I mentioned this to Stan, but thought I would post it here, too, as neither of us has seen this before....

I just had a doe kindle. There were several strange things about this. So, a little background:

I brought her home in early February (around the 3rd). I bred her on March 28. She has never been bred before - at least no chance since I have had her, as she was caged between two does.

She fine when I checked her, but an hour later she'd not only delivered four kits, but had torn most of the hair off her legs and lower body. Of course, we've been in a bad cold snap, so without a box, she would have pulled the hair to try to keep them warm as possible. Because the kits were so big and well formed - looking full term - I weighed them. 3 ounces each!!! That's big for term kits, let alone 2+ weeks early...

Got a box in there immediately, thinking those might not be it yet. I have not checked to see if there are any more. Of course, those first ones had died, and she was beginning to 'clean up' the mess. She is eating, drinking ,etc. And, came to the cage door to be petted - her old self again.

Now.... the other two does I bred back in February had normal deliveries, but all the kits were born with full coats - something that's been rare in the past, but not unheardof for me. They were about a week late in both cases. But that doesn't explain this one!! Either she's over a month late, or better than two weeks early...

She is on the same feed as the others. (cob pellets, some wilted greens, etc) No chemicals or drugs, either in the food or processed into it, and seems to be doing as well as they are in all other ways.... Eyes clear, no discharges anywhere, coat shiny (if a little thin today!), teeth are ok, no lumps, no heat in the body, ears just about right to the touch. Drinks and eats normally, as well as eliminates. Her urine is a little bit darker than normal, but not enough to think there is a hemorrhage or anything like that.

I did not examine the kits, other than to notice that they were looking like regular, normal delivered kits. No swelling or discoloration on the exterior... Without being graphic - what I could see of their insides looked normal, too.

Only thing I can think of is either because of the weather, or because its her first - and neither answer all the strange results...

Any ideas????? This one has me COMPLETELY stumped!!!!!

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), April 09, 2001

Answers

Wish I could help, Sue, but at least I can get this up where someone who can help will see it. I've had rabbits a long time, but never had anything like this either. First time mothers sometimes do strange things but that still leaves a lot of unanswered questions.

-- Peg in NW WI (wildwoodfarms@hushmail.com), April 09, 2001.

Sue, I would say that you remember getting her earlier then you did. I bet she was accidentally bred before you got her. I always lose track of time. I have to write on my calendar when to check to see if eyes are open, when they are old enough to go, when it's time to kindle, etc.

My rabbits all pull out their fur. One looked like a poodle because she would pull all the hair off her legs and her feet would still be full. In the summer, I have to take the hair out of the boxes or the babies will cook, it gets so hot. I bet if she had a box, the kitsj would have lived.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), April 09, 2001.

Sue, Go to rabbitfarming.com and E-Mail Dean Goforth, he is the man when it comes to meat rabbits, maybe he can help. He has a graet weekly E-mail Newsletter it is well worth the $10.00 yearly Subscribtion.

-- Mark in NC Fla (deadgoatman@webtv.net), April 10, 2001.

Thanks everybody!! I posted this on the yahoo forum and a couple others, too...

Dee - its marked on the calendar... Came here on Feb. 3 and bred on Mar 28... I only wish it were that I'd brought them home later! That would be easy!! Thanks, though!

All my rabbits have pulled fur - but not to the point where there was NONE left on their lower bodies!! Of course, that could be because she didn't have a very sheltered place for them. Since there is no blood or scabbing, I figure that's not going to be a problem.

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), April 11, 2001.

On the large kit problem, there is something called fetal giantism in rabbits if i recall and that was probably your problem, had the same thing happen once to a angora doe . Rebred her a couple weeks latter and the next litter was fine.

-- kathy h (ckhart55@earthlink.net), April 11, 2001.

Kathy - thanks... I am hoping you are right, we plan to rebreed her as soon as some of the fur grows back. I'd hate to lose her, but wasn't planning on culling at this point anyway.

I take it that they still look relatively 'normal' on the outside with the giantism??? If that was the problem, maybe it was their size that caused the early delivery, too... Makes more sense than anything I was coming up with!

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), April 12, 2001.