T2--new litter of 8!--but need advice

[cereshill]

T2, one of our twin NZ/amer chin does had her litter late last night. 8 squirmy popples, Momma was HUGE-so I was frankly wondering if it would be 10. I have to watch her as she has cannibilized half her previous two litters. I am increasing her pellets and maintaining hay for her--she ate her nest box 3 nights in a row first litter.

I fostered three (survivors) of her previous 7. Only 2 of 7 made it from her first...

I have another doe that had 5 (runt put down) that I can foster to

Thoughts?

 

[Anntann]

I know I'm new at this, but since you have that lovely doe with only 4 kits, I'd take a couple from new momma and see if the other doe will take them...although they're a few days younger and the older popples will likely fight them off for milk....

Giving momma tons of hay and piles of pellets should give her somethign to do...and always a good idea, I think. boy...quite a quandary there. Good luck with them! but...TEN!! woohooo!! here's hoping they all turn into great big wonderful fryers!!

 

[cereshill]

Ann--its 8, thanks for the input. I will watch her closely today. Curly's milking really well and her popples are quite nicely sized at 4 days...
Just amazed at the growth rate of rabbits.

 

[MaggieJ]

Congrats on your 8 new popples! :wbounce:

An old timer once told me to foster the largest, strongest kits when the litter they are going to is a bit older. They are more likely to be able to hold their own... and in this case it should save the best from any risk of being cannibalized.

 

[cereshill]

Maggie

You message is a little convoluted---when should I pull a couple?

She has pulled a decent amount of fur, but nibbles at it... she has plenty of pellets and BOSS---and hay...

I certainly don't want to lose kits, Curly could likely take two more: that would make it two litters of 6.

thx<br /><br />__________ Sun Feb 21, 2010 12:07 pm __________<br /><br />She seems to be pulling more fur and eating any with birth residue--been fascinating to watch!

 

[MaggieJ]

Is she feeding them? I'm not saying you have to foster any of them, you know. What I meant was that the stronger kits would stand a better chance of competing against the older kits in the other litter, whereas the weaker ones might be best left where they are. As I understand it, you can foster kits any time in the first few days quite easily. It's not something I've need to do very often.

 

[cereshill]

Thanks---just pulled, checked and weighed: 1.25lbs for the 8. THey loook like they have had some feed, she hops in and out. They squeak and try to feed; she is still showing a little blood, the box was soaked with blood at the bottom. I changed the box to a wine crate: better size for her, deeper and now clean. She seems ok and the kits are in a deeper nest, they had been exposed as the pro nest box wasn't deep. Personally, I like wood wine crates at the sides are 7" nigh and the nest can be deep with pleny of hay base.<br /><br />__________ Sat Feb 27, 2010 12:51 pm __________<br /><br />so, I have fostered 4 of the 7 and Curly is feeding them well. The three remaining are being fed, but I do not think she is milking well. They are smaller than the littermates who have been fostered.

What should I surmise from this?

 

[avdpas77]

Thanks---just pulled, checked and weighed: 1.25lbs for the 8. THey loook like they have had some feed, she hops in and out. They squeak and try to feed; she is still showing a little blood, the box was soaked with blood at the bottom. I changed the box to a wine crate: better size for her, deeper and now clean. She seems ok and the kits are in a deeper nest, they had been exposed as the pro nest box wasn't deep. Personally, I like wood wine crates at the sides are 7" nigh and the nest can be deep with pleny of hay base.

__________ Sat Feb 27, 2010 12:51 pm __________

so, I have fostered 4 of the 7 and Curly is feeding them well. The three remaining are being fed, but I do not think she is milking well. They are smaller than the littermates who have been fostered.

What should I surmise from this?

Unless you have some very special reason for keeping her, it is time to replace her... She has had problems now 3 times in a row, and not minor problems but serious ones. You can keep one of the does from her that Curly is feeding. Not trying to be harsh, but she is not worth keeping.

 

[MaggieJ]

Avdpas77 has a point. Reliability is a trait I have seldom heard mentioned when people are deciding whether to keep or cull does... perhaps because it is so important that it almost goes without saying. I know you are trying to build up your number of breeders, but this doe does not sound like a keeper to me.

 

[cereshill]

Ladies,

I am with you... It shall be done. I ask because I value all of your experience and appreciate the opportunity to share and receive feedback. In my mind, it was a forgone conclusion, but wanted to ask.

 

[rabbitgeek]

If I may chime in a little late, I agree with 3 strikes and the doe is out.

Mothering ability is an important production trait. Since she is not succesfully raising litters, she needs to go away.

Have a good day!