Evidence of one kit being eaten. What to do?

[currituckbun]

My mean reluctantly bred doe , Clover, just kindled today while I was at work. She has 6 in the box and they are huge. She seemed happy it was all over and did not freak out when I checked her litter. I noticed while checking that there was some fresh blood on the bedding in the box and what looked like a tiny bone part with blood in the catch tray. I think she ate one!!!!
My question is will she eat the others and will I make her uneasy if I keep checking? I really don't trust her. I hope I am wrong about her but...... she is just not nice. Any suggestions?

 

[OneAcreFarm]

That one may have been born dead and she was just "cleaning up" so to speak. That is completely normal. Just watch her and if you have any others that end up that way, just remove the box and only bring it to her for nursing twice a day.

Shannon

 

[MaggieJ]

Relax. It is very seldom that a doe will kill and eat a kit, but it is common for a doe to eat all or part of a kit that is stillborn or that dies shortly after birth. They also routinely eat the placental material and anything else that may foul the nest.

 

[fuzzy9]

Congrats on the popples! :mbounce: New babies are so exciting!

We had a doe that was just not nice either, she was just down right mean. We culled her after her last litter, and our herd is much nicer without her. I don't have patience for does like that. If she is not your only doe, and you really don't like her attitude, culling her is always an option. There's to many nice rabbits to worry about keeping one with an attitude like that.

 

[currituckbun]

Thanks. I feel better knowing that she was just cleaning up and that she won't go all zombie on me. I checked again and all 6 are still there and bellies look full. They are so much bigger than the kits of my other doe who had 10. I guess there was a little more room to grow with only 6 or 7 kits.
As mean as she usually is she was nice again when I went out there. I gave her some fresh basil from my herb garden and she came right up and nibbled away like we were old friends. I may just hang on to her for a bit more.