Weaning bunnies

[SatinsRule]

At what age do the rest of you folks wean your litters off their moms? I'm doing so with Maryse's litter this Sunday at the 7 week point, but I gotta be honest. She's skinny as a rail right now, and I almost feel sorry for her to the point of just putting them on their own now.

There are no right or wrong answers here, just a candid, open discussion amongst breeders.

 

[akane]

Depends. I've removed some at 4 weeks and having a colony I've left some with their parents until they are 3-4months old and the doe has another litter or 2 running about as well. If they are eating and drinking like bottomless pits it seems fine to remove them at whatever age that is. If the doe is skinny though I would look more in to feeding the doe better and deworming than worrying about what age to wean kits. My colony rabbits have been constantly pregnant and nursing for the past 6 months. The only doe I've had to withhold breeding on was a mini rex who pulled so much fur every litter she was making herself bald. If the does look skinny I just up the level of black oil sunflower seeds in the mix and make sure to deworm regularly.

 

[SatinsRule]

Akane, you'd have to see these bunnies and their mother at the feeder when the feed hits to understand the delimna. They literally trample her down. She's been a terrific mom, and she'll probably miss those babies when I separate them in 3 days, but she won't miss having to compete for whatever she gets to eat. It's not that she won't eat, she's simply outnumbered and out-bunnicled!!!

It's at its worst when the Calf Manna hits first thing in the morning. It's a sight.

 

[akane]

My feeders never run empty so I don't have that issue. Mine have 24/7 hay and I just adjust the concentrate mix so that they can have nearly unlimited of that without issues either. My champagne colony has a large bin feeder that usually has a few random pieces left when I refill it and my other colony has a 5lb chicken feeder that is always full. Only my individually caged rabbits might run out of feed. I just adjust the mix or pellet type instead of the amount. It prevents a lot of problems especially certain rabbits getting more than others when you have multiple together.

 

[MaggieJ]

I agree with free-feeding mother rabbits with growing kits. In this case, I'd likely remove all but one or two of the smallest youngsters. That would reduce competition but allow the doe to continue mothering if you feel this is what she wants and needs.

 

[SatinsRule]

It's almost like they're free-fed anyway, mainly because I put 4.5 cups of Professional Blend Rabbit Chow in their feeders, and that's in addition to the 3 teaspoons of Calf Manna they get every morning. I know that sounds like alot in and of itself, then you have to stop and think of it this way: I normally give my adult rabbits 3/4ths of a cup of pellets every day, along with their half cup of rolled oats. In the case of Maryse's litter, there is only one adult rabbit, while there are five youngins, so yeah, they're out-eating the adult rabbits right now, and there isn't a skinny one in the cage aside from Mommy Dearest. As you may have already guessed, cleaning that one pen's drip pan has become an almost daily necessity. 2 days is about the longest I can go before I without question have to do so.

I think both the mom and the bunnicles will all do well with the separation after the initial part of it wears off. I would be kind of neat if Maryse recovered enough to make it back to showroom condition in time enough to compete against her babies, though I'm fairly certain that will never be the case. She will get a well-deserved rest after this is over. I think I owe her that much.

 

[ottersatin]

I wean my kits no earlier than four weeks
unless there is some disaster and they must be weaned in a hurry.
For the most part I wean at six weeks. They never leave the rabbitry
before they are eight or more weeks old. I do not allow my Does
to get run down, I will upgrade the ration as needed. I keep the feeders
for Dams with kits full all the time. Having feed available 24/7 greatly
limits the chances of malnutrition. I also provide some Green feed: Dandelion,
hand picked weeds and Comfrey as additional nutrition. I have added:
Whole Wheat, Barley, BOSS and whole Oats to the mix. My rabbits
have taken to the change very well. I have also planted a section
with these additives and hope to soon produce some Hay mix.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

I have been using a horse feed-- Seminole Wellness for Senior horses-- it is high fat, has antioxidants , yucca, etc in it-- Wilma, with 8 kits, is holding her condition very well.( I don't have the room to store multiple bags of BOSS, barley, oats, etc) Marsha had her second litter, 5 weeks after her first-- excellent condition on her-- but she did have small number litters both times. I would say, at least get half the litter into their own cage now == preferably right next to Moms-- that way, the 'emotional upset' does not happen.

 

[ladysown]

if I ever get a doe that starts to look run down... if post 4 weeks I remove half of the kits. If prior to that i have a small bowl that I fill with a grain mix that i hold just for the doe. They learn pretty quickly to come and get it. and fending off kits from a small bowl is quite an easy thing to do.

 

[fuzzy9]

We're new at this, and have only weaned one litter so far, but we have 3 upcoming litters that we will follow the same policy that we did with our first weaned litter. Wean at 6 weeks, and as soon as the kits are starting to eat solids, momma gets put on free feed. I have the J feeders, but I also put a small little dish of food in with the kits and does so there is no competing at the feeder. It seems to work well.

 

[Rock'N 4 Rabbitry]

I can't even get a litter of bunnies. Best wishes with all your litters.