Kits stealing food from doe (poor momma)

[mystang89]

I meant that once the kits have an opportunity to develop the proper gut flora for digesting greens, the chance of them having problems are slight. By the time they can reach and compete for the greens you hang on the side of the cage, you can feed them in a crock or on clean floor wire. I've always fed my rabbits greens, but I used to agonize if the kits stole some intended for the doe. Back then (2005) the rule was "no greens until six months of age". Then someone said "Begin as you mean to go on" and that made sense to me. So now the greens go in every day and new kits eat them with absolutely no problems.

This quote got me thinking about what I've been seeing from my rabbits. My poor maizy is the best momma rabbit I could ask for. She had 9 kits and there isn't another foster but she's feeding all of them like a champ.

I recently started feeding wheat fodder to my rabbits. I'm still not sure how much to feed a nursing doe but I'm trying to keep food in there at all times, which is increasingly difficult since the kits, which are now 2 1/2 weeks old, are taking over Maizy's food. I tried putting her food in her feeder and they climb on each other and take it. I put a "bunch" of it on the floor and they climb on top of it to eat it. My poor Maizy sits there, with a sad face letting her kits eat the food.

This brings me to my question. The kits started eating the fodder at 12 days old. Yes, at 12 days old they were jumping out of the nesting box which has a 5" lip on it. I couldn't believe it when I saw it. I'm sure they are still nursing as well and they also are eating the hay but will anything negative happen to them for eating the fodder? Are they stomachs developed enough?

I have been taking my Maizy out and letting her eat on her own but I do still put some food in her cage as well.

 

[MaggieJ]

It should not harm the kits at all to be eating fodder even at that early age. Precocious little scamps, aren't they?

I think it's a good idea to give momma some time on her own to eat at leisure. But do keep the feed in her cage as well. The kits need it and momma will also get some. It could be that her milk supply is dwindling... That could result in voracious kits. I'd add some kitchen oatmeal (like Quaker Old Fasioned/Large Flake) and also some grass hay if possible. They are very safe foods for youngsters and should help offset any overindulgence with the fodder.

 

[mystang89]

It should not harm the kits at all to be eating fodder even at that early age. Precocious little scamps, aren't they?

I think it's a good idea to give momma some time on her own to eat at leisure. But do keep the feed in her cage as well. The kits need it and momma will also get some. It could be that her milk supply is dwindling... That could result in voracious kits. I'd add some kitchen oatmeal (like Quaker Old Fasioned/Large Flake) and also some grass hay if possible. They are very safe foods for youngsters and should help offset any overindulgence with the fodder.

Thanks Maggie. Funny story about adding grasses. Since I started trying to grow fodder I figured I would just play around with some grass seed I had here at home too. So I cut a milk jug in half, slit some holes in the bottom and threw in some grass seed just to see if it would grow. To my surprise it did. Well, my milk jug grass was growing tall so I figured I would take it out and get it mowed. Rabbits are great mowers and you don't have to pay them. I put it in with Maizy and her bunch. Maizy immediately started going to town on the grass and the kits started nibbling at the jug. Ah, cute, well good, at least Maizy gets some food to herself now I thought,

I cull on of the rabbits in the grow out cage, (takes about 20 min or so, I'm slow,) and come back out to see how my grass is holding up. I don't see grass anymore. I see a snowball inside my milk jug. Poor Maizy was laying down, literally staring right at the milk jug. I could read her mind, I knew what she was thinking. Three kits were cuddled up on top of where the grass used to be which now looked like it got a buzz cut. They had eaten all the grass and left Maizy to watch lol. I took the grass out and surprisingly enough it is growing again.

Anyway, thank you Maggie for answering that. I was kinda worried about the kits but its good to know that everything is well. I have some oats in the house and I will put some out for them. Should I also put a mineral block in there as well for them or do they get enough from the momma milk?

 

[MaggieJ]

If you are also feeding pellets, there should be no need for a trace mineral salt block. If they are on natural foods (hay/greens/grain) then I would add one. I use the reddish brown ones for general livestock. Some people prefer the ones made for goats. I just knock chunks off with a hammer.

 

[mystang89]

I bought the mineral block because I am trying to get away from pellets but had a set back when most of my fodder was too overrun by mold. I couldn't spray it off so it was thrown out and I had to go back to pellets. Hopefully things will work better and I can go to grasses, hays and grains.

Thanks very much for the help Maggie. You're a good person, I don't care what anyone else says about you :twisted:

 

[3mina]

I bought the mineral block because I am trying to get away from pellets but had a set back when most of my fodder was too overrun by mold. I couldn't spray it off so it was thrown out and I had to go back to pellets. Hopefully things will work better and I can go to grasses, hays and grains.

Thanks very much for the help Maggie. You're a good person, I don't care what anyone else says about you :twisted:

That's an awfully little stick you got there Mystang, you sure it'll reach to the bottom of the pot? :lol:
Wouldn't want you to have any trouble stirring it :twisted:

 

[MaggieJ]

:lol:

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Thanks very much for the help Maggie. You're a good person, I don't care what anyone else says about you :twisted:

Well, since you clearly aren't going to be getting any further help from MaggieJ anytime soon, :twisted: I have an idea so poor Maizy can get some fodder to herself... take a chunk of it and flip it upside down and put it through the wire on top of the cage.

The root mass should hold it in place, and Maizy will be able to reach it while the kits will not. Unless, of course, they have been watching cheerleading competitions and know how to make a bunny pyramid! :cheerleader:

-------- :lilbunny:

------ :lilbunny: :lilbunny:

---- :lilbunny: :lilbunny: :lilbunny:

-- :lilbunny: :lilbunny: :lilbunny: :lilbunny:

 

[mystang89]

Thanks very much for the help Maggie. You're a good person, I don't care what anyone else says about you :twisted:

Well, since you clearly aren't going to be getting any further help from MaggieJ anytime soon, :twisted: I have an idea so poor Maizy can get some fodder to herself... take a chunk of it and flip it upside down and put it through the wire on top of the cage.

The root mass should hold it in place, and Maizy will be able to reach it while the kits will not. Unless, of course, they have been watching cheerleading competitions and know how to make a bunny pyramid! :cheerleader:

-------- :lilbunny:

------ :lilbunny: :lilbunny:

---- :lilbunny: :lilbunny: :lilbunny:

-- :lilbunny: :lilbunny: :lilbunny: :lilbunny:

:lol: :lol:
I can't put it through the top of the cage because the top is made of wood, however, going along the same lines as you idea, I think that if I put a cord or wire through the cage from side to side I might be able to string some up. Thanks for the idea, now my wife will think I am a genius! :ugeek: