The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1917-12-21

hutch should be thoroughly Cleaned
and disinfected, after which good
supply Of soft hay or straw Goat straw
Is best) should be placed in the body
| of the hutch to enable her to arrange
her nest. If the hutch is without q
nesting compartment, box should be
| placed in a corner. 1t should be Is to
20 inches long, about foot deep, or
| 10 inches wide, and without a lid.
Make hole In one end large enough
for the doe to pass through easily, and
| turn the box upside down. The doe
Will arrange her nest q day or two be-
fore the young are born. At this time
extra attention should be given to her
food. She should have milk and warm
water regularly, and a pan of clean
water should be kept constantly in
the hutch. While a doe is heavy with
young and for a few days after their
birth, extreme care should be taken
to see that she is not frightened by
cats or dogs or even by strange visi-
tors in the rabbitry. Avoid touching
the nest or handling the young, unlessI
it is absolutely necessary.
Diet While Nursing.
During the first week or two after
having young the doe may be fed al
most entirely on warm milk and bread.
This Is recommended for the bulk OF
the morning and evening meals, with q,
small supply of green food. Green
food may be given also in the middle
Of the day, and the daily proportion
gradually increased. Boiled mush
made Of cornmeal Is also an excellent
food for sucking does, but most other
pasty or watery foods should be avoid
ed as likely to derange the bowels.
Milk, and indeed any soft food, should
be fed in a separate earthenware dish.
especially in warm weather, when 1t
sours quickly. The dish should be
washed and scalded often.
NGeanino.
The young may be weaned when a
month old, but 1t Is better to leave
them with the doe two or three weeks
longer. Remove two each day until
all are transferred to another hutch.
which may be large enough to accom-
modate any number. They do well to-
gether until they are three or four
months old, when their development
: will compel separation of the sexes.
After this any number of does may
occupy the same hutch, but unless
thoroughly accustomed to each other,
will fight.
f Ailments Of Rabbits.
If properly cared for, rabbits are
remarkably free from diseases. The
! ot1v, BE-
insanitary surroundings, lack OF care
In feeding, and improper ventilation
The hutches should be cleaned fire.
quently and fresh sawdust or Other
fine litter used to take up liquids, sc
that the hutches do not become foul
Such ailments as mango, scurf, sur
felt, and the disease Of the eyes know
|, as ophthalmia are due usually to foul
+ hutches. Cold snuffles and the like re
t. suit from improper ventilation. sud
e. den drafts of cold air in overheatet
J, buildings, and similar causes. TIL
e disorders Of the digestive organs com
c. from feeding young rabbits too freel
Iy of wet and juicy green foods or fror
lie too radically changing their diet. Mos
IT diseases are preventable, and II tn
d cause is understood remedies will sug
e gest themselves.
4 The most serious disease know
( among hutch rabbits In America Il
r coccidIosis. 1t is caused by interna
b parasites, and when present in the rab
bitry kills many young rabbits. Elk
IRENE caution Is needed to prevent it,
,. introduction, and new stock obtained
d should for time be kept isolated from
O the regular hutches. Keeping the
@ hutches in stacks aids in spreading
!. the infection. Absolute cleanliness may
8 do much to prevent the disease
+ Whenever a number of the young rab
O bits under good care develop a pot
Z. bellied appearance, particularly where
e 1t is accompanied by symptoms Of colo
e and snuffles, there is reason to suspect
e that old and apparently healthy ami
V mails may be afflicted with chronic
# coccidiosis and are expelling cocidis
l. from their bodies. Isolation Of the Of
e fected hutch and It's occupants, togeth
Is er with disinfection, Is the first steI
h to be taken while the exact nature o
J. the trouble is being determined.
Literature About Rabbits.
IS If serious diseases affect his stoch
If the amateur will find 1t advantageou
" to obtain a standard treatise on tn
N management of rabbits. This will con
IL tain detailed instruction for the treat
ID ment Of the more common ailments
al AS the business Of rearing rabbits
h carried on much more extensively 1
If England than in America, the bes
se hand-books are published abroad
i'd They may be obtained through an
to bookseller.