QUESTIONS REGARDING NEW MUM....

[frenchy]

My doe had her first litter 7 days ago now, andit doesnt seem to matter how much food I give her she eats the lot. Shealso has loads of hay and I pick fresh grass, dandilions etc daily forher as I have not been putting her outside since the babies have beenborn. On top of all of this she gets fresh veggies also.

What I would like to know is if there is any harm in me feeding her asmuch as she likes or if I should only allow her to have a little morethan before the babies were here?

I have been giving her about double her normal rabbit food plus all theextras,and she eats the lot. Is this ok or should I be giving her more?

Hope this makes sence!!

Kelly

 

[Pipp]

Not my area, but I'msure she should have unlimited food.

It sounds like a nicely balanced diet.They canalmost eat their weight in veggies on a normal day if that's the maincourse.You'refeeding her pellets/rabbitfoodI gather? What kind are they?

Congrats on the babies.

sas :bunnydance:

 

[aurora369]

At a week old the babies are starting to eatalot more milk. So it's no surprise she's eating double herfood no problem.

I always free feed any nursing moms I foster. That way Idon't have to worry about them getting enough nutrition to feed theirbabies.

--Dawn

 

[frenchy]

Thanks for that guys, I wanted to make sure I was ok to free feed her as much as she wanted.

I am feeding her rabbit food which has added dried friuts, bananas,carrots etc. Which they love. I can not remember the name though.

Kelly

 

[polly]

Yeah i agree at the mo i have 3 mumsfeeding and 1 of them just can't get e ough food she has been like thatsince 24 hours after giving birth, she is naturally thinner than myother 2 mums and i think she needs it more the others are eating a lotbut not as much as her and she is drinking like a fish. I think as longas you don't end up getting to many squidgy poos let her have what sheneeds

 

[TinysMom]

For the first week, I increase the food a bitevery day until the doe is getting about twice her normal food.Sometimes I go a bit more than that - it depends upon the doe andnumber of babies. A doe w/ 2 or 3 babies obviously won't need as muchas a doe who has 8 babies to nurse.

Peg

 

[RAL Rabbitry]

For the first couple of days after the doe kindles I do not increase the pellets

that the doe is fed. I then slowly start increasing her pellets until she is on

free feed by the time that the kits have their eyes open. I don't immediately

free feed because I am worried about the doe getting mastitis.

Roger

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

I usually just feed my doetons of hay and pellets right after she has babies. When the babies getbigger i get this food mix with tons of veggies and other things in itwhich includes hay. My babies are now 5 weeks old and are eating hay,food, water, and the food mix. The mix consists of Sunflower seeds,hay, corn, some weird stuff that looks like bacon although i can'tremember what its called and other things. They all love it and my buckthinks its his regular meal but it's just a little treat to help themgrow and get strong and a better coat. Any other questions?

 

[frenchy]

Thanks everyone for the replys.

I have started to free feed my doe now and she seems to be doing very well.

Should I continue to free feed once the babies have left her or would she gradually go back to her normal feed then?



Kelly

 

[aurora369]

I made the mistake of free feeding Wildfireafter her babies where weaned and gone. I ended up with avery over weight bun, she's been on a diet for almost a year to try toget back to a healthy weight.

I would recommend that once the babies are weaned, start reducing the feed till she's on her regular ration.

--Dawn

 

[frenchy]

Thanks Dawn,

I thought that would be the case but wanted to make sure before doing so.

Kelly