kindling rabbit

Question
hi, i have 5 rabbits altogther in large pen, 1 buck and 4 does. one of my does is nesting should i seperate her from the others or will this cause too much stress? ive been told leave them together as they will all help rear the babies, is this tru or not? if i do seperate her will she be accepted back in the group at a later date?
please help as soon as possible. at present they all have access to the same hutch though half is penned off with the pregnant one
thanks dawn

Answer
Hi, I don't have any firsthand experience with this, I will tell you up front.  My instinct would tell me to separate the mother out and let her have extra space for her kits and herself so they can be raised without the possibility of other rabbits maybe not getting along well with the newborns.  

I do know in the wild rabbits have their own nesting areas and such, and they are not physically separated except by their own choosing, but these aren't wild rabbits.  Also who knows if your pregnant female is the top dominant gal, what if the dominant female wants to take her and her babies on?  I think mom's hierarchy status and how well the rabbits get along normally are factors to consider.

Others may have more experience with this, I'm just basing it on the concerns I would have.  Pam may be a better one to ask.

Lee