Question: Weaning

[Hexe]

At what age do you wean the babies? The litter (six all together) is now three weeks old, is that too soon? It's pretty cold here (this morning it was -2), do they need the doe to help keep them warm still?

[SILEIGH]

6-8 weeks before weaning

3 weeks is way to young

they keep each other warm in the nest box
the more there are the warmer they are
if its still cold where you are let them keep the box
they will grow better if they dont have to burn extra calories to stay warm

my 2 litters are 5 weeks still with the box just newspaper in the bottom
you can use carboard and add straw to
we are 45 degrees tonight so they are fine

3 weeks is just to soon they are still nursing and just starting to really eat
give them some more time

when you do wean the larger 2 giving the smaller few more time on mom
then after a coulple days wean 2 more then a couple more days the last

this makes it easier on the doe to... you dont want to creat a situation that could lead to mastitis

hope this helps
leigh

[MaggieJ]

I completely agree with Leigh. You can even leave them with their momma until butchering time. She will wean them when the time is right.

[jil101ca]

I had a litter last year that lost their mom at 4 weeks, half the litter died. They still need mom at that age. I wean at 7 or 8 weeks but i do have 1 doe who weans them herself at 6 weeks.

[bunnylover]

3 weeks is way too young. I keep mine in with mama until they are 6 weeks old. In my experiences, the does usually wean the kits themselves by the time they are 5 weeks, but it doesn't hurt to let them stay with mama another week, to be sure that they are ready. I have never lost a kit (knock on wood!) to digestive problems due to weaning too early. At 6 weeks they are fat and sassy, devouring the pellets and hay, and ready to have a little more room in the weaning cage.

[Bernadette]

The doe's milk is very high fat, high quality food. With the cold weather I'd lean toward leaving them with the doe even longer than usual. Unless you have a really pressing reason, there's no need to take them from Momma. As long as there is plenty of room in the cage just leave the nest box and the kits in with the doe.