# My flemish giant is having babies. How many can she handle?



## flemish lops

I have a flemish giant that is almost ready to have babies (shes BIG). I heard that flemish giant rabbits can have up to 18 kits! Well The thing is, I had read some where that if the mother has more than 8 kits then she will have a hard time raising them, or some of the babies will not get enugh milk. Is this true, and if so what am I supposed to do.


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## Bunnylady

I don't do Flemish, the biggest rabbits I have are Harlequins (6 - 9 lbs). They are only medium sized, but can have large litters. I had one doe years ago that could successfully raise 12 babies, but most are not that good at it. Last time I checked, does are only "plumbed" for 10. Generally, the larger the litter, the higher the likelihood of losing a few babies. It's usually the smaller, weaker kits that don't make it. I tried supplemental bottle feeding once upon a time, but it just didn't work for me.  I usually breed several does at the same time, so I just take babies from large litters and put them in the nestboxes of does that only had a few. Fortunately, rabbits can't count, so I've never had a doe reject a litter because of an added baby or two. 

Something you might try, if the litter is really big and there aren't any does available to foist the extras onto, is to divide the babies up into two groups. Put one group in with Momma in the morning, and the other group in the evening. A lot of my does only nurse the kits once per day anyway, so I know kits can get by on only one feeding per day. 

Hopefully, your doe won't have more than she can handle. Good luck!


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## CrimsonRose

wow I thought rabbits only had about 8 built in feeders... LOL Didn't know it was 10 guess I've never really held them down to count... Learn something new everyday!

Anyhow I have flemish giants and they typically have about 9-12 babies I never cull off any of them but by about day 2-3 you can tell there is a smaller sometimes 2 smaller babies who are not getting enough food... I will try to bring them in and give them a few droppers full of milk and yogurt mixed together... the ones who refuse to drink any of it typically die but the ones who will drink some (I don't fill them up on it but give them more of a snack to hold them over) will typically bounce back and make it... 

If they only have 8 kits to begin with then typically you won't need to intervene at all and all do well...  Any thing more than 8 and I just keep an eye on them to make sure they are eating enough... look for round bellies if they are sunk in then they didn't eat the last time the doe fed them... or if they are smaller by about a half an inch compared to the other babies...


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## flemish lops

Thanks for your help, I guess I will see how many kits I get. I am just woundering one more thing though. If my flemish giant has more than 11 babies can I put flemish giant kits in with a holland lop who has kits? Or is the holland lop to small of a breed to handle flemish giants?


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## rabbitman

flemish lops said:
			
		

> Thanks for your help, I guess I will see how many kits I get. I am just woundering one more thing though. If my flemish giant has more than 11 babies can I put flemish giant kits in with a holland lop who has kits? Or is the holland lop to small of a breed to handle flemish giants?


You could put your Flemish giants in with a Holland Lop as lond as there isn't to much of an age diffrence.


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## flemish lops

rabbitman said:
			
		

> flemish lops said:
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> Thanks for your help, I guess I will see how many kits I get. I am just woundering one more thing though. If my flemish giant has more than 11 babies can I put flemish giant kits in with a holland lop who has kits? Or is the holland lop to small of a breed to handle flemish giants?
> 
> 
> 
> You could put your Flemish giants in with a Holland Lop as lond as there isn't to much of an age diffrence.
Click to expand...

ok thanks


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