Too many kits - not enough does!

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moonkitten

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Last week I had 4 litters kindle: 15, 8, 11 and 10. I fostered 3 from the litter of 15 to the doe who had 8. This morning the doe with 10 was looking really rough. She hadn't touched her food or water and was sort of weaving back and forth in the cage. I syringed some Acid-Pak 4-way (electrolytes) into her and left for work. By the time I got home, she was stiff in the cage -- pregnancy toxemia I assume. Her kits are wonderfully fat and sassy, so she was caring and feeding them right up to the end.

But how am I going to foster her 10 kits out between 3 does who have 11 or 12 each already????? :shock:

I've got another doe due this Wednesday and I'm really hoping she kindles early and with a small litter -- how often do you wish for a SMALL litter??? I just can't bring myself to cull perfectly viable, plump kits :( I've got a can of KMR and a feeding bottle, so I'll try to keep them going until the next doe kindles, but sheesh!! When it rains, it POURS and POURS.
 
cereshill":28gadqw9 said:
would it be worthwhile to induce delivery on the pending doe?
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She's a first time mom, so I don't want to rock her boat too much. She's been pulling fur and carrying straw around since Sunday, so I'm hopeful that if she doesn't kindle Tuesday, it will be Wednesday morning for sure. These orphans are really fat, so I think they can survive that long even if they won't take the bottle tomorrow.
 
can you give them each one feeding from two or three different does every day? that way you aren't stressing any one doe too much. That's what I would do anyways.
 
Truckinguy":3na9aorj said:
That's a lot of kits at the same time....
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Yeah -- FINALLY!! :mbounce:

January and February were very poor months for kindling. I had to send most of my regular customers to anyone else I know that breeds meat rabbits. In mid-march I had 5 does kindle 48 live kits, then this week 4 does kindled 44. So I'm back in business -- if I can keep them alive long enough to grow up :)
 
At least the doe is a first timer and will probably have a smaller litter. Here's hoping things go well for you and the kits!

Kat
 
Okay, so the red doe died on Monday leaving me with 10 four day old kits. I fostered 6 of them between the remaining 3 does and bottle fed 4 Tuesday morning and night. They seemed to drink well, but Wed morning the 4 bottle-fed were pretty skinny and starting to look weak. I switched them out with 4 fat kits from one of the litters, then made sure that doe fed everyone in her box including the 4 weak bottle kits. Lots of nice round bellies after feeding.

Moira was kind enough to kindle during feeding rounds on Wed morning before I went to work. She had 6, so I popped the 4 taken from the nestbox in with the rest of her litter without trying to bottle feed them. I figured they would be ok until I got home from work. During feeding rounds Wed evening, Moira hopped into her nestbox and fed all 10 kits, so EVERYONE got a natural feeding at least once on Wednesday.

I put the bottle away and I think they are mostly going to make it. The harle litter has a runt that probably can't compete with 11 other kits, but everyone else seems to be doing fine. WHEW!!!
 

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