Pregnant Doe, not eating pellets, what to do?

[shanzu farms]

Hi all,

She is due any day, has quite eating pellets a few days ago. Still eating hay and a few green leaves from the garden i give her, but she's also licking the wooden nest box presumably for nutrients she isn't getting from hay/greens.

Any advice? It's her first kindle...

Thanks for any tips.

 

[Hens and Roos]

Maybe the pellets don't appeal to her at this stage as she gets ready to kindle. Not sure why she is licking the nest best or what might be missing. At this point just keep offering the pellets and other feed and watch her.

Keep us posted on how things go for her!

@Samantha drawz and others might have some ideas for you

 

[samssimonsays]

Try old fasioned oatmeal/steam rolled oats. It gets mine interested usually. Even if you have to boil it down and syringe feed her. She also may be in labor? I had one with kits too big to pass who did something similar but only nibbled hay and laid in her nest box once she quit pushing. It is hard to know since each rabbit is so different. Is this her first litter?

 

[shanzu farms]

Hi All,

Sorry for the delay and thanks for your comments. I did try oats, she ate a bit. I'm also giving hay and she continues to eat that, and some crunchy kale from the garden (she is accustomed to eating that regularly in small quantities).

She kindled this morning, - yes her first- so she wasn't in labor at the time. 6 healthy kits, but she did NOT pull fur. Ugh. We will see how they do lying flat on the haybed in the nestbox.

Any advice on that? Cotton wool thrown into the nestbox??

cheers

 

[Hens and Roos]

yep that will work or dryer lint-maybe she will get the idea and pull some fur to help cover them!

 

[samssimonsays]

I am sorry she didn't pull fur but glad they are alive and well! I will actually keep my groomed fur from the does throughout the year or if a doe pulls toonmucb and usenit as an emergency back up supply. I just had to do it tonight actually as I have a first time momma who flunked at the nest building... sometimes when they don't pull fur they don't get milk either... it is all a waiting game honestly.... if you have another to possibly Foster to that's an idea to ensure at least a couple make it... this time out of 6 does for me she's the only one who took or the rest are just late... never know.

 

[shanzu farms]

Wow. That is really good idea. Thanks for that very much. I will save groomed hair from now. And lets see if they will make it. First timer doe, so i am realistic anyways.