We weren't raising rabbits as such (caught by surprise by a mis-sexed pair) so I'm no expert, but we had large ones and small ones in the litter. The large ones continued to grow and the small ones stopped growing and died. I guess the big ones crowded the little ones out. I don't suppose there is much you can do with the mother being so touchy.

Rabbits are supposed to be better mothers with experience. I don't know how emotionally attached you are to the babies but there will certainly be more a month after you put her with the male again.

It is possible that the does are not "firing on all teats". Put on a pair of leather gauntlets (I carry the odd scar on hands and wrists from sharp teeth and claws) and catch the does by the scruff of the neck with one hand and hold the hind legs in the other. Check for blind teats and/or mastitis - obviously much easier if there are two of you. If there are problems then you might have to consider weaning the biggest kits now - or culling the smaller ones. Weaning at two weeks is early but they will survive. You could perhaps even up the litters if you can mask the smell (mix them all up for a while, spray perfume around the place, I used to buy a nasal spray for ewes that I used when I wanted to foster a lamb). Switching kits in their first few days is easy, at 2 weeks, I am not so sure. Maybe you could try one and see what happens. I would be inclined to early wean the biggest ones rather than cull the smallest. I often found a difference in sizes and tried to level up several litters - easy if you have a lot, difficult if you have a few. Another possibility is physically splitting the litter into two nestboxes, and giving them different opportunities to suckle. It complicates the cage arrangement, but could be worthwhile for another week, and then wean the biggest ones.

Do you have "Rabbit Production" by Cheeke, Patten, Lukefahrr and McNitt, Oregon State University? Not certain of the authors' name spelling, but I found it the best book I had on rabbits. Old McDonald.

Thanks, everyone for the input. Birdgardner, these are meat rabbits so although I try to give them an excellent quality of life, they are not pets. I just want to do what is best for all.

Old McDonald, thanks for clarifying my choices. Fostering to the other doe is not a possibility - she also has a large litter, 7 or 8.

If I decide to wean the largest kits early, is there not a high risk to them of developing fatal digestive problems? What is it best to feed them: a formula (several recipes online) or solid food. Or some of each? And what items are suitable?

At present they are not out of the nest box and so are not yet eating solid food. I expect the big ones to hop out within a day or two.

I plan to order the book you suggested as soon as I can locate a copy.

I intended you to even up the litters for size, not numbers. I reckoned if the second doe had only a small number in her litter you would have said so and already given her some extra mouths to feed.

You will only need to wean now if the doe has a problem, and if the full litter is still alive, that seems unlikely. As you say, they should be out and feeding themselves in a day or two. If the smaller ones are thriving, allowing for being smaller, then best if you could give them another week to 10 days, and by then you would be able to wean straight onto the normal grower ration if you felt it necessary. Once the biggest kits are feeding, I would be inclined to go for the split litter option, and wean them gradually over the following two weeks (ie about a month old when fully weaned) leaving the smaller ones with the doe for a further week to 10 days - depending on when/if she is due to kindle again. Messing about with formulas is time consuming, and I always feel a bigger digestive risk than early weaning for any stock. I know some mainstream advice is to wean at 8 to 10 weeks, but by then the doe should have kindled again, so that is rather late, and we used to wean a week before the doe was due again, or at 6 weeks maximum.

Something for you to consider - did you mate the does more than once? If so, did you use a different buck for the second or subsequent matings? Could be a buck problem - one leaving small kits. Old McDonald.

Hi Old McDonald! As always your advice makes sense to me. Just to confirm: you mean give one or two of the runts to the second doe, whose litter is three days younger. Right?

Two of the larger kits were out of the nest box today -- and trying to crawl under mama for an unscheduled feeding. She just moved away after a moment of two. Brian braved "Cujo" and put them back in the box for the night. She actually let him, so maybe she is calming down.

The whole litter was more active this evening. All except the smallest seem okay, but that one has one eye still shut, possibly pasted. I will deal with that in the morning... the light was too dim this evening, very rainy here lately and dusk comes early.

We did indeed breed both does twice, about ten hours between matings, but to the same buck. So this seems unlikely to have been the cause of the size difference. The rationale for this double breeding is that does ovulate upon mating and a second mating helps to ensure a good-sized litter. Hmmm.... maybe it was a bit too successful.

