When do you help?

KatieOH

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Our second lionhead did is in labor right now, but the first kit (dead) is just hanging out of her and has been for about half an hour. This is all new to me. I tried to tug a bit but it's really stuck and she's not happy. My daughter is going to be so sad. We were so hopeful for this one after when happened with our other door a couple weeks ago (discoverer 2 dead, then lost another that night, then the last two died 3 days later). Both are the first litters for each doe. It seems she's kind of working at it, but also not. Help!
 

KatieOH

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Well, after about another hour of no progress, I was able to get the head out and the placenta came out, too. So that means she's done, right? No more babies in there if the placenta came out? 😭😭😭 My girls will be so sad in the morning. 😭😭😭
 

KatieOH

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Ugh, now I'm mad at myself for not helping right away! I watched the first get stuck (I may have set up a camera, haha) and if I'd helped get it out right away, the second one would have made it😭😭. I went to bed but decided to check one more time and found another kit dead. So sad.
 

KatieOH

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Total this morning: 6 dead kits. Daughters are handling it well. We'll try each doe one more time to determine if it was a size issue or a first litter issue, then get bigger moms if it's the former.
 

Baymule

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I’m so sorry. Sometimes rabbits are so darn hard to get kits to survive. Then other times kits are hopping everywhere! I hope the second time goes better.
 

Thefarmofdreams

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I'm so sorry this happened! Losses are always hard. :(

Does she have pinched hips? (her feet close together when looking from behind, as opposed to a nice wide stance) If so, she may not be a good breeding doe, and will struggle with birthing. Also, did you warm the kits? Were they in her nest? The general rule of thumb is baby/newborn rabbits aren't dead until they're warm and dead. (iow, cold kits look like dead kits)
 

LilTxFarmer

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I've never had a problem like that, (one being stuck), with my Lionheads. However, with two of mine, on their first time, one had 3 and one died and the other had 2 and both died but on the second time a lot better, the one had six and one died but 5 lived and the other had two and they lived. So hopefully your second birthing will be successful, as well! How old are your Lionhead moma's?
 

fisher010085

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Well, after about another hour of no progress, I was able to get the head out and the placenta came out, too. So that means she's done, right? No more babies in there if the placenta came out? 😭😭😭 My girls will be so sad in the morning. 😭😭😭
I'm very sorry. It's not your fault
 

KatieOH

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We've got 6 live kits this morning!!! I found them just as mom was finishing up the last placenta and that baby has been born outside the box so it went on a little warm up ride with me to pick up milk in case I need to bottle feed any of them. Praying they all survive!!
 
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