Pastor Dave's Highlights

Fall... my favorite time of year. 65 degree mornings (inside) and floors cool enough to make your feet tingle when you get out of that nice warm bed... Make you want to climb right back in :D The air is crisp and clean... Just love this time of year. No AC, no heat... too warm, open the windows, too cool, close them back up. Have plenty of flannel shirts I can throw on and nice warm slippers for my feet if needed. Hope fall stays around for a while this year.
 
12 new kits between 2 does. The sr. doe had 4, so I fostered 2 over from the younger doe. She should be able to handle the extra because her first litter was 10, and 8 raised to wean and on to process. She's not really so old that her numbers should be declining, so I will just have to wait and see how she does next time.
 
This round has been much better than the last few. Tomorrow the kits will all be a week old. Only one runt, so far, hasn't made it. Generally speaking, by a week you can usually tell how many will make it.

I have two does that could be bred giving me their litters late November. In years past that would have worked fine. This Fall seems to be measuring up a little different. A little cooler earlier. But, it's always a gamble breeding when knowing kindling will be in July and August or December and January.
 
When feeding this am, counted the kits in one doe's nest box and found one missing. They are 10 days old, so could possibly survive if fell out of box, but I couldn't find it. Finally, I moved a soup can that all the cages have for recreation, and it was inside. I pulled it out and it was cold and not limber. But, it had some movement!

I immediately unzipped my sweatshirt, and unbuttoned my flannel shirt to get down to my t-shirt. I dropped it down the neck and went back to working. My bibs of my overalls wouldn't let it slide down further to my waist. I guess my stomach fills them just enough it couldn't slide further. Lol. It began to warm against my skin with plenty of layers holding in my warmth, and I could feel it squirm.

When I was done feeding it had warmed enough to go back in the nest box with the others. I have always been told not to place them back with the litter without warming them up first. I caught it in the brink of time, so it should make it.
 
Way to save that future meal! Glad you didn't lose it needlessly. Hope it pulls through and becomes the future enchiladas you may envision :drool:thumbsup
 
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