Spreadout the kits or no?

[Ablebreeze]

3 does kindled today. 24 kits in total!

Alvi - 1st time mom, NZ TAMUK white, 6 kits, then she died

Affra - 1st time mom, NZ TAMUK white, 9 kits

Nannie - experienced mom, Cali/NZ, 9 kits

(All the dads are NZ TAMUK whites)

Alvi kindled first.

Nannie kindled a couple hours after Alvi died. Affra didn't look quite ready. So we moved the 6 kits to Nannie. 15 is a LOT to handle. I know.

Nannie's kits were destined for freezer camp.

I had hoped to either sell Alvi's or keep them as breeder stock.

But the first priority was to save the kits.

Affra kindled her 9 a couple hours later. I'd like to keep Affra's for selling or breeding. As a first time mom, I'm not sure that she can handle more than 9. If i move any from Nannie, won't know their parentage.

But i dont know that Nannie can handle 15.

 

[Captaincatholic]

Could you shelve each litter and rotate who eats where until some runts are identified in Nannie'
S Litter?

 

[Ablebreeze]

That's certainly a different idea id never heard of.
If they typically only nurse once a day though, doesn't that mean they would all be under fed?

 

[Captaincatholic]

That's certainly a different idea id never heard of.
If they typically only nurse once a day though, doesn't that mean they would all be under fed?

Mine nurse twice a day. I would thing getting everyone nursed at least once per day would help you pick out the weaker rabbits to cull and make it more doable for your does.

 

[ladysown]

you could split the litter in half. and rotate them until they are three weeks old... at which point they start to eat on their own and rely less on momma's milk. Kits survive quite nicely on once a day. If your doe is a big girl she can raise 15 kits quite handily. I'd be inclined to mark the ear of any that struggle (or slightly notch it) to put in with the other doe.

 

[dizzybumblebee]

This suggestion depends on your time constraints so take it with a grain of salt. When in this situation I have bottle fed kits who look like they are not getting enough. The suggestion to shelve a litter and then rotate in/out the other litter to make sure each one gets momma milk once a day seems like a good one. Doesn't take long at all to identify those who are just not pushy enough to get their turn at the nipple. Those ones if you really want to hang onto you hand feed. Mostly to supplement, but in a few days they may be up to getting their turn.
Next message will include info about hand nursing ideas

 

[dizzybumblebee]

There are numerous recipes online for milk substitute. What I have been using is;
canned goat milk (yep, it is out there, whoda thunk it?)
Heavy whipping cream
Honey
and occasionally if I have it available Colostrum Supplement
1 tbl spoon heavy whipping cream to 1/3 cup goat milk
a few dribbles of honey. Maybe about 1/16 tsp. I let a thread of it drop into it for about 1 second.
Yes I'm sorry but I am a seat of the pants cook. And still it works
The biggest thing that has helped was finding the product Miracle nipple, mini size; find it on amazon.com/Miracle-Nipple-Mini-Wildlife-Syringe/dp/B00SQIHIJO?th=1
I use a shot glass heated up in hot water, it so small that heating in the microwave just fails. Keep it in hot water as you feed. It is a struggle at first, but, wow, once they get the idea they can suck the syringe down on their own.
Regular evaporated milk instead of the canned goat milk also works. So will regular goat milk. If you have access non pasturized milk of either goat or cow is better.

 

[Ablebreeze]

Thank you!