That morning, at 7:30am, I went back out to check on her. I didn't wake up in the night to check on her because I forgot to set my alarm and slept like a baby. Anyway, there was no blood in the cage, everything was clean, and there was movement in her nest under all the fluffy fur she pulled! When I moved the fur I knew there were tons of babies! I took the box out to get a good count. 1..2...3...4...5...6...7!!! I was so surprised! This is the largest litter I've ever had and although Fern had a huge belly, I didn't think she was carrying SEVEN babies in there!! All were born alive and healthy! And NO peanuts! Way to go mama!
Carrying for 7 babies is hard work, and especially for a doe that has 2 failed litters before. I was really hopeful that the other two does due (Maddie and Angie) would have smaller(ish) litters so I could foster some to them, so they could all get fed equally.
Unfortunately, later that night (around 10pm), Maddie went into labor. This morning when I checked on her at 7am, she was still in labor with a stuck kit and had delivered one dead on the wire :( At around 8:30 am, she delivered the other kit but only had two overall. Sad news but this was her first time, and she'll be rebred next week for better luck hopefully.
Angie went into labor this morning, on 8/6, on day 32 in her gestation. I was beginning to think she wasn't pregnant when day 31 came and went. However, she didn't disappoint! She was in full-blown nesting mode when I went out to feed around 8:30, but unfortunately my family left for church at 9:30 and she was still nesting away when we left. We were at church longer than usual to prep for VBS which starts tomorrow (I'm a skit actor and helper in the 2nd and 3rd grade class), so we didn't get home until around 1:30pm. When I checked on her, she had cleaned everything up, and had two babies in the box. Unfortunately one was DOA (dead on arrival), but the other was (and is!) thriving.
Today I fostered two of Fern's tiny babies to Angie. Angie is a great mom and has taken fosters readily before, so I'm not worried. Angie is raising 3 and Fern is raising 5. We'll see if I need to foster more to Angie later on, but I'm hopeful Fern can raise the ones she has since they are big and fat already!
As I'm writing this, miss Sarah is nesting...she's due on the 13th, and she's ready! I'm hoping for some brokens in the next two litters!