Timing and Size

We usually place the nest box in with the doe on day 28-30 of her gestation.  We’ve found that giving some does a box too early will result in them making a nice little “condo” of it and they will decide to just sit in there constantly, pooping and making a general mess of things.  This would be bad for the litter later on; both from a sanitation perspective and from the danger of the doe crushing and suffocating her litter.

The same precaution goes for giving a doe a nest box that is too large for her.  The more room she has, the more likely she’ll be to decide that it’s a much nicer place to lounge than on the wire floor of her cage.  Ideally, a nest box should be just a little longer and wider than the doe herself, making it just roomy enough for giving birth, but too tight to really stretch out and get comfortable.  The boxes we use for our Jerseys are about 14 inches long, by 8 inches wide, by 8 inches high at the back.  This is still a little large for the smaller does, but generally fits most all the show and brood does in the herd.

Wood or Metal?

The question is sometimes raised as to whether wood or metal boxes are best.  We use both, and each has it’s pro’s and con’s.  Wood boxes are warmer in the winter, can be made cheaply at home, but I think are harder to sterilize because the urine and feces can soak into the wood when you have a very messy doe or very large litter.  Metal boxes are certainly faster and easier to sterilize, but are colder in winter months and more costly to purchase.  The does don’t seem to have any preference, however, and in a pinch I’ve even seen people use a cardboard box which they just throw away when the litter is old enough.

Setting up the Box

We set up the nest box by first placing an inch or two of shavings in the bottom to cover the floor.  This insulates and also absorbs moisture.  Then we stuff the box with some nesting material.  Soft grass hay is our favorite, but we also use straw sometimes.  We use our hands to make a little “cave” in the back of the box, so the doe will get the idea that it’s a nice little burrow and hop in to investigate.

Place the box in her cage in a corner which she doesn’t use as a potty!  Rabbits usually choose a favorite corner for this business, and if you put the box there, she’s likely to keep using it that way.  Also, if there is a buck or aggressive doe next door, we try to put the box on the opposite side so she won’t be intimidated to use it.  If at all possible, don’t place the doe’s water crock directly in front of or to the front side of the box.  Nothing is more heartbreaking than coming out to find a baby that hopped out of the box and drowned in the water bowl.

 When a Doe Rejects the Nest Box

The doe will no doubt hop in and begin digging and throwing hay around.  You may need to gather it up for her and replace it a time or two if she gets very excited and overzealous.  On the other hand, some does reject the nest box altogether and will insist on gathering all the bedding in their mouths and transferring it to another corner of the cage on the floor.  Here you have a few options:  Keep putting it back in the box and hope she’ll give up first (a game you’ll probably lose…);  Stuff the entire cage with hay or straw (but the kits may still freeze from the draft through the floor);  Fill the cage with next boxes so she has no other space to make a nest (never tried this one but it sounds like it might work…);  Bring the doe inside in an “indoor nursery”.

Making an “Indoor Nursery”

An “indoor nursery” can be made by purchasing a large plastic storage box from Wal-Mart, about $10 or so.  Make sure it’s roomy and tall enough to accommodate the doe and her nest box.  We get the clear ones so the doe gets some light.  Cut a hole out of the lid slightly smaller than a cookie cooling rack.  Using duct tape, firmly attach the cooling rack over the hole in the lid.  Place about 4 to 6 inches of shavings in the bottom of the box, either making a depression in one end with nesting material or actually placing her nest box in one end.  Put her feed and water crocks on the other end.  Bring her inside where it’s warm and keep her in a quiet area where you can keep an eye on her.  The idea is that wherever she has her babies, they can’t freeze and you’ll be able to watch her closely.  We’ve done this with several does and we’ve never lost a litter using this method.

Sanitation

Check the contents of the nesting material after the doe gives birth and remove any bedding which is soiled, bloody, or damp at all.  Replace with a little fresh bedding if necessary.  When the kits are a week old or so, check again and remove any soiled bedding, replacing with clean bedding.  All the old bedding should be discarded once the kits are two to three weeks old and the box filled with clean shavings or straw/hay.  Keeping the box clean this way will greatly reduce the chances of infections and illness in the litter.