Starting a colony

Well, I've quickly read everything in this colony forum, and I'm slowly working through the HT rabbit forum too, because... we're picking up our rabbits today!

I had been advised that NZ's were a nicer breed but Cali's were all that I could find within a couple of hours of here, so Cali's it is. We're starting with 2 does and a buck, all 3 months old, so we have plenty of time to get used to these little guys before we start to breed. We're not planning on selling any meat, it will be just for my family, so hopefully we'll never really be overrun by rabbits and the colony shouldn't get overcrowded :roll:

I was a little too excited to post before taking pics, so I'll add these as I go. The rabbits are all housed together at their current house and they'll go straight into a 6x4 cage here until the colony setting is ready. Then we'll be putting the does in an old horse stall in the barn while the buck stays in the cage until breeding time. The stall is at least 8x8 but I'll measure when I go out to take pics as soon as this rain stops...

First question: the stall currently has a 5ft high solid door which isn't the greatest for keeping an eye on the action, especially for my kids. Every time I go in I don't want to risk rabbits escaping so I'd like to install a step-over just inside the door. How high would you suggest the step-over needs to be to avoid escapees?

And secondly... the stall has a concrete floor but wooden walls, would you leave bare wood or hardware cloth the bottom foot or so of the wall?

And thirdly... the stall also has a small access into the next stall which is housing two Nigerian Dwarf buck goats. Would you close off this access, is there any problem with these animals mixing? I was thinking that the rabbits could clean up some of the hay that our bucks love to waste.

And fourthly... every resource advises to bring the does to the buck's cage, but that's not what I'm reading on this forum. People add the buck into the colony setting at breeding time. Are there any tips on this, wont the does be territorial about the colony?

Thanks in advance, and I'll be back with pics (and probably more questions) soon!

first off- welcome!
rabbits waste hay too - have no doubt of that - I guess my issue with allowing access to the goats might be security - if it is equally secure that's ok but if people go in and out multiple times in a day I'd be tempted to block the access hole.

I have a jersey wooly who can easily get out of a 3.5 foot high pen so I'm not sure a step through is going to be practical maybe a "window" in the stall door with a wire front would work?

to cover the bottom of the stall or not depends on you - the rabbits will chew wood in all liklihood - at least a few of them will - do you mind that? if so cover it up - they shouldn't chew through it without you noticing and it taking a fair while

I'd leave the buck with the does for now until much closer to breeding age and when you do seperate hi it's great if they can have a wire wall that is shared - that way the does still see him as part of the group - and will lie up alongside him. Then it isn't so much a matter of reintroducing him but giving them some time together

Hello Nothingman and welcome to RabbitTalk! :hi:

All good suggestions from Brody.

I think, however, that a step-over installed inside the main door will work very well with meat rabbits. I used this method a couple of winters when I had my rabbits in floor pens in a shed. Once the colony becomes home, their drive to escape and explore usually diminishes. They are not going to plot to rush the step-over when you open the big door and I found two feet was a sufficient height. A window in the main door is a good idea, just for observation.

Your biggest problem is likely to be rats. Once they arrive and find easy pickings of feed, their population will rise and they will begin to target the kits in the nest box. You need to have a rat control program in place NOW. We are blessedly rat-free at the moment thanks to a resident weasel over the past winter. It paid itself by killing four of our hens once the rats ran out. Take patching rat holes seriously.

I'd like to try a colony again this winter and maybe keep it going from there, but it will have to be rat-proof and that is going to take some doing. As far as I am concerned, rats are the worst predator you are likely to have to deal with.

Good luck with your colony. You've certainly done your homework and I admire that.

Thankyou already guys!



The place is 11x9 and needs a LOT of cleaning. It has been pretty much empty for years barring the odd horse being confined in there and I don't really even know the last time it was cleaned. The goat pen next door was just the same but we got that cleaned up... now come the rabbits!

I understand that people wait 6-8 months before breeding but the one bit of info I haven't found (or have already forgotten) is... just how young can they breed, even if you don't want them to. Most of my research has been into chickens and goats, the rabbit research was kinda put on the backburner until now. Goat bucks can breed as young as 7 weeks and MUST be separated from the does by then, what age should I ensure the buck is housed separately to ensure breeding isn't too early?

