Need opinions/help with kit.

[Mandy]

Hey guys..
I had a question that maybe y'all could help with..

With Momma jumping on her kit the other day I've been so scared that she's going to do the same with the male.. and I'll be dealing with another death.

I've been taking him out her cage at night and only putting him in when I'm at my desk and can watch him. (Which is most of the day - I home-school online)

He's going to be 6 weeks old tomorrow and weighs 110g.

I just had to bust into the cage to grab the kit out as Momma started her wall-surfing and landed RIGHT next to the kit. (Ok, I'm sorry, but she's not a fit parent- lol)
I darn near had a heart attack.

Is there anyway I can take the kit out and supplement him until he's totally off milk in two weeks? Or should I just keep him in in the day time like I am?

He's eating hay and pellets (LOVES pellets. Munches on them all the time.)
I'm just not sure how much I would supp..and if it would be the same every 2/4 hours (depending if he was off her completely.)

I'm just so worried right now. If she kills him too I swear..

 

[EMSChins]

Some breeders I know completely wean their kits at 6 weeks of age - cold turkey - just take them from the mom. They say that taking them like that helps the mothers milk dry up faster???

I start the process at 6 weeks taking them from the mom a couple of hours a day, increasing the time each day until they are completely weaned at 8 weeks. This is a general rule of practice. If the kit is smaller or there are other issues, I would leave them with the mom longer. If their life is in danger and as long as they are a good size and eating pellets and hay and drinking water from a bottle - then I don't think that I would hesitate to take it from the mother at 6 weeks..

 

[Mandy]

Ok. I've heard it too.. but I just wanted to be sure. I'd feel horrible for taking him away this short. It's not like I couldn't put him in with her a few hours while I'm sitting here. She's normally calm during the day and stays in her hut.

He's use to staying out the cage for long 2-3 hours at a time anyway. (Has been since birth)

For 6 weeks - is 110g a good size..? (Let me know if a picture is needed )

 

[mishalaa]

At 110 grams he is not ready to be weaned. He needs to be at least 200g before weaning.

Breeders who wean at 6 weeks do it so the mother can get pregnant again sooner.

 

[Mandy]

He wouldn't be totally off milk. I'd be giving him the mix of goats milk x water x baby rice cereal.

Would that still be unacceptable to taking him away from Momma right now?

 

[mishalaa]

If you're going to handfeed him, you can take him away, but you cannot wean him from milk (or handfeeding) until he's bigger. Mom's milk is superior to handfeeding. Perhaps consider a smaller cage in which she can't wallsurf.

 

[Mandy]

I've tried sticking her in a small cage and it only made her that much worse with it.

 

[EMSChins]

I agree with Mish - 110 gms is too small to be off of milk. If you need to separate then continue handfeeding.

You say he is out o the cage several hours a day??? What is he doing during that time?

Kits under 6 months shouldn't be allowed out of cage playtime - they need their energy to grow.

 

[Mandy]

Oh, no no! He's in a carrier during that time and normally is sleeping. No I don't give him playtime right now.

 

[ErinsChins]

In my experience when the mother does that, i'll put her in a smaller cage. She does hump around for the first couple of hours, but after that she's fine, just give her time to explore. He seems really small for 6 weeks old..

 

[Mandy]

I can try putting her in the small cage again, but the reason she jumps around is because she hears Misty popcorning.

I'm actually not too surprised you said he seems small. I was just wondering this the other day. I was looking at pictures of 6 weeks old kits and he doesn't look too big to me. I thought it was because I had just been looking at him so much I didn't realize he was growing. I'll go take a picture of him real quick.

 

[mishalaa]

110g is very small for 6 weeks. Most 6 week olds are already 200g, so he is almost half the size he should be. Either he is not nursing enough or there is something else wrong with him.

 

[Mandy]

Oh gosh are you serious?
He was 42g at birth..him and the female were just hitting the 100g mark a few days ago.

Here's the pic:

I know that's obviously bad..if he's half the size he should be.
What should I do?

 

[Spoof]

At 110 grams he is not ready to be weaned. He needs to be at least 200g before weaning.

Depends on the size of the parents and he may just be small. I've weaned many less and greater than 200g, weight is not a good indicator. If he's eating well on his own and doing good away from mom like you say I'd just wean him and let him grow.

Breeders who wean at 6 weeks do it so the mother can get pregnant again sooner.

I've never heard this. Chins either breed back or they don't. Milk quantity doesn't make a difference.

 

[Mandy]

I don't really know the size of the dad..
I only have one picture of him:

Then Momma (who weighs 635g)

Spoof, when you say just wean him and let him grow - you mean still being supplemented, right?

 

[Spoof]

Nope, I just wean them and let them grow. Likely mom is already dried up or too active for him to eat much. Having her out would allow him to eat more and "settle".

You could supplement him if you want, it's not going to hurt.

 

[Mandy]

I see him eating more hay and pellets than drinking from Momma anyway.
I could supp him a little at a time to maintain a steady weight gain?
Or see how he does on just pellet and hay? I just don't want to risk him losing weight.

 

[addictedtochins]

See the fleece you lined the outside of the cage with? I would make a fleece "roof" inside the cage that cuts the cage height by half. Fleece is stretchy, get it in there, then fix it to fit. She will hang out on top the fleece I'm sure, but it should be high/tight enough that she doesn't touch the ground while up there. He should have a jelly or pasta sauce jar to be able to hide and be safe in. Hopefully this will help and he can stay with his mom longer.Keep a daily record of his weight and keep the forum updated, the breeders can help you.

 

[Mandy]

I have the huge hut and the thing the hay is in that he goes in. This was for both of the kits..yet the female wasn't able to move out the way in time.
The only thing that I wouldn't get would be if Momma would hang out on top the fleece (which, knowing her only wanting to get to misty..she would be up there 24/7) is that even helping the kit? She likes to jump on the cage side and get her nose as close to the end of the cage, then see misty's shadow as she plays along. Like they're going to touch noses. (but they can't) then she's fussing for a while.

 

[addictedtochins]

I am looking at my FN and thinking.....I guess I would go to Lowes and get some plywood cut to slide right in there and affix to make a fake roof. Don't forget some hardware.