1st time mom, low milk production

[ThunderHill]

Hi! In your experience, can low milk supply just be a first-litter problem, or is a poor milking doe likely to always be that way? I have a NZ doe whose first litter of 7 never looked all that well-fed, and have been consistently slower growing than another litter of 7 born the same day to an experienced doe. At 6 weeks the larger litter averages over 2.5 pounds each, and the smaller averages only around 1.7 pounds. That is tiny for NZ at 6 weeks! The mom and buck were both around 3 pounds at 6 weeks by comparison.

I'm just wondering if you've seen does do better with milking after the first litter, or if I need to start thinking about selecting a replacement. Thanks in advance!

 

[rockyhillrabbits]

I'm not sure low milk production is something that gets better with experience. I would think it would just be dependent on the particular doe. There are things you can add to the doe's diet to help. Oats are very good for milk production. I have only had a handful of does who have kits with big, full bellies. As long as the kits don't look skinny, I leave it alone and they do very well.

 

[JG3]

I’m new, so not experienced, but I had this exact same issue. After posting here and researching, I found low milk supply can be common with first timers and usually remedies itself with experience. In any case, my doe was an excellent mother and so I wouldn’t write her off on a first litter, I’d give her another chance and maybe even a third if I had the same issue again. I gave her oats and BOSS to help her milk supply and it did. Now, her kits are still smaller than the other litter though, by looks and feel. I haven’t weighed them yet but plan to this weekend and compare. But, the bigger litter was also sired by a NZ/Flemish giant cross, so I’m wondering if the size difference is due to the Flemish in them. The smaller litter is a NZ/Cali cross. In any case, I’ll check their weights and just see if the one litter is bigger than typical or the other is actually smaller due to the milk issue.

 

[ThunderHill]

Thanks for the replies! I do give BOSS and oats daily to milking does, and while it didn't seem to help this one much, I am going to give her at least a few more tries to see if she improves. She did everything else really well and had a litter of 7, which is actually a good sized litter for my herd. She's already been rebred and should kindle in a few weeks. I'll update with how she does! I'll also update as the little guys continue to grow to see if they catch up now that they are fully weaned.

 

[Sladeamx]

I had an issue with malnutritioned babies. Its time consuming, but i baught kitten milk powder mixed with warm water and got the small animal saringe and custom fit the tiniest silicone tip to it and slowly fed them. Must slowly push saringe so they dont choke

 

[Mannbuns]

I'm having the same problem! This is our first time with babies. Our two litters were born a day apart. The first had 9 kits, second had 6. The one with 6 is an experienced mother, the one with 9, this is her first time. The 9 are smaller than the 6. I didn't know if it was because there are more and there's not as much supply to go around or if it's low milk supply. We have been giving oats, only a tablespoon each day. Should I give more? What is BOSS?
Thanks for the help

 

[Robochelle]

I had a doe like that, and the internet said to give nettle to her. It was really effective.

 

[MsTemeraire]

Fenugreek is said to be a galactagogue (increases milk supply). The bonus is rabbits really like it. You can use dried leaves (aka Methi), ground fenugreek seed or grow it yourself.

 

[Mannbuns]

Thanks! I think it was partially that the mom wasn't getting enough food. This is our first time with rabbits and we just didn't realize how much food to give. We have her as much food as she wanted and I gave her parsley, which I read is another one to help with milk supply. And oats. She loves oats! Babies are doing much better! They are still smaller than the other but are developing correctly and much healthier.

 

[MuddyFarms]

I have found that it is common for a doe to produce less milk for her first litter than with subsequent litters. It doesn't seem to be that way with every doe (some are just exceptional all-around anyway). I would definitely not judge her too hard until you see another couple litters from her.

 

[ThunderHill]

Thanks for all the responses! She's now had a second litter of 6 and the results aren't any better. They are still very small and never look really full. We held her flipped and let the babies eat a few times because they were so skinny. This time around we even had to clean each of their bottoms a few times a day starting the day they were born, because it didn't look like she was stimulating them to go potty and cleaning them up. They all had sticky waste mixed with fur glued solid to their bottoms daily for the first 3 or so days, requiring us to soak their bottoms in warm water to loosen it and pull it off. I've never had to do that for a new kit before. As a final strike, 2 of the growouts from the first litter have now died, just wasting away to skin and bones and dying with no apparent cause. I don't think we'll be keeping her or any of her offspring.