New to this!...How do I wean the kits from the doe?

[jbremount]

Hello, My doe has a litter of 7 kits and I have a few questions. The kits are 6 weeks old today. They all look healthy and of good size. When is a good time to wean the kits from the doe? They are eating pellets free choice and drinking water. I don't know if they are still getting milk from the doe. Should I wean a few of them at a time, say two a day or every other day. What is a good system to wean the babies from the mom? Thanks

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Commercial producers will wean as early as four weeks, others go as long as eight weeks or more depending on cage space and breed-back schedule... so anytime now is fine.

You might want to check the doe's milk supply to help you decide how to wean. If she still has engorged teats you may want to just remove the largest of the kits to the weaning pen and then take another one or two away each day.

I usually move my does and litters to a growout pen for the kit's adjustment period to new surroundings and then just take the doe out after a few days.

You can give plants in the mint family to the doe to help dry up her milk if necessary.

 

[akane]

It's least stressful if you move the doe and leave the kits but the cage size doesn't always make that the logical choice if you are just going to move them again in a short time. Most of the time kits adjust fine to leaving mom for a strange cage. To avoid discomfort and possible mastitis you may want to remove about half the kits for 24hrs and see if the doe has any milk lumps on her belly before removing the rest. It can be hard to tell how much milk she has when she has adjusted to the number of kits and the kits are mobile enough to chase her around drinking throughout the day.

As for age it really depends. I weaned at 4 weeks frequently with the doe being bred immediately after giving birth so her milk would be gone by the time they were 4 weeks and she'd chase them off. Then start producing fresh milk for the new litter. However mine were in a colony with only a few bucks who weren't in circulation and some does that didn't share well put in cages. They had various age rabbits around them, other juniors to copy, adults to follow around, etc... I don't really like removing them that young without at least a laid back babysitter buck to help with their behavioral development and they get some of the bacteria needed for digesting solid foods from adults around them. Especially a problem in a wire bottom cage where most droppings fall through. Weaning them off alone with no older juniors or adults around I would wait a minimum of 6 weeks and most of the time if you aren't following a strict breeding schedule 8 weeks is good. There are laws in some states that you can't sell before 8 weeks anyway and if you want to butcher them they won't suffer any having solid food and milk. Some think that weaning earlier on to solid food makes them grow faster and some think leaving them on milk as long as possible keeps enough growth while cutting down on how much food goes in to producing the meat.

 

[ladysown]

at six weeks, just take 'em away. They'll be fine.
Give 'em hay for a couple of days if they are used to it.

 

[Miss M]

I have just removed the whole litter at 6 weeks with no problems, but it's probably good to make sure the doe isn't still producing a lot of milk.

 

[ottersatin]

After you remove the Kits, cut back on the Dams feed.
This will help in reduction of milk production.
After all, the dam is no longer feeding the kits.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[BusterHill]

I keep mine in a colony, i removed my first litter just after 4 weeks, they weaned themselves i put them in cages in groups of 3, they are now 6 weeks today and in cages in groups of 2 as of a few days ago.... mom never had an issue, neither did kits... the doe didnt get pregnant right away after kindling which is fine, im all for letting them go their own speed. I have a litter of 3 thats about 2 weeks old now in the same pen, different doe... ill play this one by ear, if they show the independence these other kits did they will be weaned at 4.5 weeks too

 

[skysthelimit]

I usually wean at six, but thanks to the issues I had this summer, I'm not doing till 8. I just take them away. The dam's feed is reduced, simply by not having kits in the cage with her. I take then out, sex them and put them in a grow out cage with lots of hay for the first few days.