How long should I wait?

SarahMelisse · Dec 6, 2012

How long should I wait before hand raising kits? I know there is a low success rate for hand raising, but its been almost 48 hours and my doe hasn't fed them yet. I even tried flipping her over to force feed them, but it seems like her milk hasn't come in yet. I don't want them to start dying off obviously. The other doe who was supposed to have a litter at the same time, didnt, so I have no one to foster to right now either.

skysthelimit · Dec 6, 2012

Go ahead and give it a try. Better than watching what's could happen next. My doe never did let down milk, and I wish I had tried something.

SarahMelisse · Dec 6, 2012

That's what I'm thinking. I guess I'll give her until after dark to redeem herself and then I'll have to intervene.

skysthelimit · Dec 6, 2012

SarahMelisse":3qru4m9u said:
That's what I'm thinking. I guess I'll give her until after dark to redeem herself and then I'll have to intervene.

So I'm trying to find the treads on hand feeding now... are we talking goats milk in an eye dropper or what?

That is the simplest way to go. When I tried it once that's what I did. Did it for a few days for a runt kit and he turned out fine.

SarahMelisse · Dec 6, 2012

I'll try just supplementing until her milk comes in (which I'm hoping it does), but I'll be prepared to feed them exclusively if I have to. I just found the formula of evaporated goat milk, egg, and corn syrup on another thread so I'll give that a try tonight. Thanks!<br /><br />__________ Thu Dec 06, 2012 9:12 pm __________<br /><br />Well I brought all 9 kits in and fed them evaporated goats milk mixed with an egg yolk (formula from another thread) using a syringe. I fed them until they looked about half full. I didn't want to over feed them. Then I popped their nestbox back into their day's cage and hopefully her milk will come in and she can feed them the rest of the way. Otherwise I will continue to feed them.

We'll see how this works out!

ZRabbits · Dec 7, 2012

Fingers crossed that your doe's milk has come in. Hope all is well with the kits.

Karen

SarahMelisse · Dec 7, 2012

I fed the kits again this morning, but it almost seemed like two of the kits were fed by their dam early this morning. A good sign I hope! I hope her milk is starting to come in. I also have one kit 1/2 the size of the others that refuses to eat... so I don't have much confidence that he will make it. But the other 8 look like they are doing okay.

Miss M · Dec 7, 2012

Crossing fingers for your kits!!! :clover:

SarahMelisse · Dec 8, 2012

My doe just started nursing! I'm glad I didn't wait more than 48 hours to start feeding them because I'm sure some if not all of them would have starved by this evening (day 3). Dandelion, the dam, fed a few kits but not all of them so I am still supplementing a little until her milk comes in completely hopefully tomorrow. Thanks for the help!