We have not rebred the doe. I figure four litters a year is enough to ask. The rabbits are only for our own use. Also, I am considering culling this doe. I don't like working with aggressive animals and I am hoping there will be a suitable young doe among her litter to be her replacement. No hasty decision about this, but I am thinking along those lines.

Maggie, In order of your post.....
Not necessarily, often it makes sense to foster the biggest because they are strong enough to fight off the does own.

You might not have any problem after all. It is now a day later so probably they have been out of the nest again. If you can, check in the evenings for young ones out of the nest. It is quite common for them to hang onto a teat and be dragged out when the doe leaves the box, only to be left out there when she returns, and of course they perish.

Sounds as if they are all thriving OK.

I agree with double matings and does with a small litter record were often mated 3 times. You need 8s and 9s, ideally 10s, so don't go back to single matings.

Do not cull her on this one litter. It is her first after all. My worst scar is from my best ever doe. You might find it is best to keep the does in production, otherwise there is a tendency to fatness which leads to problems when you do want to remate. I am not in favour of rationing rabbits - too difficult to calculate a "slimming" diet for such a small creature, especially one that you cannot see by just looking at it whether it is in reasonable condition or not, so I liked to keep them mated or feeding. If you want fewer litters, go for late weaning and a delay in remating. Old McDonald.

I see what you mean about fostering the larger ones, Old. McD, but I am afraid they would bully the kits in the other litter too. They are three days younger and although they are doing well enough they do not have the vigor of the big ones.

Actually, this is the doe's second litter and we were told that she was "very protective" of her babies. But we will likely give her another mating and maybe by the time she kindles again she will trust us more. She is a good mother.

I appreciate your advice about the spacing of litters. I expect I will leave the smallest kits with her for some time after the big ones are weaned.

We lost one kit on the wire early on and since then check on them two or three times a day. I want to redesign the nest box before the next litters so that once they get mobile I can adjust it so they are able to get back in easily too. The bigger ones can hop out easily because they are on a thick layer of bedding, but once out they cannot yet manage the leap back in.

We live and we learn... in that order! There are so many things that the books never mention. Thanks for all your help!

I have had to assist smaller kits to survive in the first 10 days many times, by taking the doe and rolling her upside down on her back in my lap, cupping her head in my left elbow and holding her two front legs with my left hand, very firmly. I advise long sleeve leather gloves and a heavy coat at the very least as the does hate this at first. She will probably try to bite you and she will definitely scratch like blazes. When she settles (be firm with her but do not hurt her) have a helper hand you the skinny kit. Put it near her nose and talk to her in hushed tones telling her what you are doing and why. She will sniff it and it will squiggle so keep a good hold. The sound of your gentle voice will help to comfort the doe. Place the kit on her belly and cup your gloved hand over its body and do not relax. This is for four reasons. At first the doe will probably struggle at first as the kit is placed on her belly. Have your helper ready to take the kit if you are losing the grip on the doe. Re-adjust and try again. It may take three or four tries until the doe settles. The second reason to keep your hand cupped over the kit is to stop it falling off the does tummy. In the excitement of finally getting a free go at the milk, the kit will snuffle through the fur like a bulldozer looking for gold. It will latch onto a nipple and start to palpate mum with pounding little feet, then let go suddenly, change direction like popping popcorn and launch off looking for another nipple. This will go on for about ten minutes. Its urgency will slow gradually as its belly fills and when you hold it up you will see it is full as a tick and now has a milk hangover. The third reason for the cupped hand, is at any stage the doe can lash out with her back feet which are not held. This is not usual after the initial scuffle at the start but your gloved hand can rescue the kit and protect it from a clawing. Finally by cupping the kit you are keeping its body at least a bit warm. Try to do all of the above, once a day. Make a comparative check on all kits bellies once a day after day 2. You might find just one extra feed is enough to jump start the slightly weaker kit. Waiting till day 4 or 5 gives the king kits, too much of a head start and the weaker one or two, never gain enough strength to hold their own. My does are so used to this now, they tend to go to sleep during the process. I also wear an oodie which is super comfortable for them and provides great protection for me. If I dont have a helper, I slip the kit or kits into the oodie pocket to await their turn. Be aware they will probably wee after feeding, so you will be washing your oodie daily for a few days. I know this may draw some criticism from the survival of the fittest crowd, but when you are breeding for meat, weaned kits at 6 weeks are infinitely better than dead ones in the first two weeks to prove a point.