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Skinny nursing jill


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My Jill has had her first litter of eleven kits ten days ago. She’s caring for them like an absolute pro and they are happy with little fat tummy’s! 

I’ve been monitoring her weight carefully and ensuring extra food but she is looking so skinny. 

She is fed on a combination of kibble (science selective and James welbeloved) pigeons, rabbits and lamb. She is given egg yolks and malt paste as treats. 

My concern is that she is only ten days in and already very thin (she was fine pre-pregnancy) and eleven babies is a lot. 

Is she likely to be able to care for them until they are weaned? Is there anything extra I can do for her to help weight gain? Will I need to hand rear some of them? 

I don’t currently have access to any other nursing Jill’s so that isn’t an option. 

Any tips would be appreciated! 

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As said keep feeding her she will be fine I use full fat natural goats yogurt for the kits and jills along with chicken / rabbit mince then move on to rabbits chicken wings etc had a few litters of 10

I might just get myself shot down here, but years ago when I did keep ferrets I can honestly say I don't think they got any dried food whatsoever, I don't even think the thought of feeding dried food

Touchy huh...........after 6 months of dry food you won't lose a ferret...............you will see them glowing from 50yds 

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I think your doing fine and trying your best. You done well to get that many so far. Some will say feed the Jill meat and eggs etc and when the kits start taking solids then soft kitten food. This is the hunting life website though and if one guy says feed concrete then the other guy will say tarmac. Whatever works then it works. I'd ask a guy in private that has already reared 10 plus.

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As said above just keep the food coming. I've got a 3 year old Jill with her first litter, 4 days old started with 10 but down to 8. I always sprinkle a little bit of bone meal powder on nursing Jill's food, it helps strengthen the kits.

as the others have said OT will comment soon and he will put you right, might even say she looks over weight 

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3 hours ago, jiggy said:

I think your doing fine and trying your best. You done well to get that many so far. Some will say feed the Jill meat and eggs etc and when the kits start taking solids then soft kitten food. This is the hunting life website though and if one guy says feed concrete then the other guy will say tarmac. Whatever works then it works. I'd ask a guy in private that has already reared 10 plus.

Thank you for the reassurance, much appreciated

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3 hours ago, W. Katchum said:

Iv had big litters a few times an the jills always come throo, look like shit but soon sort themselves out after the kitts are weaned, just keep the food coming, keep it regular so as not to let it spoil in this heat an soon as th me kitts start wandering out the box, encourage them to munch some meat, it won’t take much encouragement, but stop stressing so much an enjoy?

She does look like crap. Very reassuring to know she will bounce back (hopefully) doesn’t help that she pulled a LOT of her fur out while nesting. 

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55 minutes ago, Lee farrington said:

As said above just keep the food coming. I've got a 3 year old Jill with her first litter, 4 days old started with 10 but down to 8. I always sprinkle a little bit of bone meal powder on nursing Jill's food, it helps strengthen the kits.

as the others have said OT will comment soon and he will put you right, might even say she looks over weight 

Why did you lose the two? Everyone seems surprised that my eleven are still alive? Now I’m paranoid haha! 

What bone meal powder? Where can I get that from? 

We never used to feed them kibble but we had a bit of a pigeon shortage recently. (Nice one Packham!)

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As said keep feeding her she will be fine I use full fat natural goats yogurt for the kits and jills along with chicken / rabbit mince then move on to rabbits chicken wings etc had a few litters of 10 but never 11 ! 

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