Breeding rabbits in the cold winter? It’s like deciding to start a garden during a snowstorm – exciting, challenging, and
maybe just a little bit nuts. But if you’re anything like me, you can’t help but dive in headfirst once an idea takes root. Let me share my journey with winter breeding, the lessons learned, and how we found a solution that worked for our Michigan rabbitry.
Does this sound familiar? After months and months of research and becoming somewhat of a theoretical expert on rabbits, you finally get them home and can’t wait to start your breeding program.
Like many people, I attempted to breed in the wintertime. Rabbits are only slightly affected by the amount of daylight but can still be bred.
I bred them, marked the calendar using our kindling calendar, and was ready with the nesting box when the appropriate day arrived. I was happy to see a wonderful litter of New Zealand rabbits. Several times a day, I’d make my way to the hutch, eagerly awaiting my visit with the new baby rabbits, only to see one less kit in the nesting box. Nearly every day, I experienced another loss or at least another kit pulled out of the nesting box needing to be warmed and saved.
This made me a nervous wreck. Not only is this heart-wrenching to experience, but when our program is to sell to customers and supplement feed costs, these losses cut into our bottom line. I noticed that when breeding the rabbits 
again, on the second and third litters, they seemed to improve at keeping the kits in the nesting box, and I found fewer losses and fewer baby rabbits outside the nesting box needing to be warmed and saved. Yet, we still experienced 1-2 losses almost every litter during the winter.
We wanted to continue producing rabbits but not at the cost of so many losses. Something needed to change. I started looking at warrens (rabbit 
tunneling systems) and different hutches around the world and came upon a picture of a rabbit system where rabbits could tunnel out the back into a hill, insulating and protecting them from the elements while also providing a sense of security.
This was what we needed. Now, I just needed to come up with a way to mimic this while still having access to the rabbits. We ended up using a 2×6 board and recommend using a 10-footer so pregnant rabbits don’t have to climb such a steep incline. Using a 6-inch drain tile, I carved out a hole on each end of a 30-gallon tote and sealed it with Great Stuff foam sealant. These seals need to be replaced every 3-4 years by simply pulling them out, removing the old foam, and reapplying a new ring of Great Stuff.
We use shavings from Tractor Supply Company (about 1 inch deep) and top that off with straw. Use straw if you have it, although hay can be used in a pinch. I always say, “Using hay for bedding is like using a loaf of bread for a pillow.” -Click To See The Rabbitry Center Kindling Method We’ve Created & Tested For 10+years-
The rabbits come down the ramp, through the tile, into the tote, and through another tile out into a 2’x2’x8′ run. This allows the rabbits to get some exercise, eat weeds, and paw around like rabbits love to do. Although allowing your rabbits to come in contact with soil lets them live a more 
enriched life, they will most likely require a Diatomaceous Earth dust bath at some point. We also sprinkle a little Diatomaceous Earth into the totes as a non-pesticide insecticide. A little goes a long way, and I recommend sprinkling only a small amount so they don’t breathe it in while making their nest.
The kindling totes get surrounded with about 6 inches of dirt, which helps with runoff and directs water away from the tote 
seals. This system works well for breeding right through the winter. These totes also work great for keeping your bucks cool and fertile, giving them a place to escape the elements when needed.
If you’re raising rabbits in freezing temperatures and planning to breed them, I highly
recommend waiting until about 30 days before warmer weather, unless you have a well-insulated shed, garage, barn, or kindling tote (Click To Learn How To Make It!) Breeding during extreme cold can lead to significant losses, and waiting can help ensure healthier, more successful litters. From all of us at The Rabbitry Center, best of luck with your winter breeding! Check out the video below that shares valuable information how to successfully breed in the wintertime. HOW TO BREED RABBITS IN THE WINTERTIME
