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I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving!

Ugh. Where to begin.

Thursday morning, we were about to go visit my mom. I had a doe due on the 21st, she OF COURSE went over, had her babies about 10am on the 22nd. We had to check them before we left, because I didn't want to leave dead babies in the box any extended period of time. Oh the sight I saw.

To begin with, the doe was a Jersey Wooly. She'd had litters before, so she was doing her business in her nest like a good girl. When we managed to get in to the nest, we found 4 babies. One was alive, two were DOAs, and the fourth- the fourth is going to haunt me. I found my first Max Factor.

For those of you who don't know, a Max Factor kit is born deformed. In the case of this baby (as is often the case), it was born with it's eyes open and no top of it's skull- yes it's little brain was exposed. Thankfully, it was already dead. Max Factors can be born alive, and can live several days, though living is very rare.

I had to clean the three dead babies out of the nestbox- oh it was the stuff of nightmares. They were all still warm, having literally been born maybe 5 minutes before we checked- maybe less.
I could still feel their little warm bodies on my finger tips an hour later- the max factor really bothered me, and it's never easy to remove DOAs- I don't think I've ever found DOAs this fresh.

Of course, the little singleton didn't make it. My two does that were due on the 22nd still haven't had their litters, though one has pulled fur. My next doe is due today (24th).

If I didn't have bad luck, I'd have no luck at all. I get a litter born, but 3 are DOAs, and the singleton froze in it's nest.

It's VERY cold outside. I gave the does that are expecting a lot more hay for their nests. I just hope they managed to have their babies during daylight hours, when it's slightly warmer. They won't, but hope is always nice.

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry