Easy Ears
Well-known member
Hi, so my new doe Tinkerbell, Netherland Dwarf, she is about a year old, and just kindled her first litter of 2 kits yesterday morning. 1 was born dead (I was there for it all) and the live kit is happy and healthy 
Aside from not the fullest tummy in the house(it is a bit full but not extremely full from what I can tell), still, I had another doe just kindle this morning (HL, named Ginger-experienced doe) that I plan to place it in her nest for a while so it can get a full tummy. Anyway, Tinkerbell has been a great first timer so far: Made a nest, pulled fur, had both kits in the nest box --the whole works. She is very protective of the kit--but not aggressive with me when I want to take a look. She spends half the day in the nestbox....just coddling the kit....if I didn't know any better I would think she thinks herself a chicken keeping her chicks warm. :shock: :lol: Any time there is a loud noise when she is outside the nestbox she will immediately run in and check on the kit.
Anyway, I'm a bit concerned because she hadn't really eaten anything before kindling maybe 2-3 days of not eating unless she just barley touched her food and I didn't notice. Since she has given birth she hasn't eaten anything but hay. I know this because I sprinkled some oatmeal over her pellets which hasn't been touched. I also tried giving her a papaya enzyme tablet to see if she needed help with digestion or something and she wouldn't eat that either. She's a picky eater and I've yet to find a treat she won't turn down. She is eating hay right now and drinking water and acting completely normal. Maybe this is normal? All my other does have always ravenously eaten before and after kindling...? :? I also thought it was worth mentioning that after kindling yesterday morning I noticed her tummy was gurgling quite a bit. I can still hear it once in a while this morning too...mean anything?
Aside from not the fullest tummy in the house(it is a bit full but not extremely full from what I can tell), still, I had another doe just kindle this morning (HL, named Ginger-experienced doe) that I plan to place it in her nest for a while so it can get a full tummy. Anyway, Tinkerbell has been a great first timer so far: Made a nest, pulled fur, had both kits in the nest box --the whole works. She is very protective of the kit--but not aggressive with me when I want to take a look. She spends half the day in the nestbox....just coddling the kit....if I didn't know any better I would think she thinks herself a chicken keeping her chicks warm. :shock: :lol: Any time there is a loud noise when she is outside the nestbox she will immediately run in and check on the kit. Anyway, I'm a bit concerned because she hadn't really eaten anything before kindling maybe 2-3 days of not eating unless she just barley touched her food and I didn't notice. Since she has given birth she hasn't eaten anything but hay. I know this because I sprinkled some oatmeal over her pellets which hasn't been touched. I also tried giving her a papaya enzyme tablet to see if she needed help with digestion or something and she wouldn't eat that either. She's a picky eater and I've yet to find a treat she won't turn down. She is eating hay right now and drinking water and acting completely normal. Maybe this is normal? All my other does have always ravenously eaten before and after kindling...? :? I also thought it was worth mentioning that after kindling yesterday morning I noticed her tummy was gurgling quite a bit. I can still hear it once in a while this morning too...mean anything?
