Can a doe produce milk at any time?

[SashaMolly]

Hello,
I was wondering if rabbits can produce milk at any given time. I have a doe who is a very good foster mother, and two other does who keep losing their litters after having them in their first week. They have been mothers before several times over. I would like to put the babies from the two moms (or one of them at least) and put the babies with the other foster mother. She has taken kits before and done great, but not nursed them as they were already weaned. Any thoughts? She is getting older (3-4 years) but is still producing fine, and once I had two does in the same cage one had babies. I didn't know which one it was, so I picked her. She wasn't the mother but totally took on the role. I realized when the other rabbit in her cage had a bloody rear. She acted like their mother all along, and the kits did fine. I have no idea if she nursed them or not. I would love some input!

Thanks.

 

[Dood]

If her hormones are right they will activate lactation and she will produce milk. Normally a doe must be pregnant to initiate milk production but does can have false pregnancies and lactate.

They do not have milk in their teats at any other time. They may have some fluid but not true milk and certainly not enough to feed even 1 kit.