# Supplementing a big litter



## D_Mom549 (Feb 20, 2012)

I've been lurking for a while and have gotten so much info off of reading all your posts! But, now I have a "problem" and I'm not sure what to do. I'm putting this here because it concerns my meat rabbits but if it needs to be moved into the raising young rabbits section that's fine. I have a doe who just had her second litter and it's huge! She had 13 babies with three that were still-born. We have Havana/Florida White mixes so they aren't the biggest rabbits. She has taken care of the 10 but they're definitely smaller than her last litter (7) and my other doe's litter (5). I'm wondering if there's anything I can add to their food once they start eating pellets that will help make up for their current tiny size. Or once they move onto pellets will they make up for it? Thanks in advance for any advice!


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## hemet dennis (Feb 20, 2012)

How old are they now ?


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## AZ Rabbits (Feb 20, 2012)

You don't need to supplement with anything. However, some will supplement to fatten them up after weaning if used as meat rabbits. But most of these supplements aren't great if you're keeping them for breeding. For long-term health nothing is needed besides healthy pellets.

That being said, there are plenty here that have personal preferences of all kinds of stuff they add to their diets. You'll get opinions varying as much as opinions vary on human health.


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## hemet dennis (Feb 20, 2012)

AZ Rabbits said:
			
		

> You don't need to supplement with anything. However, some will supplement to fatten them up after weaning if used as meat rabbits. But most of these supplements aren't great if you're keeping them for breeding. For long-term health nothing is needed besides healthy pellets.
> 
> That being said, there are plenty here that have personal preferences of all kinds of stuff they add to their diets. You'll get opinions varying as much as opinions vary on human health.


Yep just pellets is fine. Try to breed another doe at the same time as this one so you can move some if you need to.


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## D_Mom549 (Feb 20, 2012)

They aren't even a week old yet, I just like to plan ahead.  This is actually only our second time breeding them and I've already decided I'm not going to stagger the breedings like I did. I really didn't expect her to have such a large litter. We also hadn't butchered the first litters when I rebred the does so I wasn't sure if we'd be able to handle butchering two litters at once. Now that we've butchered the previous litters I know we can handle two at once. They're so much easier than chickens! I was hoping that the pellets would be sufficient. If it comes down to it I'll just wait longer to butcher them.


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## terri9630 (Feb 20, 2012)

I feed calfmana to help the doe maintain weight.  The kits eat it as well. I have found that the kits "catch up" by about 10 weeks or so.


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## nerissad (Feb 23, 2012)

One of my does had 13 babies this AM. All live. I removed 4 and put them with another doe who had birthed the night before.  My big litter momma now has 9 in her box and the other mother has 8 in the other. I'm concerned about them having enough milk to go around, these are first time mothers so I don't know about their ability to milk or care for the young. 

Should I supplement and with what?

These babies aren't yet a day old so there is still loads of time to get a plan.


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## terri9630 (Feb 23, 2012)

My Florida whites and New Zealand usually have litters of 8/9 and have fed raised them with no issues.  Unless you see one not doing well I wouldn't try to feed it.  Rabbits milk is very rich and there is no good substitute.  If you get an extra feeding with a bottle then the kit will not be as hungry when it's time to nurse and they will loose nutrition.


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## nerissad (Feb 23, 2012)

terri9630 said:
			
		

> My Florida whites and New Zealand usually have litters of 8/9 and have fed raised them with no issues.  Unless you see one not doing well I wouldn't try to feed it.  Rabbits milk is very rich and there is no good substitute.  If you get an extra feeding with a bottle then the kit will not be as hungry when it's time to nurse and they will loose nutrition.


Hmm. Good point.


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## adorable (Feb 25, 2012)

what i do. When i start seeing the babies coming out of there box. I start giving hay in the nesting box on top of the babies. NOt allot. You will see them sniffing it and start to nibble. That is about 2 weeks old.At 3 weeks old they are all out of the box and eating with mom and hay. I start putting old fashion oats in the food dish. It helps them allot. and easy to digest.


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