Too Early to Wean?

[mothergoosemagic]

Babies are 4 weeks old today & absolutely huge. They've been eating pellets & yard greens for close to 2 weeks now, & show absolutely no interest in their mama. Nicely formed little bunny berries, too. Yesterday, when I dropped a bundle of greens into their cage, it looked for all the world like a pack of fuzzy white piranha.

I had planned to remove the mama & breed her again when the babies hit 6 weeks. Now I'm wondering if I should go ahead & take her out now.

Opinions? Advice?

 

[Dood]

I usually wean at 4 weeks

 

[skysthelimit]

I used to wean at 4 weeks, but since my recent bout with corrid resistant cocci, I'm not moving anyone till 8 weeks.
Usually they will be fine. I've had a doe die at 3 weeks, and only lost one from a litter of 12. Even if you don't, go ahead and rebred that doe.

 

[Marinea]

I usually wean some time between four and five weeks, depending on the kits' behaviors and how they are doing.

Don't let that stop you from rebreeding the doe, as long as she is in good shape from her last litter.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I just bred a doe yesterday and moved her current litter of kits today. They will be five weeks old tomorrow.

 

[akane]

You can breed without weaning the babies if you want to wait. I bred my meat rabbits within a few days of the kits being born and in the colony they would get bred immediately. Usually the doe weans the kits off at 4 weeks anyway. I just put mine with an older rabbit or in colony there were plenty of other rabbits to learn from until they were butchering size.

 

[3mina]

My does run the kits off at four weeks usually

 

[mothergoosemagic]

Thanks, everyone. I forgot to mention these are NZs & were a surprise litter. So I had no idea about what the doe's behaviour might be.

I think I'll give it a couple more days & breed her on Easter Sunday. Then split the difference & take the babies out on Monday. About their only interaction with the mama is to use her as a couch. She'd probably appreciate being able to eat in peace, too.

Good push to get the grow out cages ready. I'm planning to keep 1 buck & 2 does, then sell the rest around 8 weeks.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

About their only interaction with the mama is to use her as a couch.

It's almost worth it to leave them with her just to see the cuteness! I love it when they bunnypile on mom!