The Waiting Game

At this point in our rabbitry, we have so few litters that they are still something we really look forward too.  We count down the moments.  This is the first time we have been in the situation to breed 2 does and Thank Goodness we did.  We had a first time mom and we all know how that can sometimes turn.  Well I was feeling content when she made a great nest.  Then she pulled fur.  Then she kindled.  Then she hunkered down and would not leave her nest box for almost an hour.  By the time I was able to check the kits they were very cold.  I brought them in to warm them.  I had never had a doe stay in her nest box that long.  I felt helpless as I didn't want to disturb her in case she was having a long labor.  So after that moment of anxiety, our next doe started pulling fur.  She continued to do this for almost 8 solid hours!  She had so much fur that you could not see her inside the nest box.  She too stayed in her nest box for a very long time.  Lucky for her kits she had so much fur they were plenty toasty.  Being that each doe only had 1 viable kit we chose to do our first Foster!  So far so good and it's my favorite size litter.