Triplets and Mom has no milk

[Brightstarchins]

This is a first for me, one of my females had triplets born on the first of Sept. and has absolutely no milk at all. I have had milk come in late in a couple of females, but never had one that just had none at all.

For anyone who had this happen before, what are the chances of her having the same problem with her next litter? I can`t decide if I should take her out of breeding already or breed her one more time and hope she has milk coming in that time. This was her first litter.

I would appreciate any information about your experiences with this problem.

Thank you
Claudia

 

[AZChins]

The chances are good that this will happen again with future litters. However, I have had females that do have milk come in even though it didn't for their first litter. Normally I have someone here to foster babies, so I am not so worried about the kits all the time.

Sometimes the hormones are just imbalanced for that first litter. Having milk come in seems to be so much easier in second and third litters for mother chins.

I'm sorry you went through this. I hope that everyone is alright and thriving for you.

 

[Snickers]

I had a female that had babies Dec 1st and she too didn't have milk. I had to hand feed them and then I would them back with mom and dad. I think she is pregnant now and hopefully her milk comes in. If her milk doesn't come in she will be taken out of breeding this will be her 2nd litter.

 

[Rickman]

Although rare, I had it happen, once. It was awhile back, and I believe it was a one-time occurance. Try a second time, but be prepared - maybe some apple juice for a few weeks before her due date. I started using LifeLine as a supplement for the herd before her second pregnancy, but don't know if it helped or not.

 

[Riven]

I personally would try her again. Was this her first litter?

I would not give apple juice for no apparent reason for a couple weeks, a healthy gut is a lot more important than more water intake. With a healthy appetite she should have good water intake anyway.

 

[AZChins]

I agree about the apple juice...that can cause more harm than good sometimes.

 

[Brightstarchins]

Susan, she had a female at 56 grams, another girl at 48 grams and a little male at 38 grams. I weighed the babies every day and started supplementing on the third day. The female that weighed 48 grams died on day five, I did not expect that at all. She really had not lost that much weight. The little boy hung in there for six days, but he had been bit in the mouth by a sibling and also died.

Now I only have the biggest female left, hopefully she will continue to thrive.

Claudia

 

[AZChins]

Ohhhh...Claudia, I am so sorry to hear that. It happens...I've had the exact same type of thing happen here many times over the years. I really hope that the little girl grows and turns into a beautiful girly. I feel so bad that you lost them...it always hurts to lose them no matter what.

 

[Brightstarchins]

Thank you everyone, I think I will try her one more time.

Susan, what really gets to me is seeing the little ones nursing and trying desperately to get some food, but there is just nothing there. I wish I could have fostered them out, but there is no suitable foster mom right now.

Claudia

 

[AZChins]

I'm sorry! I wish you were closer!!

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

I had the same thing happen to me recently - I am hand feeding triples. All are doing good. The kits were making her one nipple (the only one that worked some- very little) very sore and slightly infected. I took her kits away from her so she could heal. This happened before (her 1st litter) This is her second. So after she has gained some weight, I will be finding her a good pet home.

 

[tunes]

I've had it happen with first time moms and on the second litter they are fine. I would definitely try her again.

 

[Brightstarchins]

Just an update: It seems that Mom`s milk has finally come in, after almost two weeks, the baby only takes one eyedropper full per feeding and still gains three to four grams a day.

I am also putting a bowl of the dry formular in the cage and she nibbles around on that. I should probably just stop handfeeding now, but I am afraid to, I don`t want her to start loosing weight again.

Claudia

 

[AZChins]

Wow...that's awesome, but a little strange. I'm glad to hear that the baby is nursing! Maybe a little bit of handfeeding would be in order just so you can catch any problems. Maybe twice a day would be enough?

 

[chincinnati]

I am glad her milk did finally come in, I too just went through that. Both of my kits made it through with handfeeding and mom took care of everything else. I did decide to not breed her again because I do not have a large herd therefore the chance of it happening again and not having any foster moms available outweighed letting her go. I found her a pet home with her smallest daughter so they will always be together.

 

[Spoof]

I know that some do get milk with a second litter - I've just had bad luck. If they don't produce the first time, they don't do it the second for me either. They can pass that to the kits too, but not 100% of the time which can be a pain when it gets in your lines.

 

[Brightstarchins]

Thank you Tara, I am so glad that the milk came in. I think it is strange too Susan, I have never had one that had the milk come in 10 days late. The little girl is doing great now, constantly nursing and gaining staedy weight.

Claudia