Fodder Question - Pregnant/Nursing Doe

[Bigredfeather]

I have a doe that is nursing 6 three week old kits and is also bred. Her and her babies are eating a tremendous amount of fodder daily. Yesterday I fed them right at 5 lbs of fodder. Should I be concerned they are not getting enough nutrients from the fodder? or is it typical for a doe to be eating this much considering her circumstances? I'm concerned she is not getting what she needs so is eating everything in sight. I also gave her some alfalfa, mulberry leaves, and beet leafs.....all gone quickly.
This may be nothing to be worried about, but I am new to rabbits and fodder and want to make sure.

Thanks.

 

[WallTenter]

Are you not giving her pellets? I fed my girls fodder and they love it (and yes a doe + kits will eat a LOT) but they also always have free choice pellets. The fodder will be lacking in some minerals and vitamins so I would be hesitant to let a doe eat as much as she wants for risk of putting her developing fetuses in a poor spot.

 

[Bigredfeather]

No pellets, but i do have a mineral block in her cage.

 

[Andrei]

Make sure she has some bark to eat.
Bark is very rich in protein and minerals.
Mine turn the wood white and clean overnight.

 

[Bigredfeather]

Would Mulberry be preferred or doesn't matter?

 

[Frecs]

Are you saying she + kits are eating 5 pounds of fodder (sprouted grains you have grown to grass) or forage (items you have gathered from the yard)? If fodder, what grains are you using? If forage, what are you gathering?

5 pounds of fodder seems like quite a bit but 5 pounds of forage doesn't.

 

[Andrei]

5 lbs is not that much for 6 rabbits.
Especially when 5 are growing like crazy and one is pregnant and nursing.
You should have waited few more weeks but .....
Give them all they can eat.

 

[Bigredfeather]

Are you saying she + kits are eating 5 pounds of fodder (sprouted grains you have grown to grass) or forage (items you have gathered from the yard)? If fodder, what grains are you using? If forage, what are you gathering?

5 pounds of fodder seems like quite a bit but 5 pounds of forage doesn't.

I am growing/feeding hydroponically grown barley fodder.<br /><br />__________ Mon Jul 08, 2013 2:36 pm __________<br /><br />

5 lbs is not that much for 6 rabbits.
Especially when 5 are growing like crazy and one is pregnant and nursing.
You should have waited few more weeks but .....
Give them all they can eat.

Well, I wanted to limit the kits, but they dig into just as fast as their Momma. Should I have put the fodder up higher so the kits couldn't reach it?

 

[Andrei]

That barley is FANTASTIC for your situation.
It is very rich in growth hormones.

 

[Bigredfeather]

That barley is FANTASTIC for your situation.
It is very rich in growth hormones.

I had been doing 80% barley and 20% field peas, but I ran out of peas for a time. I just got another bag and will start putting them in again. They really like the peas. My does would root through it and eat the peas first.

 

[MaggieJ]

I feed a more diverse diet, especially in summer, but have never felt the need to limit kits. If they have full access to everything the doe eats right from when they leave the nest, they should be able to handle it all.

I think in your case, Bigredfeather, I would increase the amount of forage, especially mulberry and other safe leaves and branches as Andrei suggested. I have always felt that variety in the diet is a good guard against deficiencies, although barley fodder is certainly an excellent base for their diet.

 

[Andrei]

Well, I wanted to limit the kits, but they dig into just as fast as their Momma. Should I have put the fodder up higher so the kits couldn't reach it?

Whatttttt?
That would be torture.
Just imagine you eat ice cream and your kids just look at you.
Never.

 

[Bigredfeather]

Make sure she has some bark to eat.
Bark is very rich in protein and minerals.
Mine turn the wood white and clean overnight.

I put a few a few freshly cut Mulberry sticks in their cages last night.......and they were stripped clean this morning.

Thanks for the advise.

 

[Andrei]

In Nature 40 - 50% of the rabbit diet is trees and bushes.
They have more protein and that is the reason for the rabbit teeth.

 

[camanojim]

My rabbits get fodder, hay, pellets and various grees from the veggie garden. The rabbits prefer their food in that order. fodder and hay would be nice but i think you should throw in some pellets too. get them used to eating different things ( carefully ) but fodder and hay combo is good base. IMO