Missing kits found but need help nourishing

[kukupecpec]

Yesterday when I went out in the afternoon for the second feeding and to just check everyone and play with the bunnies two of my kits were huddled outside the nest box and two more had gone missing - born 3/17/13. I searched and searched and couldn't find the missing kits anywhere. Checked again when I was out this morning and found nothing. This afternoon while down on the ground doing some gardening miraculously I found the two missing kits thanks to the little white one flinching - they were buried in some dirt in an impossible corner under the hutch, I'm astonished the chickens didn't get them! Anyway, they have been hiding out down there for a minimum of 24 hours but could have been out there for up to 48 as I don't count them every day. They are very obviously skin and bones, and almost half the size of their well fed siblings. I dusted them off and put them back in to snuggle in the nest box but I worried they won't make it to the next feeding. What can I do to help save them?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Keeping the kits together for warmth is essential, but the little ones may be too weak to fight the bigger ones for milk. I would suggest removing the nestbox from the doe's cage and bringing the box to the doe for feeding twice a day. Take the larger kits out to allow the weaklings to nurse first, then put the big ones back in the box.

If the big guys miss out altogether on one nursing session per day for one or two days it wont hurt them and may allow the little wanderers to catch up.

If the small kits seem lethargic you may want to give them a drop or two of something high in sugar to give them a quick energy boost before nursing. Blackstrap molasses would be my first choice because it contains lots of nutrients, but Karo syrup or even sugar water would work as well.

Good luck! I hope you can save them. :clover:

 

[kukupecpec]

I've heard of people bringing the nest box in for lots of reasons but wondered how this works? My doe will thump if she smells me on the kits, and I've even seen her chase one if she checks out the nest box right after I set one back in after holding it. I'm afraid she will reject them if they smell like me and the house rather than her hutch.
How does it work when they are ready to leave the nest box? Since they continue to nurse even after leaving and starting to eat pellets, I'm pretty sure she won't want them in her hutch, do they get their own? Do I still need to bring them to her for feeding? I just don't understand the logistics of it.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

If your doe is that territorial it might not work. You could try putting a dab of something strong smelling on her nose and the kits to mask your scent. A lot of people use vanilla.

Obviously, I wasn't clear in my recommendation- I would just pull the box for a day or two to allow the little guys to catch up a bit. If you have an extra cage you could put the box in there instead of bringing it into the house. Any secure area would work where rats/cats/larger predators don't have access to the kits.

 

[kukupecpec]

She's a funny gal, she's MOST people friendly when she has a litter! Loves to have her head scratched and will come to the door to greet me. But she doesn't seem to like me messing with her kits. I usually distract her with her daily greens when I want to get into the nest box so she doesn't go right in after I've been holding them.

I have a lot of cages that aren't being used, I usually get free cages with rabbits we bring in, sometimes multiple cages, but they are too small for daily living so I could probably put the nest box in one of those. I've been having more and more problems with kits getting dragged out of the nest box after nursing (I think) the last couple litters so taking the nest box to mom only when they need to be nursed could be super helpful! I'm just worried about her rejecting them.