Absolute Earliest To Wean Kits?

[Bad Habit]

Okay, so in my batch of rescues is a doe that is a whole lot of words unacceptable for RT.

I treated her for ear mites, thinking that could be why she was just so angry all the time. For the better part of a week, she was docile, nice, no harder to handle than any other not-really-socialized NZ mix doe.

Then she snapped. Attacked me, attacked the food dish in the cage, attacked the food scoop and even attacked one of her kits that got too close when she was in her fit of temper.

She is not a safe rabbit to have around, and I do not want to feed her anymore.

Her kits are 3wks tomorrow.

When can I cull her?

 

[MaggieJ]

If the kits are eating solids and drinking water, they could be weaned very soon. Does that have been rebred right after kindling will wean their kits before the second litter arrives. Some kitchen oatmeal would be a good addition to whatever else you feed them.

The youngest I have weaned a kit was 17 days. There was a disturbance in the colony and the mother would no longer feed him. I do not use pellets, so he got the same alfalfa/grass hay and greens as in the colony. I also fed him kitchen oatmeal, moistened at first and with a pinch of brown sugar as an attractant. Once I was sure he was drinking sufficient water, I offered the oatmeal dry and he ate it quite happily. I added some whole wheat since that is what I was feeding the colony. He did fine but his growth was a little slow, as might be expected.

 

[Zinnia]

May be a long shot, but do you have goats? I once used goats milk in pellets to raise kits around that age. I was surprised by how much they loved it and grew!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I would wait until four weeks if at all possible.

 

[Zass]

I'd wait for 4 weeks too, if you can. I've had (and eaten) PLENTY of nasty does like that. Most manage the mothering thing well enough if left alone.

The attack fits toward kits usually happened if I touched them after petting a buck.

 

[ladysown]

three weeks. if not a doe sick situation.

I'd cull her immediately if she were mine.

Leave the kits in the cage. Give them hay, oatmeal and a bowl of water (as well as a drip bottle if you use them), and toss her out on her kister.

Kits learn from their moms.

I've learned.. if I have a "odd" holland lop, foster the kits to a polish and they just chill. If I have an unusually wired polish, I toss them in with the meat rabbits and they just chill.

Kits learn so much from their parents even early on... so I'd cull her immediately.

 

[wamplercathy]

I'd wait till at least 4 weeks if the kits are going to camp, but if your wanting replacement stock :x I'd wait till 8wks. The extra time with the mother's milk is needed if their heading into a breeding or show program.

Just how I would handle it based on my experience with dogs. ( :x :lol: No I don't eat dogs but pet versus show/breeding stock.) :lol: :lol:

 

[Bad Habit]

Kits learn from their moms.

That's part of my worry. I don't want to end up with 10 little so-and-soes in a couple months when it comes time to butcher. I also have some does going to breeding homes out of this litter.

 

[Zass]

Kits learn from their moms.

That's part of my worry. I don't want to end up with 10 little so-and-soes in a couple months when it comes time to butcher. I also have some does going to breeding homes out of this litter.

:x Good luck with those.
From my experiences with genetically crazy rabbits (even fostered kits acted wild after puberty.)
There was always an awfully high chance the daughters were be just as bad, no matter who raised the kits.

 

[Bad Habit]

I have some kits here from earlier litters from the same doe, and they're mostly well socialized.

I actually think I might end up eating all of them, the woman who is supposed to take the does is being particularly wishy washy lately, and I don't want to be feeding them forever.

 

[wamplercathy]

If it were me. I'd wean at 4wks. Invite mom to supper. Fatten the little ones and send them to camp at 8-12wks. But that's me. I wouldn't want any foul tempers in my herd and even IF these little ones aren't demons they still hold the ingredients to make a demons.

 

[imajpm]

4 weeks. Wear gloves, or don't open the hutch if you've got j-feeders