What age could they eat this

[garden lady]

I have kept the kits out of the Calf Manna. At what age could they have some? What age could they have the BOSS? What age could they have vegetables or fruit? Can they have kale yet? Is there anything I am not thinking of that a kit can have? They seem hungry. They are not fat and seem like all fur to me.

 

[fogcity]

I five my kits calf manna as soon a they start eating. I also give them greens at that time. I know many people do not recommend that,but I have had no issues. The dam is getting calf manna so I figure it could not hurt them. I also feed tons of grasses.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

As long as you are giving a wide variety, they will probably not overindulge in any one thing. My kits get BOSS along with their oats, barley, and beet pulp in the creep feeders as soon as they are out of the nest. I would be cautious with the kale and any brassicas, only putting as much as the doe normally eats at one time, and they will get some nibbles of it before she chows it all down. I haven't had any trouble putting a 2" chunk of carrot in with kits, and upping the amount as they grow.

One thing I did when I first started feeding greens was to always feed hay first, then grain, then greens or veggies. I have 24 holes, (plus growout pens now), so by the time I got back to the first cage fed, they had already been eating other things so weren't ravenous. If you feed the "dry matter" first and follow with the veggies in about twenty minutes, I don't think you will have any issues.

 

[ZRabbits]

I didn't start feeding my rabbits greens until they were 6 months. But then again, my rabbits were not given greens when they were babies. MamaSheepDog's method sounds really interesting.

Karen

 

[garden lady]

I five my kits calf manna as soon a they start eating. I also give them greens at that time. I know many people do not recommend that,but I have had no issues. The dam is getting calf manna so I figure it could not hurt them. I also feed tons of grasses.

It is working for me too.

__________ Wed Oct 10, 2012 2:48 pm __________

As long as you are giving a wide variety, they will probably not overindulge in any one thing. My kits get BOSS along with their oats, barley, and beet pulp in the creep feeders as soon as they are out of the nest. I would be cautious with the kale and any brassicas, only putting as much as the doe normally eats at one time, and they will get some nibbles of it before she chows it all down. I haven't had any trouble putting a 2" chunk of carrot in with kits, and upping the amount as they grow.

One thing I did when I first started feeding greens was to always feed hay first, then grain, then greens or veggies. I have 24 holes, (plus growout pens now), so by the time I got back to the first cage fed, they had already been eating other things so weren't ravenous. If you feed the "dry matter" first and follow with the veggies in about twenty minutes, I don't think you will have any issues.

That is what I have been doing in a way. I think I will put a chunk of carrot for them tonight and little piece for Lulu and then she will probably eat their piece too. I just put one leaf of kale in and they might get a nibble on the edge before she gets it ate up. I have some broccoli plants left and I have gave the older 5 a small piece of broccoli leaf with their herbs and leaves in the morning. Kale is usually every other day.<br /><br />__________ Wed Oct 10, 2012 2:54 pm __________<br /><br />

I didn't start feeding my rabbits greens until they were 6 months. But then again, my rabbits were not given greens when they were babies. MamaSheepDog's method sounds really interesting.

Karen

I am sure there is something different with them if the mother never had grass. I really do not understand it or it could be certain breeds. I just know that if Lulu had the kits in the tunnel that they would have walked out into the grass and that is all they would have had to eat. I remember when the new people moved in and put the rabbits back in the small pen that they would put a big bowl of vegetables out for them. There was not any grass in that pen other than what I threw over the fence. I would go and see plums, watermelon, celery, DOUGHNUTS on the ground for them and they lived through it all. I am sure they were not that healthy, but I saw the poop on the ground and they never had diarrhea.

 

[Secuono]

If they are new to the foods and older, start slow and do one food at a time.
If they are still in nest, make sure the mother is eating these things regularly. That way, when the kits come out, they will start sampling from the start and will be much safer to feed the foods to them later on.
Fruits and veggies tend to be more candy-like than regular food. You want weeds, branches and grasses.