I did check nest boxes today while I was out feeding and watering bunnies this evening. All babies are safe and accounted for. Even the super tiny runt in Feather's litter. I'll be surprised it that one makes it to weaning. It's so much smaller than the littermates. It's about 1/4 their size, and often found at the bottom of the pile in the nest. But this is Penelope's grandbaby - and Penelope is an excellent momma who raises her babies really well, so perhaps her daughter will also be an equally amazing momma and bring this little one through. Who knows.
I've been playing more with potential breeding schedules for the rabbits and pairing up who will be breeding at the same time from here on out using a three week schedule and four groups of two. Every three weeks we will breed two does. On this schedule they will each get roughly 11 days between weaning one litter and breeding again. This is a much more intensive schedule than we have been using, but not as intensive as commercial breeding that breeds the doe while she's still nursing. I plan to start this schedule tomorrow with breeding Penelope and Charlotte for August litters, followed in three weeks by breeding Gretchen and Fern. Three weeks later will be Alice and Elizabeth, and three weeks after that will be Feather and Snowflake. This will give me one litter of meat-breeds and one litter of pet-breed mixes every three weeks (assuming every breeding takes). Then the cycle repeats with Penelope and Charlotte after their next litters wean. We will be trying to breed through the winter starting this year, since we will be moving to a place where they will be in an actual building to keep them a little warmer than the current tarped lean-to style housing.
The lady who paid for the four does is supposed to come and pick them up tomorrow morning. I hope she does because I really need to get the other does out of the pens with their mommas and into the growout pen. That'll just leave Kevin still in with his mom, and as soon as Jensen goes, Keven can take his cage. then we'll be good until more babies start weaning. I really need to start moving bunnies, or I'm going to have to start eating them.
Hoping tomorrow is more productive. I've got more plants that need to go into buckets, rabbits that need to be bred, and dishes and laundry that need to get washed. Busy busy! We're inching toward the big day... Three days left and then we get to sign on the new house!