BOSS and oats

[TerriG]

In another thread it was recommended that I feed one of my does some BOSS and oats to help with her condition and to give her enough calories to nurse the 12 kits she just had.

We tried the stuff tonight for the first time. We decided to give everyone some as a treat.

The doe that I was asking about wolfed them down. Another doe that is weaning gobbled hers up. The other doe that is due to kindle didn't want anything to do with them, nor did the other doe that is weaning. We didn't give any to kits. I think my dh gave the bucks a little too, since they did such a good job today with the does I brought them One of the bucks was actually licking the plate clean - lol

I realized though, that I don't know how much to give and when to give it. I know the doe with the gigantic litter will need it more, but what about the rest of my herd? And if I use it as a treat, does that mean once a week? Once a month? Just trying to get a better idea. Don't want to get a bunch of fat animals that become infertile

 

[trinityoaks]

It depends on what else you're feeding. Mine don't get pellets, so 3/4 of their feed is oats. They also get a tablespoon or two of BOSS when the weather is cold.

 

[TerriG]

They get free-choice 16% pellets. They are housed outside. It gets cold enough for their water bottles to freeze. We've had several times when the rabbitry was in the low 20's. Makes chores miserable. My fingers don't work well in those temps for any length of time.

 

[garden lady]

They get free-choice 16% pellets. They are housed outside. It gets cold enough for their water bottles to freeze. We've had several times when the rabbitry was in the low 20's. Makes chores miserable. My fingers don't work well in those temps for any length of time.

I have only had 1 litter. They are outside and we have about the same temperature. Their water is in crocks inside the hutch with hay, so they are not freezing. They have had a little ice sometimes. The mother was hungry all the time while pregnant and acted like she was starving when she was nursing the 5 kits. They were always fat and full. The mother Lulu nursed her 5 kits up until around 10 weeks. She had a lot of milk. She seemed to be hungry all the time. After the kits were starting to eat at around 2 weeks, Lulu was eating unlimited oats, 18% pellets, grass hay and alfalfa hay. She had BOSS about a tablespoon on the pellets in the morning. She had either a bite of carrot or apple at night. The first month or more she was also eating all the clover grass and weeds I could pull. The kits are 14 weeks old and she was just taken away from them. She has had unlimited food and never did get fat. Her littermate sister and 2 brothers had less food and are getting fat, so I think all that food was producing milk and now I am going to cut her food back to what her littermates get. Her littermates and another female get a tablspoon of oats in the morning with a teaspoon of BOSS, 18% pellets and have hay all the time. In the afternoon they get a cup of greens. In the evening they get another tablespoon of oats, fill the pellet bowl, and sometimes kale. Before bed they get either a slice of apple or carrot and make sure they have pellets.

 

[skysthelimit]

Generally, you don't give anyone more than a spoonful of BOSS.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

I have gone as high as a quarter cup of BOSS, especially in the winter. The horse feed I am using now, though, seems to address a lot of conditioning issues with Marsha at this point-- she looks solid- even after 5 weeks of nursing (yes, the boogers still latch on, and she seems to enjoy it)

 

[TerriG]

I have some in a pie plate that I just carry from one cage to another. The same 2 does ate it this morning. They didn't eat it all, it was like they knew how much they needed. The other 2 does had no interest in it. I didn't give any to the bucks or the kits.

Is it like tums and they will eat what they need? That's kind of how they are acting.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Some animals will eat what they need, others will pig out--they are not much different than we are when it comes to favorite food...

 

[AnnClaire]

Terry, I give 1/3 cup or less of BOSS once per day, and as much as 2/3 cup of oats per day to nursing does. I also feed Purina Complete and free feed quality horse hay. For the bucks and dry/preg does, they get a scant 1/3 cup of BOSS only when they have finished the previous ration. No one leaves any oats and they only get a scant 1/3 cup each day. I will also cut back on the supplements if I don't see the pellet ration being consumed. And, as with any supplement, I keep a close eye on condition and will cut back if they are fattening along the backbone. YMMV