Late kits to come out *WARNING GRAPHIC*

[Easy Ears]

My HL doe Ginger kindled on day 32, two healthy live kits. Three days later I come outside to find these two kits. I checked the nest box and the kits already kindled were unharmed. I've heard this can happen. I'm just surprised she was acting so normal those last 3 days. She was eating, drinking and pooing fine. Hm. Well, I just wanted to ask, do you think the kits came out like that, or did she harm them a bit? Should I not leave the live kits in there with her? She is quite the psychotic doe having split personalities, but she is quite devoted to her babies from what I can tell,(her stomach is literally bear from pulling fur) although after seeing this I'm a bit wary. If I do need to be concerned, I would just bring her in to "force nurse". Opinions?

 

[MaggieJ]

I'm no expert on this kind of thing, but it looks to me as though the doe had to pull the dead kits out, which would account for the damage. If she hasn't harmed the healthy kits by now, I don't think she will. Just my feeling -- there are no guarantees. Forcing her to nurse indoors might have bad results if she gets into one of her moods.

 

[AprilW]

I second what Maggie said. She probably struggled giving birth to these and it was likely unintentional. If she has been taking care of the other kits to this point, I wouldn't worry about them. Since the mom is so temperamental, I would start interacting with the babies from a young age so hopefully they are nicer than she is.

 

[alforddm]

If birth was delayed for 3 days the kits were likely already dead. I agree that she probably caused the damage trying to pull them out.

 

[ladysown]

normal looking born dead kits.
Quite normal for mom to act fine until they need to be expelled.