As far as I know, no-one has ever seen a rat here. We have a lot of chipmunks and a couple of mice who somehow manage to avoid the two dogs and two cats we have. There are a few holes in the walls that we're currently getting around to patching so hopefully we'll stop any problems before they arise.

We're also aiming to feed as naturally as possible so I'm poring research into that aspect too!<br /><br />__________ Mon Jul 19, 2010 8:50 am __________<br /><br />And yes... that window needs fixing too

The good news is that this half of the barn is always cool, the temps have never risen near 90F, even when we got to 113F outdoors a week ago. That's one less thing to worry about!

I love that you have windows

I'm jealous

don't think cause you don't see them you don't have them - I don't think rats are eradicated anywhere - the province of alberta bans them but I still think they have an issue at times


I love the window

the step over isn't to replace the door? just to use when filling water bowls etc?
then I agree with Maggie - my guys actually respect an open door and won't come through it unless invited when I'm puttering in and out of their yard (now that couldl have soething to do with the hard eyed border collie mix lying on the edge of the door way hoping somebunny is dumb enough to cross the line

You have a great space there - and the coolness is a defintite bonus. I sugges adding some shelves around the walls to increase lounging space... the buns will love it, especially when there are kits. With only two does, you may be able to keep the buck with them permanently. You'll find a family can use a lot of rabbit! But for the moment, do separate him... they start to mature sexually around the three month point, sometimes even earlier. You should keep the does together, however, as it will minimize territorial behaviour later.

We found that rats only became a major problem when their population soared. Perhaps with your outdoor dogs and cats that won't happen. Just be vigilant. One seldom actually sees rats until they are very well established. Learn what to look for and monitor the premises regularly. Many people have found that the rats seem to arrive after the rabbits. It might be the grain, it might just be coincidence.

You'll be thinking I am obsessed on the topic of rats, but we have had two infestations of rats in the nine years we have been here. The first was here when we moved in. An obliging mink took up residence in our cellar and wiped them out. The second arrived in a load of hay from a farm down the road. (Not the people we deal with now.) The weasel and feral cats eradicated them over this past winter. Maybe we will get some peace for awhile now.

My uncle had absolutely no idea that there was a mouse and rat issue here at all, until my maintenance man husband moved in. He can identify the droppings. He hasn't seen evidence of rats in the house, only mice. He has seen evidence of both, however, in the storage room on the other side of the carport, which is all under the same roof. So we know we will have to deal with rats this fall.

Just to concur, you don't have to see rats to have rats.

I certainly promise to be on rat-watch, I count myself warned!

Well, we picked the rabbits up today, and please remember that these were the only available meat rabbits I could find anywhere within a 2hr drive. They may not turn out to be ideal, but they're only for family consumption anyway... :roll:

The seller had a very nice set up, only feeds naturally, with pellets as an additional winter supplement, so I'm liking the guy up to this point, but he's only pretty sure we have the right sexes. He sexed last night and he's fairly confident but we should check again. After the mauling the buck gave to my hand I'll hold off on sexing until tomorrow They're also mixed with NZ's within the last couple of generations, which I think is fine by me (?)

Also, within minutes of placing them in their temporary cage until the colony is ready, the buck was mounting! I sure hope he wasn't successful (I didn't see if myself, my wife told me she interrupted them in the act so no celebratory 'fall from grace' from the little fella).

He's housed inside a too small cage inside the main temporary/backup cage for perhaps 24-48hrs until the colony room is ready.





And yes Maggie, you do seem to have a rat obsession :lol:

Yup, I know it! :lol: Just wait until it's your turn to deal with those obnoxious beasts!

Your rabbits look fine to me. They look a bit lean, but at 3 months that is normal, especially on a natural diet. Make sure they have hay to help them adjust to any changes in diet now that they are in your care.

It is quite possible to "breed up" mutt rabbits to a better meat rabbit. By saving only the very best for future breeders, you will see improvement in just a few generations. And in bunny terms, that is not a very long time.

Looks great!

We're introducing them to the colony today, I'll add pics later. I'm just a tad excited :roll:

I'm glad cause (for me anyhow) your buck would probably be happier with little more room - is he goi ng to get the amazing spread you had the girls in?<br /><br />__________ Wed Jul 21, 2010 8:35 am __________<br /><br />I'm glad cause (for me anyhow) your buck would probably be happier with little more room - is he goi ng to get the amazing spread you had the girls in?

