Dealing with weak kits

[Chevre]

Hello all,

How do you deal with weak kits?

My doe gave birth to a litter of eleven kits, two were very small and have died after a week. Checking the nest, there are another two that are so tiny compared to their litter mates who are now almost three times their size!
I understand that in nature it's 'the survival of the fittest' and the biggest, fastest kits get the milk but is there someway to help the smaller ones without hindering the stronger rabbits?
I've read about culling large litters down to 6 or 8 kits but I'm too much of a coward to do that and I'd rather give them a chance however small. I'm also planning on keeping an extra doe to be able to foster some kits out in the case of future large litters.

But how does everyone else deal with their weak rabbit kits?

 

[Chevre]

Here is the size difference between litter mates:

 

[Mini Horses]

Someone is getting more milk than another? I'd supplement tiny. . Not a rabbit raiser but that's a huge difference.

@Baymule , @Ridgetop , @secuono .... Any help?

 

[farmerjan]

Maybe an eye dropper to supplement what they manage to get from the momma? I have no idea what to feed them.... some sort of milk replacer?

 

[Baymule]

Kitten, as in cat, milk replacer, to supplement with.

Personally I never had much luck trying to save small weak kits. Nature culls out the weak. Harsh, but it happens. You are new to rabbits and I understand your desire to save/keep them all.

I am glad to see that you are already planning on breeding several does at a time for future foster situations. I always bred multiple does just for that reason.

I think the kitten milk replacer can be found at a pet store or vet’s office. It’s worth a try.

 

[Chevre]

The thing is I've already gone down that road with an orphaned red squirrel before: feeding it kitten milk every two hours but in the end it died anyway. So I'd rather not get too attached to a kit that was never meant to make it anyway. I agree that nature is cruel but the heartbreak is hard to deal with too. I'm trying to be a good animal carer but maybe nature should just take it's course.

 

[Baymule]

I’m glad you are taking a realistic approach instead of animal behaviors were invented by Disney. Being a farmer has its tough moments whereby you have to make tough decisions.

Recently had to put my old ram down, my friend and sweetheart. Truly one in ten million. My heart screamed SAVE HIM! The farmer said let him go, and stroked his face as he left this world.

 

[secuono]

I hand fed, poorly, the weak ones in a recent litter. They had enough strength to get milk on their own after that.
But if they kept needing it, move to a mom with similar sized kits and less kits overall, or cull.