Milk Supplement

[The_Dutchess]

I have a runty kit that is getting milk, but I think she gets shoved around by the other kits and isn't getting enough for her to be as big as the others. She is quite small. So I saw a thread on here about someone wanting to feed an orphan skimmed cow's milk in a recipe instead of goat's milk. Members told OP that this was not such a great idea. However, my only option would be 1/2 cup warm whole cow's milk, 1 egg yolk, and 1/2 tablespoon corn syrup. I would only supplement the kit with this. All I want to know is, will it harm the kit, and will it even help just a tiny bit? I know you have to feed it to them slowly and potty them afterwards.

 

[Miss M]

will it harm the kit

It depends. Some kits can handle cow's-milk based formula okay. Others get diarrhea, which can kill a kit pretty quickly. That's why goat's milk is recommended for rabbit kits. It's much easier for them to digest, and there should be no problem with it. The canned goat's milk that you can get at the grocery store works just fine.

will it even help just a tiny bit?

If the kit can handle the cow's milk, it will help. If possible, I'd get a can of goat's milk as soon as I could just to have on hand, in case the kit can't take the cow's milk.

I know you have to feed it to them slowly and potty them afterwards.

You do feed them very slowly, but you don't have to potty them. Members have come to realize over time that the mother doesn't potty the kits like a mother cat does. We figure it's the stimulation of the babies crawling all over each other in the nest. Only if you have a singleton do you have to do the pottying. Nobunny to wiggle against.

 

[The_Dutchess]

How much of a chance does a runt have on living? I can get a can of Evaporated goats milk at a local grocery store, but is it worth the $3 to do it if she won't live? <br /><br /> -- Fri May 23, 2014 12:06 am -- <br /><br /> I'm going to try to flip Lovey and see if I can get her more milk but if that fails I'll have to decide whether she's worth it. If she is then I will decide whether to take the risk and try cow's milk or buy the goat's milk. Or buy goats milk and if she does good on cow's return the goat's.

 

[Miss M]

We have saved almost every runt we have supplemented, and most attained normal size or close to it by butchering age. We've lost only a couple.

But you have to decide. There's no wrong answer. Some supplement runts, others cull them, others let them fend for themselves and survive if they can.

One danger is becoming too attached to the little thing as you are supplementing.

The goat's milk would stay good in your pantry for a very long time, unopened. Once you open it, you can freeze the remainder in an ice cube tray.

 

[Zass]

is it worth the $3 to do it if she won't live

I've been supplementing the ones who were "fading" this year with great success.
If it's worth it or not is really up to you.
It's not the most efficient expenditure of energy and resources, but I feel very good about the kits I've saved so far.

I tend to believe the experience is also valuable.