Brody":25ye59gr said:

I'm glad cause (for me anyhow) your buck would probably be happier with little more room - is he goi ng to get the amazing spread you had the girls in?

Click to expand...

Absolutely! He would have been allowed free access to roam in there already if he hadn't been so frisky

He'll probably have to stay in the larger cage until breeding time then he can join the colony for a while. Hopefully by the time we're kindling we'll have put together a reasonable cage for him within the colony...<br /><br />__________ Wed Jul 21, 2010 10:45 am __________<br /><br />Well here we go!

Now the big guy looks an awful lot happier with the increased space


And the girls are settling in nicely. The space is a little empty for now but we really needed to give the buck more space, we'll add to the colony setting over the next few days...





Any tips, advice, comments etc. is incredibly welcome. We're very new to this and though I think I'm on top of my research, there are always those anecdotal bits of information that could really help.

that's great

i took a broken plastic garbage can and put it on it's side in the pen yesterday - all the bunnies think it's the coolest thing ...

Excellent looking place

If you have anything you can make a tunnel out of (we used extra chunks of ceramic tile chimney thingies) they'll have a grand time with them. Rabbits LOVE tunnels, I've found.

They also like heights, from what I've read. If you put a series of staggered shelves up on one of those walls (where they won't be able to jump out of the pen), or cobble together something like one of those kitty condos to put in the middle, they'd probably love it! I'd do it here if I could.

Just be careful how high you make anything for them to jump on. They can hurt themselves accidentally by jumping off from height. Chickens can, too..stupid birds. (sorry...I digress).

They do like a place to lay around up off the floor. Mine regularly sit on the 2x4 railing.

Nice setup! Bunnies look nice in happy in there too? Is that a bird cage in that one cage? If so, whats it for?<br /><br />__________ Thu Jul 22, 2010 8:07 pm __________<br /><br />I have sufggestion for the shelves. Perhaps you can rig up something they can't up and down from, but have an area where they climb up and down on a ramp. I used to have a ferret type cages with something similar. The bunny ran up and down the ramps and loved it. may be getting another one of those soon.

chinbunny1":2nn8ud8n said:

Nice setup! Bunnies look nice in happy in there too? Is that a bird cage in that one cage? If so, whats it for?

Click to expand...

I'm guessing you mean the buck quarantine cage? He was a horny little devil and needed separation and that was all we could come up with. At least it was only for 36hrs or so. And if you don't mean that... :t_oops:

Tunnels and shelves are currently in production. I refuse to buy anything new when I see all the stuff (junk) lying around here. I'm sure I can recycle something. I will also probably have a ramp to some of the shelves too.

A random thing I've noticed... despite the concrete step that I kept free of shavings they have both decided to clear a patch of concrete on the main floor as a lounge. The average temp of the room is barely over 20C so these girls must really like it cool!

And a couple of questions... now that the does are in the colony and the buck is housed away from them, how would you plan to include him in the colony setting? It might be a while before we can get set up and offer him his own space within the colony, so my thought was to move the girls to his cage, let them mate, and then move him into the colony setting first before reintroducing the does. Does that sound reasonable?

And also... would you plan to remove the buck a couple of days before kindling to stop him rebreeding right away? I'm not against a quick rebreed this time unless someone can specifically say it would be a bad idea. Breeding is still a few months away anyway, I wont rush anything

I let my bucks stay with the does until a week before kindlings. After three weeks, the poor girls can't manage to get away from him if he's..er..amorous. They plant their butts down, but the buck could just keep on trying and making their lives miserable (peter does that with Mama-san. Chuck doesn't, but then he's slightly smaller than the girls are ) That way I can determine WHEN they breed ...or at least when they can start

Sounds like a good plan...buck establishes the colony setting as HIS..and then the girls are introduced to it..thus stopping any territorial thing.

I found that the does will accept a BUCK in a colony, as long as he's been introduced slowly...but not another doe. It's that macho thing. The dominant doe seems to get nasty at first...then she turns into this pink frilly sweet thing..all girly, so to speak. I suspect it's very dependent on the individual rabbits.

I do think that if they're familiar with the buck, even if he goes away for a while, they recognize him later.