What sort of colour are these kits going to be ?

[theferreter 311]

Yesterday the jill with the second litter chucked another litter kit out of the nest...i found it looking a bit ruff burried under the shavings in a corner of the hutch..thats 3 so far.. but this time i thought I would try and see if the other jill with the older kits would help out.. so i took the little cold lifeless kit and dragged it through a bit of the smelly corner of the new jills hutch (trying to get some scent onto it)..I then dropped it down besides her while i was playing with the other kits....she immediately sussed it was not right and dragged it off into a corner for close inspection...the poor little thing squeeked and i thought she was goona kill it,but she just stopped looked at it again and started licking its head and body all over...she was doing this for about 10 mins drgging it away from others and licking it all over..the more it squeeked the more she licked...she then got into the nest with it and laid down with the rest of them and let it feed...it took it quite a while to get any food because its tiny compared to the rest of the kits...but its managed it and got through the night and is still here today...this morning i gave it some extra helpings of minced chicked slightly watered down so it could drink it rather than eat it...ive got a feeling the little fella might just make it...fingers crossed for him...if he does make it with all these big kits.he will be a right little battle axx.

hope the wee fella pulls through vin

[Jamie m 668]

There could also be a very good reason why she's expelled the kit ,??? Ie deformed internally , or something

[The one 8,494]

as said the jill maybe has sussed out there no quite right and is letting nature take its course

[Jamie m 668]

Yes or another possible reason If the jills been stressed out to much from an earlly stage and not settled ,

[Jamie m 668]

Mastitis in one or more teats , something's not right simples ,

[Guest vin]

thanks for the replies chaps... I think its down to the Jill just not being very good at motherhood...Some take to it well and others maybe not so well.. . . I've fostered 3 into the other litter now with the older kits.. so at least some of them have a good chance in both litters now.

 

I've looked the Jill over everyday and cant see nothing wrong with her...she,s eating and drinking ok etc etc...she,s slightly skinny,but so was the other jill for a while at the begining of the litter,She,s got enough food and apart from that...who knows. . . If i take her to the vets..Im sure there will be nothing they can do ? and if I do the kits will be without mummy for too long and when she gets back will most likely kill them all anyway...its a bit of a tricky one really. . . If I thought she was poorly I would take her and forget the kits....but its a catch 22 situation at the moment.. She seems to be ok in her health,But just crap at looking after her kits.

 

Ive been giving them lots of bunny and lactose free milk...plus started giving them chicken carcass minced and slightly watered down so they can almost drink it.. they go mental for it...lol.

[patterdalejoel 669]

nature not nurture, survival of the fittest, call it what you will maybe they were just destined not to live....

[The one 8,494]

Is the father too the kits the hob you found ?.

[Guest vin]

yes mate its the rescued from the box trap hob..Boxer..LOL. . .he,s been done now so there wont be anymore oppspring coming from him...his other litter is doing fine and looking very healthy.

[The one 8,494]

As you dont know if hes produced a litter before you might be getting genetic problems from him and no the jill ,but in all honesty you will never know why the jills rejecting the odd kit . I never like to try ask about rehoming kits them till there about six weeks old them by the time there ready to go i might have a new owner or two lined up

[Guest vin]

As you dont know if hes produced a litter before you might be getting genetic problems from him and no the jill ,but in all honesty you will never know why the jills rejecting the odd kit . I never like to try ask about rehoming kits them till there about six weeks old them by the time there ready to go i might have a new owner or two lined up

 

Yes mate...don't count yer chickens an all that...LOL..

 

My mate lost all his 3 Jills litters of kits last year...they just didnt make it...Natures a funny thing sometimes.

 

Im just happy that the 1st litter is doing well and looking really healthy.... I think the second litter are what they might call Micros.. LOL.. they are only 10 days behind but look tiny in comparison.

 

theres 3 in there if you can spot em.

 

[Guest vin]

well as suspected the poor little Jill was not healthy.. Took her to the vets 1st thing this morning. She was unsteady on her feet and just not at all right this morning.

 

Vet said definately not mastitis...and after a good examination said it looked like it was most probably a Tumour of some sort.. and recommended PTS.

 

I am and was Gutted !

 

I know some might say its only a fert...but It was a good un and i liked it. . .cannot believe how sad it makes me feel to lose something so unimportant to most people.

 

I have 3 kits left from her litter..hopefully they will make it with the foster family.

[theferreter 311]

well as suspected the poor little Jill was not healthy.. Took her to the vets 1st thing this morning. She was unsteady on her feet and just not at all right this morning.

 

Vet said definately not mastitis...and after a good examination said it looked like it was most probably a Tumour of some sort.. and recommended PTS.

 

I am and was Gutted !

 

I know some might say its only a fert...but It was a good un and i liked it. . .cannot believe how sad it makes me feel to lose something so unimportant to most people.

 

I have 3 kits left from her litter..hopefully they will make it with the foster family.

sorry to hear that mate

[patterdalejoel 669]

would the tumour of presented a problem without a litter being bred from her, did that speed up the process or was it coincidental?

[Guest vin]

would the tumour of presented a problem without a litter being bred from her, did that speed up the process or was it coincidental?

 

not sure mate.. Vet said it could have been an underlying problem that was worsened by having the kits and using all her energies in trying to rear them..

 

She just looked like she had lost her fight this morning mate...could'nt let her suffer anymore. . .

I feel bad for not noticing it sooner...but vet said they are funny little things and dont show somethings wrong right up until the last minutes... I said I looked at her everyday and she seemed ok..just a little tired..as expected with kits..But when she started throwing the kits out last week...I should have had her PTS then...but the vet assured me Its so hard to tell when somethings wrong with the little buggers..

 

sad day at my house anyway.