Bottle Feeding the Runts

In a litter of eleven kits, there are three runts, all REWs.  Normally, this would not be a problem.  We bred two other does at the same time with Snowball, but they did not produce litters.  So the three runts, which we probably would have been able to put with Honey or Duchess, now have to struggle to survive.  We are doing what we can to help them. 

They are not getting much of their mother's milk because the bigger ones push them away.  So we are bottle feeding them.  The formula we use is Ultra Start Multi colostrum supplement for newborn animals.  We have used it on other runts or struggling rabbits and they have all survived.  Fresh goat milk would be better for them, but our goats aren't milking yet.

The smallest runt is not looking very good.  He is really struggling.  This is why rabbits have large litters.  Some just won't make it, for whatever reason.

It's a learning experience.