Big Bertha can't walk again

[ollitos]

Before her first litter, Big Bertha started doing a really weird hop and then progressed to kind of dragging her hind legs behind her. I was really concerned and had no idea what was wrong. Just when I decided I'd have to cull her, she gave birth and was able to walk again.

I was hoping that it was a fluke and was just that one pregnancy pressing on a nerve. Sadly, it's not a fluke.

She's due to kindle on Tuesday. She spends all day laying in her hutch because she cannot walk. Last night, she made it out to the feeder. I watched her flop her upper body over to the waterer and drink, then flop her upper body back towards the feeder and just lay in the grass after the effort.

No more babies for Bertha. Which is heartbreaking because she's such a magic momma. After she kindles, she's so loving. She lets me hold her and flip her. She lets me put other babies on her to nurse. She even adopted 4 older kits without any issues.

I'm down a breeding doe and will need to replace her but we will definitely be culling her. I can't keep any of her kits for future breeding and I cannot in good conscience continue breeding her.

 

[trinityoaks]

Awwww, I'm so sorry, Sharon! That's got to be a tough decision, especially since she's such a good mama to her kits.

 

[5dognightfarm]

Aw I'm sorry!

 

[ladysown]

that bites.

Why not keep any of her kits? it might just be particular to her and the buck might be enough different to cross it out. might be worth a shot anyways (only if you have room to keep and be mindful of potential failure).

____

Rereading my response I'm thinking to myself...idiot add a caveat.

MY general recommendation is to always breed for health. make that a main priority. That said.. sometimes you have to take a studied risk.

in this case you have a doe who is a good tempered beastie, who raises her litters well who just happens to have issues during the final week or so of pregnancy.

it could be an abnormality in HER. Could be an old injury that gets aggravated. Could be a disc that gets pinched with pressure.

Could be a variety of things... so you need to weigh out the risks.

Do you have the time and space to raise up one of her daughters (who has been thoroughly outcrossed to mitigate any genetic factor) and breed that daughter to someone other buck also thoroughly outcrossed in order to prove her (and see how that daughter carries a pregnancy) and possibly keep any resultant offspring?

That would be my response to an excellent doe. I want to keep what is excellent and remove that which is not. SOMETIMES I will keep a doe who is less than stellar in one area because I'm looking down the road to what I want long term. If most of your stock is either sold or put into the freezer you don't risk keeping too many rabbits.

 

[MaggieJ]

I think I would chance saving a very promising young doe from her. If the same problem cropped up, though, I would then cull to terminate the line.

 

[ollitos]

Her last litter was all males. What are the chances?! We just butchered one of her kits.

I do agree with your suggestions to keep a daughter and try her.

Could you explain the term "outcrossed"? I haven't heard that term before and want to make sure I fully understand what you're saying.

She really is a magic momma. My almost-step-daughter is trying to convince me to sell her as a pet and tell people not to breed her. I had to explain that she does not have a good pet temperament and if I took her to auction, someone would see "NZW!!!!" and buy her to breed for meat. She said, "It's not fair! It's not her fault." *sigh* I agree. I told her I was very sad about it, then explained responsible animal husbandry.

 

[ladysown]

make sure the buck she is bred to is not related to her in any way (other than same breed).

 

[ollitos]

Ahhh.... No worries. Right now, none of our breeders are related

 

[ladysown]

in that case, if you have the room, see about keeping an offspring from this litter. getting all bucks the first litter may have been a fluke. (I've been there - and then in the next litter had predominately does). What does your buck mostly throw?

 

[ollitos]

The buck we originally bred her to threw a lot of males.

 

[Cindi Davis]

Ollitos Im sorry

 

[ollitos]

*sigh* Bertha was outside the hutch, laying on the grass when Greg moved the pen. She tried so hard to hop back into the hutch. Once she got turned around and at the door opening, it took at least three attempts to actually get inside and haul the rear half of her body into the hutch. I feel so bad for her. She's due today. I hope for her sake that she's on time. But she's made zero effort with her nesting box.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Poor Bertha! I hope she can walk again this time. If not, do you have a doe to foster the kits to?

 

[ollitos]

Matilda is also due to kindle any day now.