Momma is pigging the feeder....

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cereshill

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So, for teh past 10 days, Whitey has been pigging the feeder. Granted she is nursing 7 and has lost some condition, but sheesh---I have watched her literally throw a kit out of the feeder with her paws! After seeing this daily since last week, I pulled her out for the afternoon. Since I sold some bunnies today, I have a clean cage. The kits have spent a majority of the time eating, as has WHitey. All seem quite happy.
I put her in for the early evening and three hours later, food scrabbled all over the pan and the kits look a little rag tag.

So, Whitey is in solo quarters overnight.

Question: should I call it good and let them be weaned? They are eating, drinking etc just fine. Put her in 2x/day Or should I return her and live with the consequences...
 
How old are the youngsters now, CH?

I find the easiest solution to competition at the feeder is simply to add an extra crock of feed. A lot of kits can feed around a deep dish pie plate, for instance, while momma hogs the feeder. If this is a frequent problem, a creep feeder is another approach. Kits can access it, but the doorway is too small for momma to get in. Either of these can prolong the time the kits can stay in the same cage with momma. I am assuming these kits are not yet at the age where you would normally separate them.
 
:rotfl: sorry for laughing...but Mama-san will sit at the Jfeeder and GLARE at the kit who is in it. Then she goes over to the other scalloped feeder and GLARES at the kit that is in THAT one. She eventually goes over to the pan in the pen with feed and pulls it over to her corner and eats. :lol: I swear I can see her SIGH.
 
The kits (I love popples at birth and am glad to use that and making bones) at three weeks Wed. I just fed and watered all the buns, making sure to feed Whitey first. After she ate, I put her in with the kits. She stomped her foot, jumped in the box and stomped again 2x!

Well, the kits came running from the feeder and she had all seven under her! What a sight it was.... She stretched up on her legs elevating to provide access and they fed. All but two stayed in the box for a snooze, she jumped out and began cleaning...

I guess, this might work for another week or so... I will likely wean them in another ten days.
 
I know there are all kinds of management styles, but weaning before 5 weeks can make the youngsters more susceptible to weaning enteritis. Unless there are obvious problems, like a doe behaving aggressively toward the kits (very uncommon unless she is expecting a new litter) I prefer to leave them with momma awhile longer. They may be fully weaned, but they seem to do better when momma is around. There are exceptions to this, of course, like everything else to do with rabbits. ;)
 
Thanks Maggie,
The major issue is her potentially injuring the kits as she has swiped several in the face. Also, she scrabbles a lot of feed when with them--isn't in the solo cage. I come home and half the feed is in the pan---that can't be good for anyo of them. Once I replace--the kits are just full on eating. SO, I am reluctant to leave them much longer...
 
3 weeks is too young to wean IMHO (like that shocks anybody)
3 weeks + 3 weeks is ok .. not 3 weeks plus 10 days ...
3 weeks + 5 weeks is even better

healthy mums give healthy babies a better start in life - this is one thing I am SURE of ...

my bad boys (Popple and Piffle) just moved into their own housing last weekend - at 10 weeks of age ... I understand that doesn't work for all cases but it's certainly what works for me when I have moms around
 
Generally, we wean at 6 weeks and breed back at that point. however, this is a out of the ordinary experience. I haven't had a doe intentionally push her kits our like this over and over. i will see how this week goes and reassess on the weekend.
 
I think you are taking a good approach. One has their basic husbandry that works for them, but has to adapt to unusual situations. I think I would keep moving the doe during the day and putting her back in at night. I had a similar problem, and was able to vacate the cage adjacent to the kits to put the doe in. I would be hesitant to fully remove her if they were less than 5 weeks. One thing that worked for me, is that both the kits and the doe loved hay, and I would place small bunches at different corners of the cage when I fed, and this would keep the kits occupied for a while. I have found a source of good clover/grass hay at a good price and do not have to be too concerned about the added waste falling though the wire.
 
Just returned her for feeding; she stomped her foot, jumped in the cage and they followed. A bunny feeding frenzy occured and she elevated to feed. After which, she looked at them with dull interest... Seems to be working.
 

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