Kit size/breed difference

[JG3]

These are my first litters so would like to hear from those who have more experience with these breed and kits.

Litter 1: Doe - NZ/Cali cross, Buck - NZ/Flemish Giant cross. These kits are a week old today and starting to look like rabbits, much bigger, mom feeding them to FULL like their bellies are hard and look like they swallows a golf ball.

Litter 2: Doe - NZ/Cali cross, Buck - NZ/Cali cross. These kits are 6 days old today, but are still very small and squishy. Checking their bellies for feeding, I think they are being fed, obviously, they’re still alive, but much less degree. Their bellies are not firm and round, just ever so slightly pudgey. And they are MUCH smaller than litter 1 who is only one day older.

Now, is this because the larger litter has Flemish giant in them? Or is litter 2 doe not have enough milk? Being my first litters, I have no comparison/experience to know.

Anyone have experience with these? I’ll try to see if I have photos showing size difference, not sure I do. I’ll attach, if so.

Litter 1 has the black kits. Both these photos were taken yesterday. Not sure if you can tell size difference. I don’t have a pick of each in my hand on same day.

 

[JG3]

Also, the two black kits that have the white line on their heads, is that considered a vienna mark? Just curious because the rabbitry we got them from treats their rabbits with ivermectin, and the breeders had it on the day we picked them up. Just wondering if I should avoid ever giving it to,them again because Vienna cant have ivermectin, right?

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

Also, the two black kits that have the white line on their heads, is that considered a vienna mark? Just curious because the rabbitry we got them from treats their rabbits with ivermectin, and the breeders had it on the day we picked them up. Just wondering if I should avoid ever giving it to,them again because Vienna cant have ivermectin, right?

The white line is Vianne Marked and I don't think it effects ivermectin at all

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

Two of my newborn Kits have Vianne because their Sire is a BEW

 

[ladysown]

It's actually been documented to be careful of the vienna gene with ivermectin.

But yes, means you have the gene. But your bunnies might be among those who are okay with ivermectin. It's not something you need to be administering regularly anyways.

Kit size is due to the amount of food/milk they are getting. I would think doe B simply doesn't have enough milk for all those kits.

 

[ladysown]

It's actually been documented to be careful of the vienna gene with ivermectin.

But yes, means you have the gene. But your bunnies might be among those who are okay with ivermectin. It's not something you need to be administering regularly anyways.

Kit size is due to the amount of food/milk they are getting. I would think doe B simply doesn't have enough milk for all those kits.

 

[JG3]

It's actually been documented to be careful of the vienna gene with ivermectin.

But yes, means you have the gene. But your bunnies might be among those who are okay with ivermectin. It's not something you need to be administering regularly anyways.

Kit size is due to the amount of food/milk they are getting. I would think doe B simply doesn't have enough milk for all those kit

Thank you. I’ll start supplementing her feed a bit and hope her milk production improves.

As a side note, I haven’t been giving this to her since having the kits, but would like to start again, does oregano dry up milk? Would hate to add to the problem.

 

[JG3]

Figured I’d add that BOSS worked like a charm, for anyone else with this issue. They were all chubby and full this morning

 

[ladysown]

what I know is that oregano is part of the mint family. Will it dry up milk? That is something I do not know.

 

[JG3]

what I know is that oregano is part of the mint family. Will it dry up milk? That is something I do not know.

I had no idea it was part of the mint family! That makes so much sense now as to why the oregano I’m growing looked like mint leaves when young. I thought I dropped some of my lemon balm in it
I will try to avoid for now.

 

[KelleyBee]

Thank you. I’ll start supplementing her feed a bit and hope her milk production improves.

As a side note, I haven’t been giving this to her since having the kits, but would like to start again, does oregano dry up milk? Would hate to add to the problem.

It looks like the litter you’re concerned about has more kits, am I correct? What I always do in this instance is foster out kits from mom who has so many to mom who has less. For instance, a couple months ago I had a Silver Fox with 8 kits and a NZ/Cali cross mom with only 4. since the litter of 4 were naturally getting more milk, they were bigger. Thus, I took the 2 largest from the silver fox litter (largest so they would be able to compete) and fostered them over to the NZ/Cali mom. Everyone has survived and they turned 8 weeks this past Thursday. By fostering out 2 kits, each mom had 6 kits to feed, which is better than having an overwhelmed mom of 8 when it wasn’t necessary.

 

[JG3]

It looks like the litter you’re concerned about has more kits, am I correct? What I always do in this instance is foster out kits from mom who has so many to mom who has less. For instance, a couple months ago I had a Silver Fox with 8 kits and a NZ/Cali cross mom with only 4. since the litter of 4 were naturally getting more milk, they were bigger. Thus, I took the 2 largest from the silver fox litter (largest so they would be able to compete) and fostered them over to the NZ/Cali mom. Everyone has survived and they turned 8 weeks this past Thursday. By fostering out 2 kits, each mom had 6 kits to feed, which is better than having an overwhelmed mom of 8 when it wasn’t necessary.

No, it actually has one less. Litters of 8 (was 10 but two passed) and 7. I’m guessing it was due to being first time mom and needing extra support in the food? I gave her BOSS and it helped, the kits were full the next morning.

 

[ladysown]

The BOSS may or may not have made a difference. Sometimes it takes a couple of days for the milk to come in.