What did I do wong

[CWD]

I have a first time doe, I put with the buck on 2-14. I watched to make sure they had mated.
I marked my calender, on day 27 I put a nest box with shreadded paper in her pen.
I waited until day 35 to pull the nest box, and put her back in with the buck.

This morning day 39 I go out to feed, I find fur every where, I see 2 kits on the wire, cold and lifeless
there is some fun in the corner of her pen. I was hoping,because she built a small nest, maybe there will be some kits in the fur. I pull the fur back, and I find a hole in the bottom of the pen.( hardware cloth ) no kits in the nest. so I look under the pen.
I found 3 more dead kits, mixed in with the fur and dirt. I picked up the kits and fur. as I looked into the pen, the doe was still pulling fur. I put a nest box in with her, however too late to do any good, I believe.

So now I am thinking, She did not take when I put her with the buck.
the first time. So he must have got her thru the wire a few days later.
So if this was the case, did she take the other day when I put them together again.
Should I put her back with him tomorrow ?
should I wait for her new due date and see what happens ?
I have never had some thing like this happen before.

I know none of my buck will not be able to get at the does thru the wire again.
I have them far enough apart. and this one only happened because I was lazy. I did not put her back
into her pen. I put her into an empty pen next to the the buck.

 

[Heritage Homestead]

So now I am thinking, She did not take when I put her with the buck.
the first time. So he must have got her thru the wire a few days later.

This does not have to be the case. Some of the members on here have had does hold out on them until day 40 I believe. The first time could have took and she was just a little late,

So if this was the case, did she take the other day when I put them together again.
Should I put her back with him tomorrow ?
should I wait for her new due date and see what happens ?

I don't know if she could be bred again when she was that far along or not. Someone else can probably tell you.

Sorry you lost the litter. Hope she does better the next time.

 

[Dood]

It is highly unlikely she got pregnant while she was pregnant!

Re breed her if she is in good body condition. I usually rebreed two days after birth if there was a small litter, lost some or all the kits or if the doe is in good shape.

 

[CWD]

she is in great shape. I was thinking about waiting to see if she took.
but I think I will put her back with a different buck day after tomorrow.

dispatching rabbits dose not bother me,dead kits, is another story.this one hurt.

 

[Dood]

I waited until day 35 to pull the nest box, and put her back in with the buck.

This morning day 39 I go out to feed, I find fur every where, I see 2 kits on the wire, cold and lifeless

so the doe was bred 4 days BEFORE she gave birth.

I was thinking about waiting to see if she took

if she was full of kits there is NO WAY the sperm swam past them and up the fallopian tubes and inseminated her eggs.

Just because she lifted for the buck doesn't mean she took. Women have sex during pregnancy and don't end up with a second, or third or fourth baby in there.

It was likely that the breeding with the buck stimulated her to give birth. I have a doe who is always late, on day 31 I put her with the buck to help get things going and she normally has them within a day or two.

 

[MaggieJ]

A few thoughts...

She was likely just late kindling. Day 39 is very late but not impossibly so.

Chilled kits are not necessarily dead, even when they appear so. Another time, try warming them. A kit is not dead until it is warm and dead. And you have nothing to lose by trying.

Don't pull the nest box just because you think the doe did not take. Over and over I hear this: I was sure she missed, so I took the box out and ended up with kits on the wire.

Hope things go better next time around. :clover:

 

[fuzzy9]

So very sorry for your loss, and experience. Hoping things go much better next time!

 

[Miss M]

I had a doe kindle on day 41, but she had a stuck kit. Losing kits is such a bummer... so sad.

Hope all goes well with her next breeding.

 

[coffeenutdesigns]

Two of mine kindled on days 36 and 37. I wouldn't pull a box on day 35. Get some cage wire in the bottom instead of hardware cloth before she kindles again to avoid them falling through issue. Good luck with the breeding! You'll be better prepared next time

 

[CWD]

well as of today this pen is no longer in use. I have started taking it apart, so I can put in 1x1/2 inch wire.
all hardware cloth will be gone.
I tryed to warm the kits up, but they were gone before I found them.
I have not checked her after I moved her into a proper pen. she had only pulled a little fur, when I first
found her this morning. I will check her in a few mins. when I feed them.
I have never had a doe go so far past her due date. next time I will not put her box until day 45 or 50.
not taking any more chances.
I was thinking the time she spent with my buck, may have induced her labor. the kits were big and fully developed.
I was not sure if she could have taken while pregnant, because I have heard stories about double pregnancies with
rabbits. so I did not know if I should breed her back in 2 days or wait another 32 plus days just to make sure.

thanks every one for the advice. I know I am not the only one who has problems now and then.
everyone has been great.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

Rotten luck, I'd re-breed. Sorry about the litter, it happens sometimes.

 

[AnnClaire]

CWD - I think there is another issue you are missing here ... you said there was a hole in the hardware cloth under where she tried to build a nest. Sounds to me like she did get a nest built there and some predator tore the wire open. My guess is there were several more kits born that are now gone.

Predators harrassing the does at night can also be the cause of them holding back on kindling!

Sorry about the loss ... it really hurts when you feel some failure on your part was contributory. BTDT

 

[CWD]

AnnClaire I am not blaming the doe, she did try to build a nest. I took the box out too soon.
thinking after 35 days she had not taken.
as far as any predator, this is not a factor, my rabbits are in an enclosed shelter. and the yard is fenced in.
I believe she was able to pull up the wire of the hardware cloth.because of the pens condition, and my youngest daughter told me today
she had seen a hole in the corner of the pen, where the wire was pulled up. a couple of days before this happened.

So I have to chalk this up to stupid human error.On my part and put into practice what I have learned. such as rebuilding this pen.
and paying closer attention to the rabbits and there pens.

 

[AnnClaire]

Ah, you only mentioned the hole, not when it occurred ... and I understand that taking the nest box out too soon was the actual cause of the loss of the babies. I just hate it when something I have done ends in such a preventable tragedy.

However, from a certain perspective, it looked like the predator harrassment angle was not being considered, so I thought I would mention it. I am having to raise an 8 week old squirrel because of shooting the mom that was harrassing the dog and cat ... didn't know it was a mom or I would have just put up with it for a few more weeks

I know there are times that I look back and think, "And what did you actually think was going to happen dingbat???" ... and some of those times aren't so very long ago

 

[Miss M]

I know there are times that I look back and think, "And what did you actually think was going to happen dingbat???" ... and some of those times aren't so very long ago

So glad I'm not alone.......

 

[coffeenutdesigns]

CWD - I think there is another issue you are missing here ... you said there was a hole in the hardware cloth under where she tried to build a nest. Sounds to me like she did get a nest built there and some predator tore the wire open. My guess is there were several more kits born that are now gone.

Predators harrassing the does at night can also be the cause of them holding back on kindling!

Sorry about the loss ... it really hurts when you feel some failure on your part was contributory. BTDT

oooh, good catch on the possible predator. Even if it wasn't, I didn't even think of that when I first read the post.