combining grow outs

[champange]

Ok i ask the question a few days ago can I combine lItters that were 7 days apart and the response was they were too old so my question is why can't I combine will they kill each other or will the older ones not let the younger ones to any explanation that would be great.i can see now why you can't combine them at week 2 and week one but I did not think there would be such a large gap that's a week 5 or 6.the reason is simply i dont want to use a 2 cages to grow out 7 kits

 

[Marinea]

I have combined weaned kits from two different litters into one large grow out cage. There was a bit of turmoil until everyone settled down, but it lasted only a few hours and all was well. I think you could do it if the kits are all weaned, the cage is big enough, and if you keep an eye out for any aggressive kits.

 

[Zinnia]

I have combined grow-outs from a week to two weeks apart in age. This has been somewhat successful, but not ideal. They will fight right away. Usually, no one is seriously injured. But, often there is a scratch or two. The stress is probably not worth it if you don't have to combine them.

I recently pulled a buck out of my grow-out pen because I realized I need him. I'm glad I did, because he's got the correct tail I'm looking for to improve my line. But, he (of course out of the 14 between two pens) is the one with a gash in his side. It will be fine, as it is a small wound. But, it has me thinking about the stress of putting the different litters together. I had saved back parts of these litters in another space. With far less stress (same feed), the held back rabbits were larger and just better-looking. So, I will be reviewing my own grow-out methods to create less stress and better growth.

I hope that helps.

Edited: Oops. I thought we were talking about combining litters that were that far apart in age after weaning in a grow out pen. Combining very young litters is different and something I've never tried outside of a few days apart (with success)! Sorry for being confusing.

 

[Zass]

The biggest problem in combining 7-14 day old kits is usually from them refusing to feed from the doe (since by this age, they know who their mother is) or else the doe refusing to feed them.

As far as weaned kits growing out, I've put all kinds of litters together.

I rarely see any turmoil or fighting of any kind.
I do wait until at least 6 weeks to wean though, and most often, closer to 8. I also tend to leave doelings in the cage with their mother and combine just the bucks from different litters together in a growout pen. I butcher 90% of what I produce though, and the bucks very rarely make it past 9 weeks old.

I have recently had an 11 week old buckling attack an 8 week old doeling, but, it is uncommon enough that is shocked me. He attacked me when I went to get the doeling out of his pen, and when I took him out for freezer camp, he screamed like he was dying whenever he was picked up. (He was held gently but firmly, I don't even scruff my rabbits.) Autopsy revealed no visible health issue.

 

[Dood]

You can mixed weaned litters (over 4 weeks) as they are off milk and older kits cannot bully the smaller kits when it comes time to nurse, just remember to keep their food bowl full and out in the open so the larger kits cannot "guard" it and bully others away

You should not combine newborn litters or those still nursing if the age or size difference is more than a few days or if they are significantly different in size

 

[caroline]

I combine my weaned bucks from multiple litters @ 6-8 weeks. I rarely have any fights. They all seem to get along fine and are usually in bunny piles when not eating. The only time I have any fighting is if I try to add a new rabbit weeks later.

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

I have combined litters in growout cages from 4wks to 6wks with no problems. though I would suggest if I had a huge cage with some 6wk olds and needed space for the 4wk olds and had to wean right then for some reason.. I would probably try and reorganize so the 4wk olds could be in the growout cage a while then add the older kits so as to hopefully circumvent fights. thinking the younger kits wont be territorial and the older kits introduced to the younger kits in a cage the younger ones are already in wont be territorial.. that's the idea at least.

 

[ladysown]

combining kits is generally not hard..

From 1 - 3 weeks difference in age.
Trick is

divide by genders if possible.
Toss in something that keeps them busy while they are adjusting to each other.

For me... in the winter I give them a big mess of hay they have to hop through, over or around.
In the summer... I toss them on the grass for a couple of hours while I'm working in the garden.

Sorts it all out fairly quickly.

before doing this I pull out any keepers and either leave them with mom an extra week or I toss them into their own cage with the other keepers.

Dominant or aggressive kits get sold or culled for food immediately.

 

[skysthelimit]

i just stuck a 4 week old kit whose dam I rebred because she only had two in with a litter of 5.

I blinked and went OMG, because usually the doe or the kits would charge it. But I threw it in with a pile of hay, and by the time the dust settled, they were munching and the kit smelled like the rest.


i put older ones in the grow out pen all the time, but I usually do it once in batches. Everyone born in May, some two weeks apart, that batch will go in. The ones that are going to be born in July will go in together, with all the ones in May gone. With some hay, when the dust settles, they will be fine.