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drthumbs

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I have a doe on her second litter, my son was taking the nest box out on day 29. He found a kit on the wire. Tow more were found that managed to get out of the cage. The doe had made no effort to pull fur.

we went ahead an placed the nest box and placed the three kits in with some dryer lint. The doe then started nesting....

In the morning, I checked on kits before I went off to work. THe doe had still made no effort to pull fur and had almost emptied the nest box. The three kits were all dead. I removed the kits and left the nest box When I left for work. When I got home tonight around 10 PM I went to check on the rabbitry and the dose had clearly been pulling fur nut it was scattered throughout the cage. The nest box was empty.

To my surprise there was a kit on the wire. I found six new kits and some fresh blood from the kindling. I refilled the nest box and gather fur and made the nest myself. I have been checking on the nest every half hour or so and all looks good for now.

I heard of a litter coming early, but never a split litter without pulling fur.
 
Split litters do happen. Had you had the doe for her first litter? Did she pull fur then? Sometimes they do or dont and depending on the situation that can change. Usually if they pulled fur the first time they continue to for the times after. We always keep extra hair from past litters (like if it was the summer and mom pulled too much) that we store in a bag.

How was the doe bred? If it was 24-72 hours between breedings she could have caught twice meaning she was carrying two litters at the same time. Unless this is a larger breed rabbit 10 babies might be a normal size?
 
Thanks for the quick response.

I did have the doe for her first litter. She is a Calli/NZ mix. She need a little encouragement to use the nesting box last time, but did pull fur, not as much as other does. Both her and her sister had small 4 and 6 on there first littler with the sister kindled 11 in her second litter 2 weeks ago.

When breedign I take the doe to the buck and as remove her as soon as the first take. I then wait five minutes and repeat. Then the next rounds are by one hour intervals. Four or five takes as I recall. I attempt a second breeding two weeks in, if the doe is receptive I follow the same routine. If she is not receptive right within a minute or tow I remove her and make no further attempts till she kindles.

I like the idea of keeping extra fur, but will it need to be from the same doe?
 
I don't know if this is true for everyone, but my Polish does seem to know which kits are going to be DOA or just not normal and which will be normal, during kindling. I have found 1-2 dead kits on the wire before and live ones in the nestbox covered with hair. We normally put the nestbox out on day 28.

Do you know how to palpate? At two weeks you can usually feel if the doe has kits. Then you wouldn't have to try re-breeding her at that time.
 
To answer your question no it doesnt have to be from the same doe. We keep all the fur in a bag together and take it out when we need it. Same idea when fostering. You really dont have to rub nesting material or worry about how the fosters smell. Moms are really accepting usually.

That is a pretty normal size for cals and NZs
 
I have tried to palpate several times but have failed to make any determination. Ergo the re-breeding. This doe in question has a rather cantankerous disposition and clearly does not like to be handled. I try and limit the amount that I handle her to try and keep from stressing her out. I have some other stock that is nearing breeding age. I think I will give this doe one last chance before she is replaced.

On a positive note, all six of the second round kits are still alive and look to be doing well. The doe even seems to be manipulating the nest. There may just be hope for her.
 

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