NEED HELP ASAP...PLZ!

[watersedgerabbitry]

I have a doe that was due to have babies this past Thursday. Well yesterday she was building her nest with hay and also her hair so I though this was wonderful looking like she was gonna do great. Well finally tonight about 630 pm she had her first kit on the wire. So I put it in the box....Well she is continuing to have them on the wire. I am up to 9 now( 5 alive 4 dead) What can i do to assist if anything. I have been sitting in the dark in the rabbitry and when I see her having a baby soon as she cleans it and I see it moving around i put it in the nest box. Am I doing correct.......What do I need to do Plz Help.Thank You so much Nate

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I think you are doing all you can for them. She should feed them in the morning or tomorrow evening- sometimes they don't feed them for the first 24 hours or so.

 

[watersedgerabbitry]

is this normal? All my meat muts seem to do everything just right...but now that I steped up and got some quality Cals for my brood stock i have had this happen 2 out of the 3 does. Last time one of my does done this I did the exact same thing but on day 3 all kits died (8) of them. I sure dont want this to happen again.

Thank you MamaSheepdog

 

[Bad Habit]

If they're fairly new mums, then it could be because of that? My doe's used her nest box with every litter, but I know others have this issue with the first few litters.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

You're welcome, not that I was much help!

No, it isn't normal, but first time does sometimes make mistakes. A lot of members here have a "three strikes and you're out" rule.

I have been very fortunate in that all of my homebred does have kindled in the nest the first time. One kindled on the wire the second time, because she wanted her nest right in front of the door, and my doors swing in and up, so that wasn't an option.

It sounds like your last litter wasn't being fed. Sometimes you need to hold the doe in the nest to feed, or "flip" them on your lap and place the kits on their bellies to nurse.

Here is a post with photos of fed versus unfed kits so you will know what to watch for:

fed-vs-unfed-kit-pictures-t3052.html

 

[skysthelimit]

I have not been fortunate, even 3 year old experienced does have been making nest after the fact, and dropping litters all over the cage. Could have been the heat. I am on the three strikes, so watch carefully to see if this is a pattern or a mishap of a first timer.

 

[watersedgerabbitry]

All smiles here!!! After a rough night lastnite I a pleased to tell you I have 7 healthy kits in the nest still doing well today. I rushed out this morning to check on momma and the babies i had put in the box and all five of them seemed to be doing verry well and momma was in the box and it looked as if they were nursing. So I had to go to Lowe's to pick up a few things and when I came home I went to check on her and them again and that is when I discovered 2 MORE KITS on the ground burrowd under the hay under the cages. Now all 7 seem to be doing great.

And Thankful for some valuble lessons learned!

 

[3mina]

Our rabbits seem to like to stress us once in a while

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Yay! Congratulations.

 

[wsmoak]

I had the same experience -- my Generic Feed Store Bunny has kindled twice with no problems. But my new purebred Californian doe that I had to go hundreds of miles to get took two days to have eight kits (and lost one). At least she used the nest box!

Glad to hear your litter is doing well now that the little guys are in the box where they belong.

-Wendy

 

[watersedgerabbitry]

Thx yall cuz I sure been doin some stressing. Cant wsit to get this first week under there belt and then they will be home free!

 

[OneAcreFarm]

All smiles here!!! After a rough night lastnite I a pleased to tell you I have 7 healthy kits in the nest still doing well today. I rushed out this morning to check on momma and the babies i had put in the box and all five of them seemed to be doing verry well and momma was in the box and it looked as if they were nursing. So I had to go to Lowe's to pick up a few things and when I came home I went to check on her and them again and that is when I discovered 2 MORE KITS on the ground burrowd under the hay under the cages. Now all 7 seem to be doing great.

And Thankful for some valuble lessons learned!

Do you have "babysaver" wire on your cages? If not, I would add a four inch strip of hardware cloth all around the bottom edge of your cages. This will prevent the kits from crawling to the edge and falling out. Glad to hear that she is taking good care of them. Sometimes, it takes them a bit to catch on to what is happening.

 

[a7736100]

One advantage of using a indoor solid bottom type of cage with thick layer of bedding for expecting does is even if the doe don't use the nest box the kits remain safe amd warm. Often the doe pulls fur after birth. It's very easy for her to make a nest where the kits dropped.