Advice is it normal to have litter of 1 baby

[Rachel036]

I fed my girls around 8am and when I get home around 1.15pm she had a dead baby just lying on floor. I looked around in her nest but there were no more. Her baby was about 5 to 6 inches I would say. Is it possible just to have one baby. She's running around eating still and she still won't let me touch her and is still pulling fur out.

 

[Preitler]

It is possible, but not that usual. It is not impossible that more are comming later. How old is she, did she have litters before?

That she's still nesting can't be helped, it'll pass. Just give her nesting material, and privacy, let her do her thing.

 

[Rachel036]

She's about 18months old and her first litter..

 

[Bluetick21]

The first litter is always the hardest. I’ve had as few as two for the first litter and as many as 11 But I’ve never out of 5 does had any survive on in the first litters. They usually get eaten by the does. Don’t get discouraged and keep us updated

 

[Robochelle]

Make sure to leave her nest alone for at least 3 days, even if you think she's done and none survived... apparently when stressed she can delay birthing for days- found that out this winter. I'm glad that I brought my doe in after seeing the one dead, she was outside because I didn't expect babies. She had 3 alive the next day, then another stillborn the day after that!

It was also the messiest kindle I've ever witnessed, don't panic if there's blood on her fur, as long as it isn't dripping.

PS: If you can find some willow branches, it'll help her with inflammation. Also free feed her favorite treats, especially high protein- if she doesn't eat the messy stuff she will need as much energy rich food as she can get.

 

[tambayo]

The first litter is always the hardest. I’ve had as few as two for the first litter and as many as 11 But I’ve never out of 5 does had any survive on in the first litters. They usually get eaten by the does. Don’t get discouraged and keep us updated

??? Here one proven doe lost her first litter with me of 2 due to cold and one already dead when i found the nest, but fur a plenty. Part my fault, no nestbox. 2nd doe, 5 kits dead spread out in the hutch, also no nestbox, her i bred back right away and she had a textbook kindle with 4 live kits 31 days later. Note : this is mother and daughter, so apart from the my fault factor i do suspect a inherited trait i m not so happy about. My other mother and daughter "sets" have had zero problems with their first litters. So that is 2 oeps/hmm mothering out of 6 does. The 2 oeps does would have gone for the pot if not for a i suspect this is at least partly my fault and a litter of less then 3 doesn't make enough nestheat. Now note that i bought the mothers from good mothering does, same i ask about the bucks i buy.
Latest litter doe decided nestbox was in the wrong spot, and made a textbook nest elsewhere, i put nest in the nestbox and nestbox where she had shown to want it and that fixed it.

For me does that make a hash of the first litter are not what i'd keep breeders from or want to buy as breeding stock. But i see mothering ability as a primarily inherited trait, not a learn as they go one.

 

[Rachel036]

The first litter is always the hardest. I’ve had as few as two for the first litter and as many as 11 But I’ve never out of 5 does had any survive on in the first litters. They usually get eaten by the does. Don’t get discouraged and keep us updated

Nope shes had no more buts she's doing good and still making nest.