More weaning questions

[II Arrows]

I will be apologizing early because I kno this question has been asked over and over. I searched the Internet high and low and found very useful and at the same time contradicting information. I have 2 litters that were born on the same day and they are 5 weeks old. I separated the 3 mini rex mixed kits and the one foster kit over the course of 3 days. They have been eating and drinking well for quite some time now, and they seem to be adjusting well in the new grow out pen. Their mom looks very thin and I believed it was time to give her a rest from her kits. The new zealand kits that were born on the same day seem to be dooing really well also. I want to start weaning them at 6 weeks. My questions are should I take all the kits out at once or should I gradually take a few out every day until they are all gone? I have one grow out pen so space is limited at the moment. My next question will be regarding the separation of the bucks and does in the grow out pen. I have read to separate at 8 weeks and I've read to separate at 10 and 12 weeks So i have no idea on what to do or what route to take. My new zealands are for meat purposes and I plan on taking them to freezer camp at 11-12 weeks. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[WhWRabbitry]

I'm not as experienced as some but I will share what I've done. When able I take away a couple kits at a time every couple days to let the does milk supply adjust. I know of other breeders who also do it that way. However, I have also had instances where due to circumstances with the doe I immediately took all kits away from a doe at once. In both circumstances this did not cause problems for the doe.
As far as age I seperate - My Mini Lop kits go to new homes at 8 weeks. In past litters I did not separate before then. However, in this current litter I have all the bucklings were trying to breed with the does at 6 weeks!! I know nothing would come of it but I figured it might annoy these young little does so I went ahead and separated the does and bucks at just over 6 weeks.

 

[ladysown]

i wean differently depending on what I have and the size of the litter. I think that is what most folk do.

Let me give some examples. From recent litters.

breeding in groups of three generally. Doe One (meat breed) has 10 kits, Doe two (polish), Doe Three (holland lop).

Doe One - remove the bucks. Wean at five weeks.
Doe three - remove bucks at six weeks, put in with the meat kits.
Doe two - remove bucks at just shy of seven weeks. Go in the grow-out with the others. In the meantime some of those kits have been sold or culled so my cage isn't crowded. Max seven kits total by end of eight weeks. Was down to four by end of 10 weeks.

Meanwhile back to the does.
Pulled out the biggest from Doe One at six weeks, pulled all the hollands, left the polish in with mom.
Sold or culled all but two kits, pulled the rest of the meat kits.

Polish were later added to a holland lop trio and are still awaiting sale.

SOMETIMES i don't wean kits and they just stay with mom until new homes are found.
SOMETIMES I wean early if there is a need (hence the holland lop trio with the polish... same size three week age difference, holland lops weaned at four weeks due to mom being an idiot).
Sometimes a kit will stay with mom until it's 12 weeks old.

General rules I've learned.

• 
  Divide by genders earlier rather than later.
  Check and double check those genders in the first week and rearrange as needed.
  Match by personality if you can.
  I always start with the meat kits in a grow out cage, they are the most docile of all my bunnies and are easily bullied.
  DO NOT put a bunch of busy bullies into one cage it causes too much stress to young weanlings. Leave the busy bullies with their mom and wean out the easy going kits first, then add a busy bully after everyone has settled. Helps those busy kits to settle much more quickly.

 

[II Arrows]

Thank you both. I'm still a little frazzled on what I should do. I took the mini rex mixed rabbits out because the mama looks very run down and extremely thin, and she only had 3 kits with one foster. My black new zealand is dooing fine with 8 kits, which was her first Litter. My reason behind this is I wanted the new zealand meat bred kits to be on the mama a little longer. I figured it would benefit the kits. So with all that being said, would it be wise to separate all of my new zealand buckling at at 8 weeks from their litter mates into the grow out pen and leave the does with mama? And as for culling, I was going to cull at the 5 pounds weight mark. Now with this being her very first litter I'm wondering if the kits are smaller then what they normally or should be at this point. The average litter weight from my new zealands are 1 pound 7.1 ounces. The heaviest of my new zealand kits would be one of the black new zealand kits weighing in at 1 pound 10.2 ounces. The second heaviest is a white new zealand at 1 pound 9.8 ounces. I heard of a good growth spurt at the 8 to 9 week mark,I hope to see a major difference between now and then.

 

[ladysown]

I'd take the boys out first.

You don't need to wait until 8 weeks to pull them out. You could pull out the biggest at six or seven weeks, and then add a few more if you have more then three bucks.

 

[II Arrows]

Thank you ladysown. I think I will take your advice and move out the little bucks at 6 and a half to seven weeks.

 

[michaels4gardens]

when you have a lot of time or just a few rabbits, you can ween as above, and it is good,-especially when you raise, and market pets- but- when I have had a lot of rabbits I weened at 8 weeks and they went directly to market, or I weened at 6 weeks, and they went to grow-out pens, and then to market. [but I raised meat rabbits]