Babbies and Eggs

It's official our Big Mamma just popped! I went out to feed the bunz and chickens this morning at around 6 am, earlier than normal because Jake and I both had pre-work day dentist appointments. It was a good thing to because had I been on my normal route we probably would have lost 2 kits.

Before: (big and preggers)

 
After: (look she has a waistline again)

When I went up to the cage I could tell that the bunz had been born because Mamma was looking rather skinny. She didn't pull much fur to cover the nest, which is another indicator that the babies have arrived. I gave her some treats and took the nestbox inside to to inspect the contents. I found 6 babies in a huddle with one slightly outside the baby pile. That one was moving but not much, it was just too cold. I proceeded to poke around and found another baby, way in the back all by itself not moving at all. Rubbing it I could tell it was alive but only just. So I rearranged the baby pile and fur so they all had a good coating and brought the nestbox upstairs and placed it on the heating pad. Only about 15 minutes did the trick and the two little cold ones were moving and a squeaking.

I got the babies back out with Mamma, but first I put a drop of vanilla extract on her nose, this disrupts her sense of smell so she doesn't smell me on her babies. Rabbits only feed the babies 1-2 times a day, so bringing them inside isn't a big issue. Since it's still going to be below freezing for the next week (insert pissed off grumble here) I plan on bringing the nestbox inside at night and putting it out with her during the day time. I do have the cage covered with a burlap sac, just to help out with the the wind chill. It's 42* outside right now and windy. So anything I can do to help out those kits the better. I also slid a piece of cardboard in between Big Mamma and Confetti's cage's to further help block that wind. If I leave that cardboard in place I'll likely leave the babies in with her overnight, but I haven't decided yet.

Here's the babies in mostly straw with some fur, I know it looks like a bunch of straw in a box but trust me they are in there.

Our baby doe, Confetti isn't so much a baby anymore, she got breed for the first time today. By mid May it will be her turn to be Mamma.

At least two of our Sussies are laying with a possible third. Today is our first 3 egg day, I am not sure if Curious our Buff Orpington is one of the three... but I doubt it. Training them to use the nest box has been difficult. One girl doesn't mind the nestbox and use's it gladly. But the other insists on laying in the dirt. Maddeningly I fought with her over this point for at least an hour. She jumping out of the nestbox and running back down to the dirt, me placing her back in the nest box. Over and over and over. The egg size is cute too, rather small so far but they may get a bit bigger as the girls get into gear.

Red Star egg (purchased from a local farmer), Sussex egg. Just to give a good comparison, I am not sure if the Red Star egg is considered jumbo or just large but it's big. I don't mind the size difference I'll just need an extra egg in the omelet.