Unexpected Dead Kit

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ladysown

ladysown

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So Shelley a big harlequin who had the three kits that looked white at birth and then became mostly solid coloured lilacs had a dead kit this morning.

These are three big and fast growing kits. Eyes open at day eight and just big big big. They are 11 days old now. There were all growing at a rate proportional to their birth size. The one that died was the smallest of the three.

It surprised me to find the one kit dead as I don't tend to lose kits post 10 days unless they get dragged out of the box. This kit was in the box.

What causes kit mortality? Any thoughts?
 
Kit mortality can be caused by numerous things. The most common would be getting accidentally stepped on by the mother. At 10 days they're bigger, and moving around more so it's harder for the mother to keep track of where they are.
 
Sorry to hear about the kit, Ladysown. :(

I agree that injury from accidentally being stepped on is quite likely the reason. Death could also have been from some congenital defect that didn't show. It is hard not to know the reason for deaths of this type. You could open him up and look for bruising, broken bones etc. or some obvious defect like an abnormal heart or other internal organ, but unless you have reason to believe this may happen again, it is likely easier on you just to chalk it up as "one of those things."
 
I just lost a kit like this yesterday. It was 8 days old. I was in the barn and the mom hoped in the nest box i heard a squeak i checked and 1 of the babies was pantig hard but looked ok so i left it. and that night it was dead. I was given that doe from a friend who told me she was a great doe. But she has been nothing but troble for me. She only has 1 baby left got my fingers crossed its a doe as mama is going byebye when i wean it.
 

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