Bailey is two years old. This is her 5th litter. She's always been on time and no problems - excellent nest builder and mother. My records show she's only lost one kit - has fostered several others.
So she's due on the 22nd. Yesterday, after cleaning up under the pens, I go back in to find there's a large puddle of blood under her pen. What I'd normally see if she'd given birth. So I think maybe I wrote my dates down wrong (as I did have another doe due yesterday). I clean that up and put a nest box in her pen. I added a bowl of water to ensure she had fluids. I keep checking on her as I do other chores and nothing happens. About two hours later, there's another large discharge of blood. Again, nothing else is going on. She's not pulling fur or building a nest - just stretched out and chilling like it's any other day.
Here we are the next day and she's acting and eating normally. It's been over 30 hours and she hasn't delivered or aborted the litter. She's still big as a house.
My plan is to let Nature take it's course. (As an older male, I've been satisfied going through life letting the mystery of birth remain a mystery! Remember the days when the father waited out in the hall for the doctor to come out and tell us if it's a boy or a girl - and then we handed out cigars - and the doctor smoked one with us! Honestly! That used to happen!)
Anyway, I've never seen this before. Anybody out there have a similar experience? Please advise.
So she's due on the 22nd. Yesterday, after cleaning up under the pens, I go back in to find there's a large puddle of blood under her pen. What I'd normally see if she'd given birth. So I think maybe I wrote my dates down wrong (as I did have another doe due yesterday). I clean that up and put a nest box in her pen. I added a bowl of water to ensure she had fluids. I keep checking on her as I do other chores and nothing happens. About two hours later, there's another large discharge of blood. Again, nothing else is going on. She's not pulling fur or building a nest - just stretched out and chilling like it's any other day.
Here we are the next day and she's acting and eating normally. It's been over 30 hours and she hasn't delivered or aborted the litter. She's still big as a house.
My plan is to let Nature take it's course. (As an older male, I've been satisfied going through life letting the mystery of birth remain a mystery! Remember the days when the father waited out in the hall for the doctor to come out and tell us if it's a boy or a girl - and then we handed out cigars - and the doctor smoked one with us! Honestly! That used to happen!)
Anyway, I've never seen this before. Anybody out there have a similar experience? Please advise.