lost 3 whole litters in a row

[DirtyMarkVlp]

ive lost several litters from this one doe i purchased a while back and ive been unable to figure out why, and a friend said possibly pinched hips/ stretched kits.

upon examining these kits i think she may be right

ive had 3 litters where she lost all kits, and 2 where a few survived, im not sure if she stomped them, they were stillborn, stretched but i attached a photo so i could get advice from you experts.

her daughter gave birth to 9 healthy kits last night too, kindled same night...so im thinkin about fostering 4 of them to her.

do you guys think this is sound protocol?

 

[ladysown]

WHY? as in why do you want to foster?

the daughter should be able to raise her litter without assistance even if you have a small breed doe.

Lom is having issues having kits over three litters. I'd be terminally culling the problem doe.

BUT if you NEED to have her, then rebreed her to hope for a bigger litter and smaller kits which will make them more likely to survive.

 

[FourRingCircus]

I agree - I would let the other rabbit raise her 9 rather than risk fostering them over - does she currently have any kits of her own?

With a track record like that I would terminally cull as well... I am guessing there is something going on structurally. I culled one doe that was having issues and found a small tumor in one of her horns. She has two disastrous litters with stretched kits as well. The first I attributed to possible heat issues, the other definitely wasn't.

Could you post a pic of the doe in question? From a couple different angles? Sometimes pinched hips are pretty obvious...

 

[Marinea]

I see three strikes...she would be out.

And I wouldn't risk the kits to fostering.

Sorry you are going through this.

 

[DirtyMarkVlp]

the rabbit that birthed 9 is a new mother and im not sure if shes going to be able to take care of a litter of 9 <br /><br /> -- Sat Mar 12, 2016 2:03 am -- <br /><br />

I agree - I would let the other rabbit raise her 9 rather than risk fostering them over - does she currently have any kits of her own?

With a track record like that I would terminally cull as well... I am guessing there is something going on structurally. I culled one doe that was having issues and found a small tumor in one of her horns. She has two disastrous litters with stretched kits as well. The first I attributed to possible heat issues, the other definitely wasn't.

Could you post a pic of the doe in question? From a couple different angles? Sometimes pinched hips are pretty obvious...

what angles would you like i will take some pics for you romrrow.

 

[FourRingCircus]

the rabbit that birthed 9 is a new mother and im not sure if shes going to be able to take care of a litter of 9

-- Sat Mar 12, 2016 2:03 am --

I agree - I would let the other rabbit raise her 9 rather than risk fostering them over - does she currently have any kits of her own?

With a track record like that I would terminally cull as well... I am guessing there is something going on structurally. I culled one doe that was having issues and found a small tumor in one of her horns. She has two disastrous litters with stretched kits as well. The first I attributed to possible heat issues, the other definitely wasn't.

Could you post a pic of the doe in question? From a couple different angles? Sometimes pinched hips are pretty obvious...

what angles would you like i will take some pics for you romrrow.

From the side and back at rest, and if she's at all cooperative you can flip her on her back and tell by the way the feet are angled.

 

[DirtyMarkVlp]

ill take some pics heritage...did those kits look stretched to you, too?

 

[Miss M]

Those kits look just like the stretched kits I've had in the past.

Most does can take care of a litter of 9. You can help her milk supply with things like fresh parsley, plantain (the lawn weed), blackberry/raspberry/rose/strawberry leaves, small amounts of black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS), and such. Don't bother removing thorns from the briars, as rabbits will eat them right along with the rest of it. Be sure to use only weeds and briars that have not been sprayed with chemicals.

The only reason I would consider fostering any to the other doe would be to prevent mastitis, but you could give that doe (the one that lost the litters) mint to dry her milk up. Do not give mint to the doe with the litter of 9.

I agree with the others; I would cull the doe that has lost three litters in a row. As others said, she very likely has some structural problem like pinched hips that does not allow enough room for the kits to pass through the birth canal. Kindling would be very hard on her, and she actually could die trying to give birth someday. That can happen to any doe, true, but for a doe like her there is an increased risk, I would think.