Generally when I'm weeding my garden, I pull up small weeds by the roots. If I wash these can I feed them to the rabbits? I'm a bit worried about parasites and coccidiosis. Wasn't sure if it would be better to just compost them or what.
When you weed your garden how do you prepare for rabbits?
- Thread starter alforddm
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I've been feeding all the safe stuff to the buns. Not sure now that my garden was recently filled with composted rabbit manure. I'll have to choose a test bunny...
I always fed weeds from the garden to the buns, even when I was using bunny berries for fertilizer. I rarely saw any sign of coccidiosis on the livers of butchered rabbits. I always attributed this to the health-giving properties of the weeds, but it's possible too that being this far north had something to do with it as well. Long cold winters tend to keep down the concentration of parasites.
What about the plant roots? Can I just wash everything and feed it or do I need to remove the roots? I'm thinking of just putting everything I pull, roots attached (rabbit safe of course) into a bucket and then filling the bucket with water and washing and rinsing a few times. Would that sufficient?
what I do with mine is this
I carry a knife with me in the garden and simply cut off the roots as i go.
small plants I don't worry about. Just shake off the dirt and go.
the roots get tossed into my compost where the heat kills them off (plus they dry all day in the sun and that's a pretty good killer as well). I don't do that with twitch grass though as it survives anything.
Those get tossed on the lawn and mowed up.
MIND:
I haven't seen diseased livers or organs.
I have raised beds in which no rabbit manure from sick rabbits would get into
I carry a knife with me in the garden and simply cut off the roots as i go.
small plants I don't worry about. Just shake off the dirt and go.
the roots get tossed into my compost where the heat kills them off (plus they dry all day in the sun and that's a pretty good killer as well). I don't do that with twitch grass though as it survives anything.
Those get tossed on the lawn and mowed up.MIND:
I haven't seen diseased livers or organs.
I have raised beds in which no rabbit manure from sick rabbits would get into
alforddm":1vzf6fcz said:
It seems to me that swishing the greens in a bucket of water would just spread any germs around. I think it would be better to cut the roots off as Ladysown suggested. Many greens come with the recommendation to feed above ground parts only. If you keep a pair of pruning shears handy, removing the roots is easy.
Thanks everyone!
