New litter

[Jaulen]

We just got rabbits last year, a trio of New Zealand Blues. Got then at 8 weeks old. Since January went from 3 bunnies to 31 as of today. We're just raising them in our small backyard. Built a lean-to for them and hanging cages.

Little Miss had her first litter of 10 with 1 runt....runt died. Two others just up and died at 3.5 weeks. 7 survivors.

HopCrossBun had her first litter, 11 babies....1 runt and 1 micro runtling. Mom died at 9 days. She didn't even show she was sick until it was too late. So I brought the babies in and hand raised them. Was expecting losses. But 6 weeks later....all 11 still.alive (beginners luck I guess). We're going to keep one of her daughters to breed.....she had a great temperament and kept all 11 of those babies well fed. Thinking I can't be around when they get butchered. I open the cage and they all want to mob me.

Hand fed the orphans on a mix of goat milk, KMR, colostrum (stopped after few days), and heavy cream.

Little Miss had her second litter last night. Couldn't even tell she was pregnant and 11 babies!! No runts in this litter, they are all roughly the same size.

Thanks for the board....lots of good information here.

Waiting at the vet to hear about mom

Hand feeding one of the orphans

 

[SableSteel]

That sounds a lot like the formula I used with baby rabbits
I hope they do well for you
Good luck

 

[Nymphadora]

You've got such little cuties, Jaulen! :in_love:

And congrats on hand-raising a litter of 11... that sounds crazy!

 

[Jaulen]

thanks The babies are pretty sweet. So soft!

It was a lot of work.....twice a day, would take about an hour at each feeding. Suprizingly the best at bottle sucking was the mico runt.

Sexed the first litter today. 4 girls and 3 boys.

How fast we went from 3 bunnies to 31!

And I was not prepared for the poop factories that are bunnies.....I'm putting in another garden bed just to use the droppings.
Trying to talk husband in to doing worm composting also.

 

[Marinea]

Gorgeous blues!

 

[2CrazyFools]

Wow, hand feeding ELEVEN of them?! Gosh, I have 4 and it sure is time consuming, I couldn't imagine 11! Granted, it was a lot quicker after they opened up their eyes and could see what they were trying to suckle on...

Great work!