Your thoughts on pellets

I've been using a Kindle e-book as a guide on several things (Storey's Guide to Raising Rabbits). Figured it would be a good idea to check on some of the information in the book with the folks here to see if I'm on the right track. The book states that for medium weight adult rabbits 5oz of pellets a day is about right (on pellets that are around 16%). It goes on to say that does with kindles should be provided with pellets all the time as they're nursing and need to keep up their strength. Okay, that's pretty straight forward. But then later in the chapter I get mixed messages a bit. He states that bucks should get 2-3 ounces per day to keep them slim-n-trim.

So I've been feeding the buck 3 oz a day and the does between 4-5 oz a day. I feed in the evening around the same time to be consistent. In the morning when I'm doing chores I'll toss in a bit of hay or some leaf lettuce for them to munch on as a snack which they seem to enjoy quite a bit. And they are always eager to see me at dinner time.

So does that sound about right? Or am I off a bit? The buck is a mini lop and the two does are english lops (and bigger than the buck). And today the plan is to add a NZ doe to the group.

Thoughts welcome

First thought, unrelated to your topic, but important- consider a quarantine period for new stock. A lot of folks do a 30 day quarantine, isolating new buns, feeding them last, etc. It can save your herd if a new bun has an issue or an illness is brought out by the stress of being moved.

To the pellets. I have found among my NZ that their pellet requirements vary quite a bit. Some devour hay much more than pellets, some eat hay only after the pellets are gone. I make it a point to check their spines regularly, looking for smooth bumps, a "common" sign of a healthy weight. I adjust their feed as needed, but the numbers you mentioned sound good.

I do free feed nursing does. I even add a small handful of sunflower seeds daily to help with milk fat. When the kits open their eyes, I start sprinkling oats in the nestbox, and once they are out, oats get added to the pellets for mom and kits. They also get lots of greens from the yard, and alfalfa cubes. The sunflower seeds and cubes are ideas I picked up from here, and they have made a difference in grow out weights and I have had no weaning losses.

There are as many ways to healthily feed as there are to house rabbits. Do what works best for you, considering your location, what's available, and what your rabbits like. I have one very picky eater who ignores most greens, but show him a blackberry branch or a piece of dried pineapple, and he's a happy bun.

Feeding guideline are justFeeding guideline are just that - guides

Metabolism varies considerably so some rabbits will get obese on 4oz of pellets while others struggle to maintain condition when free fed if they are pregnant and/or lactating - you've really got to put your hands on them and feel their musculature and fat layer and bones

My current meat bucks are 7-9 pounds and fed about 4oz with unlimited grass hay and maintain weight just fine. My 4lb Mini lop bucks get around 2oz and unlimited grass hay and in the summer they get less pellets as they get more fresh greens when loose in the yard

Keep in mind that the 2 - 3 ounces are probably intended to be by weight, not volume. 2 - 3 ounces by weight could end up being a half cup of food, more or less, and would vary depending on the food. Mine weighs 5 ounces per cup. My bucks get a bit less than a cup of food per day, or about 4 - 4.5 ounces by weight.

I have one doe (retired) who actually won't eat enough pellets to keep condition. She gets about 50/50 feed and whole oats, free fed. Not that she eats a lot, probably not a whole cup a day, but we give her as much as she'll eat. She does eat enough of that mix to not feel like a stegosaurus.

Pregnant and nursing does should be free fed. All others (except special diet rabbits like the NZW I just mentioned :roll: ) should be fed whatever keeps them in good condition. It is okay for them to run out of food before feeding time comes again. And that's another place hay helps. Gives them something to munch while they're waiting on the chuck wagon.

Thank you for all the input. I pulled out the scale and weighed the pellets so now I can provide the correct amount. I was close but slightly on the light side. So now that is correct. Thank you again.

You're welcome! Sounds like your pellets are more dense than mine. What are you feeding, out of curiosity? I'm feeding Country Acres, considered actually a rather low-quality feed by Purina. Just one of those cases where my particular rabbits do better on the not-as-good stuff than they do on the really good stuff. :roll:

I don't remember off hand. Got it from my local feed store. I've got to make a run out there today to pick some more up so I'll post what it is afterwards