger and I'd be afraid they'd be even more likely to lounge in there, which I don't like. As it is, some are prone to lazing in there.

I'm not sure about this doe's mothering ability at this point - usually does that lounge in the box are *more* likely to be crappy moms. We'll see. This doe had one litter when she was about 8 months old (first time, got her as a bred doe from NZ Nationals), but didn't pull fur and my dad found them dead... She hasn't been rebred till now because of the coccidia problems. Her sister was nesting like crazy yesterday and had raised her previous litter just fine.

And another doe is Haystaching today. My blue NZ doe, Denim. She was curious about her box yesterday, but today her hormones must've clicked on. I had to give her another handful as she was running around her cage trying to get any spare straw and trying to get to the stuff under her cage that fell through the floor. :P

The babies are coming! :D - Rabbits

GraceAlice · #9 02/10/14, 12:46 PM

Well you know what... I guess I wouldn't even know what a small nestbox is... mine are around 20" long, 15" tall, and 16" wide or something like that. In HORRID with dimensions and I don't remember the exact measurements... lol So that's just what I'm guessing at the moment. Mine are HUGE though and probably weigh close to 20 pounds. The wood used for them is like an inch thick.

GraceAlice · #10 02/10/14, 12:49 PM

Here's a picture of my ginormous ones... lol

I can't fit them through the cage doors.

redneckswife · #11 02/10/14, 12:56 PM

Mygoat, Are you taunting me with your Broken Blue NZ's

? LOL,LOL

What's the furtherest South you go..lol..lol to shows and stuff..lol

**mygoat** · #12 02/10/14, 08:23 PM

Don't tempt me. I WILL find transport.

This round of litters: I have two broken black does - one known blue carrier and her sister, who may carry blue - both bred to bucks that are known blue carriers. I have a broken blue doe bred to a buck who is a known blue carrier. I have a solid blue doe bred to a black buck who is a known blue carrier. I have a black doe bred to a charlie black buck - both have a good chance of carrying blue. I have another black doe with a chance of carrying blue, bred to a blue buck. :P On accident... I ended up with almost all of my NZ litters having a good chance of carrying blue. The biggie is that both of my older Sr bucks both turned out to be blue carriers, from all black lines and breeders who either never got blue, or culled heavily for it. The two broken does (one of which produced my broken blue and my solid blue) both came to me from all black lines, owner didn't know blue was a possibility. One had her litter while I was away and didn't care for it (the one pictured above) so I have no idea if she produced blue or not... but she is full sister to the other who did produce it. Its possible.

And, I'm buying MORE that have a *chance* of carrying blue. I hope they don't. Intelligently, I did buy a new broken doe already (getting her at the MSU spring show first of March as a bred doe) that does NOT carry blue. Thank goodness.

Oh and my next round of litters? An unpedigreed (but gorgeous) black doe with unknown history besides that she came to me young, bred to my blue buck. And a doe who may carry blue bred to a known blue carrier.

I can rarely travel to shows outside of the state myself - I don't even like travelling more than an hour IN state. In the past I had school (though I'm now on break waiting for vet school to start in the fall). I still have work and farm stuff to do. Plus I'm always too broke for road trips. I've been *thinking* of Silver Fox nationals. I think it's March 22nd, though.