Every litter some kits die at about 4 wks old. Why?

[jimmywalt]

We raise Holland Lops, Mini Lops, Fuzzy Lops and Mini Rex. This summer/fall in almost every litter we have had kits pass away at about 3 or 4 weeks and we don't know why.

All seem to be doing great for the first 3 to 4 weeks, but shortly after that time one or more from each litter end up dying. Seems they just get week and die. All of them have started eating pellet food, hay and drinking water.

We can't seem to figure out why this would happen. All have had different mothers and fathers so that's not the link to the problem.

It just seems crazy that some do fine and others don't make it.

Last summer we raised rabbits and almost never had a kit die.

Any suggestions or things that we can look for to figure this out? Thank you.!

 

[ladysown]

things to consider.....

1. if all are related, genetic predisposition to gut issues... four weeks is when their gut flora should be starting to flourish well and it sounds like it isn't.

2. something is off with your feed.

3. illness of some sort that shows up. you could have something that just underlying the surface that just hits those kits at the really switching from mom's milk to solid food. it's a hard age for them.


How to fight?

Cull the does.
Keep the healthy kits.

IF you notice one of your bucks is throwing kits MORE predisposed to the condition... cull him.

You can breed it out... but it takes dedication, determination and a willingness to suffer heart break.

 

[Zass]

Cocci or other parasites could be an issue. Autopsy kits if you can to see if there are worms or liver spots..

If it's not one of those, and your feed and hay storage situation are fine (low humidity, no mold) maybe change what you are feeding.

That is the perfect age for mucoid enteritis deaths.

I would often have a couple die around that age when I was feeding manna pro.
I switched to purina and the problem vanished. Purina doesn't have as good of an ingredient list, but, it seems to be missing the mold toxins that I suspect the manna pro feeds to have had.

Heck, I knew that stuff had mold, I could see clumps in the bags sometimes from where the feed had gotten wet at some point.. :x