*observe the cuteness

OH MY GOODNESS. WOW. These little critter are so adorable. They are some of the softest, sweetest things you have laid eyes on. We are going to keep eat every one of them at some point. Well not every one, we will be keeping a buck and doe for a dear friend of mine who wishes to start breeding for meat purposes as well.  We are also selling one as a pet and we will likely be keeping one or two does for breeding stock. 

I am not getting a thing done around here. I sit for hours watching them in their cuteness. Just kidding, as if I could sit still that long!  I love the way the two have their hands on the one in front of them. 

 Don't you want to come over to the nursery? Feeding time is only once a day, so visiting hours are wide open.  I find it amazing that the mother only has to feed her babies once a day, usually in the night. She hops in the nesting box, gets herself ready, stands over the babies while they lay on their back and nurse.  Her milk is so potent (if I can say that), that only one feeding per day is necessary.

Go ahead and sign me up, cause I know I am going to need help of the psychological kind when butchering time comes.  Oh.. for you readers who said no more discussions on what  happens at week 11, I am sorry. Guilty as charged, again. 

On a serious note, we started out initially with a total of 20 kits (baby rabbits).  Shortly after the two does kindled (had their babies), we checked both litters and found that Isis had lost 3 in the birthing process. A few days later we found 2 more that didn't make it, we chalked that up to heat.  We ended up taking every last bit of bedding out of the nesting boxes. Both Isis and Athena continued to pull their fur out to make a nest for their babies and covering them up all the while.  They have finally stopped and no longer seem to be worried about their young being fully covered. This past week we watched 4 more slowly lose the life that was once in them. Firstly, I was surprised that Isis had 12 young kits and was not taken by surprise when finding that 3 did not make it past the birthing, but I was a bit taken back by the others.  The other ones we lost may be due to heat or being the runts of the bunch. We do not know the exact reason, but one thing we have learned from these litters - we will not breed our does again in the month of May, June, July or early August due to heat issues.