HUGE Increase in BIG Litters?

[Vyxxin]

Okay, so here I've always considered anything over twin births BIG litters. Up until recently, it's not been a huge issue for me. I'd have a BIG litter a few times a year if that...then this year, well this year has really thrown me for a loop and I'm just not sure why. For the past 6-7yrs my chins have been on the same lighting, in the same room, on the same feed and water as they always have with very little to no "extras" in their diet. I was just wondering if anybody else has seen a larger than normal influx of "BIG" litters in their herd? IF SO, have you made any changes to anything and WHAT?

So you all can see what I'm talking about, here are my "stats" for the last 5 years including this year so far (posted as year and NUMBER OF LITTERS):

C year: triplets (6) quads (3)
B year: triplets (3) quads (0)
A year: triplets (1) quads (0)
Z year: triplets (2) quads (0)
X year: triplets (1) quads (0)
V year: triplets (0) quads (0)

NOW, as you can see...that's a real dramatic increase while my females are all staying healthy, and most of the kits are healthy, plain out I do not like the added stress of large litters, let alone SO MANY of them. Thoughts?

 

[chinsNdobermans]

I've heard mention of this from other breeders. I myself has always had a lot of triplet litters born, but only one set of quads (thank God).

 

[Dreamlite]

Are these 1st litters or 2+? I know the 1st litter is usually small and any multiple litter are usually after the second litter in most rodents. Are the females/male out of larger litters? A twin is more likely to have twins.... Breeding closer to a full moon increases a chance of larger litters as well. There are a lot of factors that go into it.

 

[Pookinaround]

Are these large litters out of chins who typically only had singles or twins before or are they new chins or chins that you bred yourself and just put into breeding??? Just wagering a guess but I am thinking certain individual chins might be more prone to having larger litters than others...

 

[Vyxxin]

Let's see, there are a few of my own breeding that are prone to larger litters. Then, let's see...this year two of the 3 litters of quads were first time mothers, one from my breeding (and a litter of trips) and another from outside, no idea about her ancestry on litter size.

My litters of trips...three are old hand at large litters though two weres born in litters of twins and they are of my breeding. Two are from outside herds and are first time mother's, do not know their litter size/ancestry on that on. Final one is a second time mom, first litter was a single.

One thing, now that I do some digging...a couple of the larger litters are from the same herd (Rolfe) and many are from my own lines and somewhat related to a small degree. Hmmm...another thing, wondering if anyone suspects male role in all this? Asking as out of my 9 big litters for the year...4 are from the same male. Meh, maybe Mr.Cuddles is too cuddly LOL