Litter of 15 normal?

[Stormy]

One of my does last week gave birth to 15 kits!! That's a record. I think she did 14 last time. Her sis does 12. But here's the rub: I always lose kits until I only have about 8 left. That really sucks! So this time I took 7 of the smallest babies out of the nest box, and created a little nest for them, and fed them on her sister who was beginning to wean her litter. Believe it or not, she nursed them! The two does were co-housed til recently (one exposed to pasteurella so has to go) I was leaving the box in her cage but when she began peeing in it I took it out and put the babies in a separate cage. Big mistake, the babies froze in the night Lesson learned. I didn't realize she was keeping them warm I am very sad about that (duh!)

Anyways, this seems so weird she'd have such large litters if she can't keep them fed. The only time I have successfully seen 14 babies make it in one box was when two colony does decided to put their babies in the same box (the second doe had a surprise pregnancy after having broken out of the pen for 5 minutes - that is all it takes!) With all the extra milk flow I had fat babies though still lost some.

Why would she have such large litters if she can't keep them alive? Does anyone successfully raise large litters? Do you let nature take its course, or intervene?

 

[xa.logan]

Wow nice! Do you cull any when they have over 8?

 

[Stormy]

Wow nice! Do you cull any when they have over 8?

No - I would really rather not! But the weaker ones just die within a few days on their own, from starvation, clearly. It breaks my heart. I've heard people suggest breeding another doe at the same time for potential fostering of kits, but if everyone else has 7-8 that is still half a litter dead.
I could have sworn my Belgian buck came from a litter of 14... there were a lot of bunnies there when I picked him out... the does are his daughters. I don't know how the Belgian doe took care of so many and these half American X Belgians can't seem to do it.

Anyone else have large litters that survive?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

The largest (Rex) litters I have had have been ten raised successfully. Most of my does who have eight or even nine will lose a couple. I am working toward better milk production, but as with everything it takes time.

I believe NZ does are superior milk producers- maybe you could get one as a potential foster mom?

 

[Stormy]

Thanks Mamasheepdog, I didn't think about it as a milk production issue - more of a number of nipples issue... anyone breeding for more nipples yet?? haha
Her sister as I mentioned was feeding 2 litters without a problem... til I stupidly got one froze out.

 

[Dood]

I even out the litters or cull to 8 as growth rate if the kits is quite restricted when a litter is spit into morning and evening feedings.

I have two does that are like Holsteins cows and have fed 12 kits but it wipes them out and they need at least a couple months to recuperate so I no longer do it to them. They are very good does and I don't want to cut their life short by pushing them too hard.

 

[Secuono]

They only have 8 teats and no room to add more. Normal for 6-8 kits, exceptional moms can do 10, but any more than 8 and all or some will suffer. Either split the nest or get a doe that doesn't waste time and nutrition in creating too many kits that will end up dead anyway.

 

[Nyctra]

They only have 8 teats and no room to add more. Normal for 6-8 kits, exceptional moms can do 10, but any more than 8 and all or some will suffer. Either split the nest or get a doe that doesn't waste time and nutrition in creating too many kits that will end up dead anyway.

I usually count 8-10 nipples though. :shock: Maybe I've been counting ticks that just look like teats.
I checked my only nursing mamma right now, found 5 on her right side and 4 on her left.

 

[Stormy]

They only have 8 teats and no room to add more. Normal for 6-8 kits, exceptional moms can do 10, but any more than 8 and all or some will suffer. Either split the nest or get a doe that doesn't waste time and nutrition in creating too many kits that will end up dead anyway.

Split the nest? You mean just put half in another nest box in the same cage? What a brilliant idea... if it works!<br /><br />__________ Sat Jul 20, 2013 7:14 pm __________<br /><br />

They only have 8 teats and no room to add more. Normal for 6-8 kits, exceptional moms can do 10, but any more than 8 and all or some will suffer. Either split the nest or get a doe that doesn't waste time and nutrition in creating too many kits that will end up dead anyway.

I usually count 8-10 nipples though. :shock: Maybe I've been counting ticks that just look like teats.
I checked my only nursing mamma right now, found 5 on her right side and 4 on her left.

:lol: I hope not!
Hmmm... well, if there is some variation here in number of teats, there really might be some room to breed for rabbits with more nipples!!

 

[JDWest]

My original Flemish bucks were from a litter of 16 or 18 (can't remember which) All lived and grew to be big kits and rabbits. It was shocking to see! But the breeder did have to foster the two smallest.

The biggest litter I have had was 13.

 

[skysthelimit]

I've had several litters of 12. The only doe who has ever had a problem is Hippa, and she now has four and can't feed those. I don't cull, I let nature decide, and so far, all live. Culling for me would be a problem, since at that age I would have no idea if I'm culling a show kit or not. When they start eating solids, they seem to catch up.

 

[Stormy]

My original Flemish bucks were from a litter of 16 or 18 (can't remember which) All lived and grew to be big kits and rabbits. It was shocking to see! But the breeder did have to foster the two smallest.

The biggest litter I have had was 13.

That is phenomenal. I wonder why my litters are knocking down to 8 or 9 then, and if there is something I can do to increase survival, short of fostering - as I mentioned, everyone seems to have big litters.

I LOVE the picture at the bottom of your post! Its like my rabbit Bijoux. Darling but deadly.

 

[skysthelimit]

Each doe does what she can handle. That is a good number.

Big Hair has an average of 4, and hers grow no bigger or faster than the ones that have 12. That's the kind of doe I worry about.